Jun 12, 20204 min read

New Tioman International Airport @ Lapangan Terbang Baharu Di Pulau Tioman

Updated: Dec 13, 2023

Important Links:

Youtube Video: 3D Fly-Through Animation of the New Tioman Airport

About

This presentation was created through a collaboration between Reef Check Malaysia, and the Landscape Ecology and Conservation Lab, School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia. We hope that this video will raise awareness among the general public regarding the actual extent, potential impacts, and broad concerns around the proposed new international airport on Tioman Island.

For more details regarding airport development contact Alvin Chelliah from Reef Check Malaysia: alvin@reefcheck.org.my

Authors

Alvin Chelliah, Michelle L.E. Ang, Alex M. Lechner, Laura N. H. Verbrugge and Christopher M. Raymond.

Photos courtesy of Alvin from Reef Check Malaysia.

The proposed Airport on Tioman is a recycled idea that was rejected in 2009 due to the magnitude of the environmental impacts it will cause. The construction process will reclaim 64 hectares within the Tioman Marine Park, destroy coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves. Construction will also destroy low land forests including the quarrying rock from an area of 32 hectares.

Besides the direct impacts caused by the construction of the airport, the influx of tourists and the cascading effects of construction projects to cater to the increased number of tourists would also place a huge strain on the already limited natural resources of the island.

Lapangan terbang yang diusulkan di Tioman adalah idea lama dan telahpun ditolak pada tahun 2009 kerana impaknya kepada alam semulajadi. Proses pembinaan ini akan memerlukan penambakan 64 hektar kawasan pantai di Taman Laut Tioman. Ia akan memusnahkan terumbu karang, dasar laut dan hutan bakau. Pembinaan lapangan terbang ini juga akan memusnahkan hutan pinggir pantai dan melibatkan letupan batu gunung seluas 32 hektar.

Di samping kesan langsung yang disebabkan oleh pembinaan lapangan terbang ini, peningkatan projek pembinaan lain untuk memenuhi peningkatan jumlah pelancong yang akan bertambah juga akan memberi tekanan besar kepada sumber alam semulajadi yang terhad.

Photos courtesy of Alvin from Reef Check Malaysia.

No reliable estimate exists of carrying capacity for Tioman. However, reports from the island indicate that existing social infrastructure is insufficient for increased tourist numbers:

There are periodic water shortages, particularly during the busy season. Adding facilities such as an airport, and the additional resorts that would follow to cater for the projected increase in visitors, would exacerbate this problem.
The island has no centralised sewage treatment system. With increased tourism sewage pollution will be a serious threat.
The current incinerator is operating at capacity and is unable to manage any increase in waste generated on the island
The island has very limited transport infrastructure which would not be sufficient to move increased numbers of people around the island. New roads would mean cutting intact forest, with the associated impacts on ecosystems (fragmentation of ecosystems, release of siltation, erosion, etc.)
Electricity generating capacity is limited and blackouts are common, particularly during peak tourism season. It is likely that new electricity generation capacity would be required to cope with the additional demand of tourism growth.

Tiada anggaran tepat untuk daya tampungan Pulau Tioman. Namun, laporan menunjukkan bahawa infrastruktur sosial yang ada tidak mencukupi untuk menampung peningkatan pelancong:

Terdapat kekurangan air tawar secara berkala, terutamanya semasa musim ramai pelancong. Peningkatan dalam bilangan pelancong dan hotel akan memburukkan masalah ini.
Pulau ini tidak mempunyai sistem rawatan kumbahan berpusat. Peningkatan bilangan pelancong boleh menyebabkan peningkatan masalah pencemaran sisa kumbahan.
Insinerator sedia ada beroperasi pada kapasiti maksimum dan tidak dapat menampung penambahan sampah yang dihasilkan di pulau ini di sebabkan oleh peningkatan bilangan pelancong.
Pulau ini memiliki infrastruktur pengangkutan yang sangat terbatas. Untuk membina jalan raya ke semua kampong dari kawasan lapangan terbang, hutan perlu ditebang, dan ini akan menghasilkan masalah lain seperti tanah runtuh.
Kapasiti menjana elektrik adalah terhad dan sering terdapat gangguan bekalan elektrik, terutama pada musim sibuk. Kapasiti penjanaan elektrik baru diperlukan bagi mengatasi tambahan permintaan pelancongan.

Photos courtesy of Alvin from Reef Check Malaysia.

Finally, the development of large resorts disadvantages local island communities as tourism shifts away from the small scale family run resorts. While the value of the tourism market might grow, there are potentially negative impacts on the livelihoods of locals and especially on the ecosystems.

A survey conducted on Tioman by University Nottingham Malaysia obtained feedback from islanders regarding major development on the island. Many indicated that they are against it and prefer development that is environmentally friendly. Their main concerns focused on improving existing facilities and infrastructure, rather than creating more infrastructure on an island that is already plagued with many quality of life issues.

The development will radically and irreversibly alter the natural environment and social fabric of the island.

Akhirnya, pembangunan pusat peranginan besar akan menyebabkan kemelesetan ekonomi bagi masyarakat pulau yang kebanyakkannya resort kecialan. Oleh itu, walaupun pelancongan akan berkembang, ada kemungkinan kehidupan penduduk tempatan dan alam semulajadi akan terjejas.

Menurut kajian yang dilakukan di Tioman oleh Universiti Nottingham Malaysia, kebanyakan penduduk menyokong pembangunan yang lestari di pulau ini. Mereka lebih mementingkan pemulihan infratruktur yang sedia ada dan pembanguan kemudahan awam.