Week 1 Progress Report - Educational Visit to Kuala …...Another interesting cultural at Kuala Muda...

“Save Our Shores”, Scouts of The World Voluntary Service - Penang Group

Abstract— This week activities are carried out to

identified the important of mangrove forest practically and

to discover the better way of conducting the SW Voluntary

Service effectively by visit to the key location and site.

Index Terms— Kuala Gula, Mangrove, Sea Corrosion,

Tsunami, Kuala Muda, Balik Pulau

I. INTRODUCTION

Kuala Gula is a fishing village located along the coast of the

state, about 50 km northwest of Taiping. It is part of the Matang

Mangrove Forest Reserve, consisting of mangrove and mudflat.

Nearby is Shell Island (Pulau Kelumpang), an island in the

forest reserve, bordered by the River BMI in the southeast,

Shell River (Sungai Kelumpang) in the northeast and

northwest areas of the western side. Overall Kelumpang Island

surrounded by newly formed mudflats where anak-anak Pokok

Api-api (Avicennia spp.) Live on it. These areas are important

foraging areas for migratory birds and nesting sites for birds’

resident.

Tanjong Piandang is a county located in the northern state of

Perak, Malaysia. Tanjung Piandang included in Kerian district

administration and is one of the districts in the area Kerian,

attractive areas in Tanjong Piandang is Beach Break (Ban

Pecah).

Schedule for Sunday is to visit to Kuala Muda and Sungai

Pinang. Both place are the location which suffer from the

disaster of tsunami on end or year 2004. The purpose to visit to

both location is to observe the impact to the shore where with or

without the barrier of mangrove forest.

Kuala Muda consist of two part and separate by Sungai Muda,

where on South is Kuala Muda, Pulau Pinang and at North is

Kuala Muda, Kedah. The first destination of second day visit is

Kuala Muda Pulau Pinang. This place is a small fishing village,

most of the villagers’ occupation are fishermen. A tsunami

memorial had built in front of Kuala Muda Police Station. Same

to Kuala Muda Pulau Pinang, a tsunami memorial had built

near to beach, different with Kuala Muda Pulau Pinang, Kuala

Muda, Kedah memorial is bigger. Another interesting cultural

at Kuala Muda is the Whisper Market (Pasar Bisik), where is a

place of fisherman boats land and dealing for fresh fish, the

bidder are bidding by whispering with the dealer.

While for Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, since year 2000,

government had replanting and taking care of mangrove forest

along the Balik Pulau coastline. When year 2004 Tsunami

disaster, these barrier had functioning well to stop the impact of

tsunami wave.

A. Objective of Activities

1. To learn on mangrove conservation effort by Rakan Bakau

in Kuala Gula.

2. To identify the impact to sea corrosion to the shore without

mangrove barrier at Tanjung Piandang.

3. To conduct a site visit to Tsunami tragedy site where does

not have natural barrier.

4. To conduct a site visit to Tsunami tragedy site where have

its natural barrier.

5. To identify the important of mangrove forest in protecting

shores.

B. Task of Activities

Saturday (10 January 2015)

All the team member gather at fast food restaurant at Juru

before depart. A short discussion and division of task had done

is the small group.

Week 1 Progress Report -

Educational Visit to Kuala Gula Mangrove

Santuary, Tanjung Piandang, Kuala Muda

Tsunami Tragedy Site & Sungai Pinang

WONG KOK NIAN, ONG SHY HANN, ONG KAI XUAN, LEE HOOI HOOI, CHEW KOK RUI,

SHARONJIT KAUR MEI SZE A/P MOON SINGH,

RASHMINDER KAUR MEI HAN A/P MOON SINGH, TAY CHIH HERN

Scouts of The World Voluntary Service Team - Penang Rover Scouts Secretariat -

The Scouts Association of Malaysia, Penang State


Team split into two and ride on two car to depart to the first

destination which is Kuala Gula. Team member had make a few

stop during the journey to visit to the attraction where passed

by.

The journey take one and half hour to reach Kuala Gula Bird

Sanctuary. Team stopped at the mini jetty there to observe the

fisherman live with related to the important of mangrove forest

on fishery harvest, especially famous crab there. Surveying

activity had perform there as well as interview with few

fisherman to understand the important and impact of the

mangrove forest to the local fishing community. Team had the

honour to interview with Mr. Wahab, the President of the local

Mangrove Forest Squad (Rakan Bakau). The Objective of this

Mangrove Forest Squad is to protect Mangrove forest in Kuala

Gula and giving some training for the local community for

helping the mangrove forest planting projects.

Figure 1: Interviewing with local people

Figure 2: Observing the mangrove eco system at the estuary

Figure 3: Reflection after interview with local people

Team also make a visit to the nearest chinese fishing village and

have a chance to interview with former Village Leader.

According to him, the government effort in conserving of

mangrove forest and enforcement had weaken from year to

year. Government roles are very important in ensure the

existing of mangrove forest.

Figure 4: Interviewing the former Village Leader, Mr Tan

Figure 5: Photo with Mr Tan after the interview session

Next stop will be Tanjong Piandang, a place that had been

destroyed by the tsunami on year 2004. The purpose to visit to

Tanjung Piandang is to observe that area being erode due to that

area is not protected by its natural shore barrier. Far to 20 years

ago, shore line can be extending to 1km off to current sea. The

current sea there is paddy field far to 20 years back. Estimated

the land sizes which erode are 1.61 hector. Few year back the

government had built the man-made sea barrier for about 4km

to prevent the shoreline keep erode.

Sunday (1 February 2015)

Schedule for Sunday is to visit to Kuala Muda and Sungai

Pinang. SW Voluntary Service team stopped at the square in

front of Kuala Muda Mosque and separate into two team to

interview with local residents. According to local residents, the

impact of tsunami onto the shore on Pulau Pinang part is less

than Kedah Part, residents here only suffer from flooding by sea

water into houses. Based on observation on the local shore, if

the tsunami wave is coming, due to the shallow sea bed, the

potential energy will increase while the wave is near to shore.

The Tsunami alarm system also prepared and standby to give

warning for likelihood event.

Second stop was made to Kuala Muda, Kedah, both location

just opposite the river, but for road transport, need to cross the

Sungai Muda bridge to the another side. Travel distance from

Penang to Kedah’s Kuala Muda take approximately 15minutes.

An short interview had been conducted with local fisherman

regarding the 2004 tsunami and question about the important of

Mangrove Forest. Fishermen had stress that the importance of

conserving mangrove forest which will also help to increase

their fish catch.


Figure 6: Interview with one of the chinese villager at Kuala

Muda, Pulau Pinang

Figure 7: Group photo in front of Tsunami Memorial, Kuala

Muda, Pulau Pinang

Figure 8 & 9: Group photo in front of Tsunami Memorial,

Kuala Muda, Kedah, and interview with local fisherman at

whisper market

Following destination after on Seberang Perai side shall be

Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau. An interview session had

conducted with local fishermen to have an idea of what the

difficulties they had faced on year 2004 tsunami. Can be

conclude that mangrove forest had absorb most of the tsunami

wave and local people only affect from the rising tide into their

premise.

Figure 10: Photo with fisherman at Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau

II. THEORY

Sahabat Hutan Bakau (Friends Mangrove)

The Objective is to spread on the importance of involving local

communities in mangrove conservation program. Friend’s

existence of mangrove forest is also a result of public

awareness and concern about the degradation of mangrove

forests and their ecosystem. This situation has greatly changed

the lifestyle of the locals who were once dependent on

subsistence activities of mangrove forests such as fishing and

collecting the results of mangrove forests for economic

purposes. Mangrove forests and a critically endangered

ecosystem have affected the locals who depend on these

resources.

Pilot Program Friends Mangrove Kuala Gula

Friends establishment Mangrove Initiative has received strong

support from the local population in Kuala Gula, Perak where

mangrove conservation program was initiated by the Global

Environment Centre. Among the activities that are currently

being implemented by the Mangroves are as follows: -

Collection of mangrove seedlings

Establishment of nurseries

The replanting of mangroves through cooperative

activities

Patrolling and monitoring of mangrove plants

Provide training Household Expenses skills with

relevant government agencies

The organization of study tours for local communities

Program of environmental education and awareness

Management of tourism activities

III. ACTIVITIES RESULT

A. Education area visited

Figure 11 – Kuala Gula


Figure 12 – Tanjung Piandang

IV. ANALYSIS

Discussion

Data Analysis – Respondents From Kuala Gula

Chat 1: Kuala Gula respondents’ response towards the

important of mangrove forest

We decided to randomly pick 20 respondents from Kuala Gula

and Tanjung Piandang for this survey. The survey form consists

of 6 questions. The following are the questions listed in the

survey form:

Question 1: Do you agree that mangrove forest is important to

mankind?

Question 2: Do you agree mangrove tree is a very useful tree?

Question 3: Do you agree that the mangrove tree can resist the

tides?

Question 4: Do you agree that the mangrove forest can protect

the sideline?

Question 5: Do you agree that the mangrove forest can reduce

the damage of the community when Tsunami

occurs?

Question 6: Do you agree that government should develop

more mangrove forest?

According to the above chart, we can concluded that all of the

respondents from Kuala Gula agree with questions 1, 2, 3, 5,

and 6. However, there is a respondent from Kuala Gula

disagree with question 4, which is “Do you agree that the

mangrove forest can protect the sideline?”

Data Analysis – Respondents From Tanjung Piandang

Chat 2: Tanjung Piandang respondents’ response towards

the important of mangrove forest

According to the above chart, we can concluded that out of 18

from 20 (90%) respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with

question 1, 2 and 6. On the other hand, there is out of 17 fro 20

(85%) %) respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with

question 3 and 5. Besides that, out of 16 from 20 (80%)

respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with question 4.

0

5

10

15

20

25

RES

PO

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MU

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OM

K

UA

LA G

ULA

The Important of Mangrove Forest

YES NO

0 5

10 15 20

RES

PO

NSE

OF

CO

MU

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OM

TA

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PIA

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YES NO


Data Analysis – The Comparision Of Respondents From

Kuala Gula And Tanjung Piandang

Chat 3: Kuala Gula and Tanjung Piandang respondents’

response towards the important of mangrove forest

From the chart above, we can concluded that majority

respondents from Kuala Gula agree that mangrove forest is

very important as compared to the respondents from Tanjung

Piandang. There is 20 (100%) respondents from Kuala Gula

agree with question 1, 2 and 6 while only 18 (90%) respondents

from Tanjung Piandang agree with it. Conversely, there is 20

(100%) respondents from Kuala Gula agree with question 3 and

5 while only 17 (85%) respondents from Tanjung Piandang

agree with it. On the contrary, there is 19 (95%) respondents

from Kuala Gula agree with question 4 while only 16 (80%)

respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with it.

V. CONCLUSION

1. Effort by Rakan Bakau at Kuala Gula in conserving the

mangrove forest had lead a major impact for the team in

planning more effective program in the similar program for

voluntary service.

2. Mangrove forest serve an important roles in preventing

shore corrosion by the sea waves.

3. Mangrove forest also serve as natural barrier to buffer for

tsunami wave impact.

0 5

10 15 20 25

RES

PO

ND

ENT

WH

O A

GR

EE


Community From Kuala Gula

Community From Tanjung Piandang

Week 1 Progress Report - Educational Visit to Kuala …...Another interesting cultural at Kuala Muda...

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