Shocking images and videos from the controversial Tanjung Aru Eco Development (TAED) proposed site has emerged today.
Seen in those images are full grown trees being chopped down, with many more being marked to be chopped down soon.
Apart from trees being chopped down, TAED is also inviting businesses to advertise with the controversial project.
The current status of this controversial site is unknown, but Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) has previously announced that the project will resume.
When met this morning, some locals expressed their shock, questioning if the government has decided to bulldoze plans for the multi-billion project, despite being objected by the public.
For the record, the controversial TAED has a history dating back to 2016.
Some argue that TAED would bring economic benefits to Sabah, while those who oppose the project say this is a mischief to privatise a public space.
Locals and hawkers are adamant that the project should not proceed, with many sharing fond childhood memories of the place.
The project was scheduled to begin in 2016, under former Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman’s Barisan Nasional administration.
Despite opposition from locals, hawkers, activists and NGOs, the then Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai in January 2017 defended the project, arguing that the job opportunities TAED brings would last for generations.
Tensions reached sky high in March 2018, when DBKK under the leadership of Yeo forcefully removed hawkers who refused to relocate.
Electricity supply was cut and enforcement personnels were sent in to evict hawkers and confiscate properties like tables and chairs.
The project finally came to a halt in 2018, after BN collapsed.
Musa lost the Sabah Chief Ministership and Yeo’s tenure as KK Mayor ended.
Throughout the Warisan administration between May 2018 to September 2020, no fences were erected and no trees were chopped.
The project came to a halt as hawkers and locals started returning to the first beach.
DBKK under the Warisan administration also started erecting new tents and stalls for hawkers.
Datuk Junz Wong who is Tanjung Aru State Assemblyman in a statement in 2020 explained, Warisan does not oppose development, but there were prerequisites to be fulfilled by interested developers.
Among those prerequisites were no compromise to public ownership of the beach.
He said it would be good if a developer were to develop Tanjung Aru Beach into a world class destination like Sydney’s Manly Beach or Melbourne’s St. Kilda Beach, without claiming ownership of the beach.
But since no developer could agree to the prerequisites set by Warisan, the site was a no-go under Warisan’s entire 26-month tenure.
As GRS came into power in September 2020, the TAED leadership was reshuffled.
Datuk Ismail Abdullah was appointed as the new TAED Executive Director while UMNO’s Abdul Aziz Julkarnain was appointed Deputy Executive Director.
Ismail is a former Director of Sabah’s Economic Planning Unit (EPU) between 2009 to 2014, under Musa’s asministration.
Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz is Sabah UMNO’s Youth Chief.
This TAED project is too big a money making enterprise for the few corrupt politicians and crooked businessmen that it will go on, if not now, definetly later.
These evil people call it development, I call it daylight robbery.
Ya long last for politics to get more money while our memories are being crushed, you guys do know that the tanjung aru beach will generate more money from both locals and tourists if it was sustained?
Majority of the people don’t really know the extent of the project… has the costs & benefits being weighed for long term prospects, have the developer & authority that support the project been transparent enough? Have the objectors to the project been given chance to present their views?… How different was the view between last gov & the current gov on this issue ?.. or they’re the same…?
thy just down a 200 year old tree, i hope they burn in hell
Shame, many over 100yrs-old Aru trees were chain sawed to make way for the TAED project which Only benefit those Greedy Crooks not the People who are genuinely Tanjung Aru Beach Lovers.
This land.. as with its pristine natural beauty, has just been destroyed within a glimpse of an eye by very poor decision making, greedy filthy rich, corrupted individuals, lack of insight..
disapproval by the community
brings no real value to the people..
decade of years old trees killed
the birds fauna wiped out
This will be a cursed land..
Nothing good will come out from it.
Its all musa aman.. He has locked up the project and noww fullfilling his obligation to the contractors that has already cough up money for his agenda..
goodbye Imperial pigeons…. goodbye Pied hornbills…. goodbye to the 25 + d
species of birds….. goodbye to leisure bird watching spot both for locals and tourists alike…….
Habis musnah la habitat burung2 di tanjung aru ni..langsung x fikir kerosakan ekosistem unggas di area tu
What tourism are you talking about when the world can’t even control COVID? Who will dare serve people bringing a deadly disease around?
Building an eco-tourism area now for who to visit? Monkeys? Ghosts?
At least spend the money to properly deal woth COVID first lah, then build your whatever tourism facilities. You build tourism now, by the time COVID is finally handled the buildings will have peeling paint, leaking roofs and moldy walls waiting for nonexistent tourists!
Honestly speaking, I don’t see this as job opportunities for sabahan that can last generations. Development is a must but eroding away the heritage is a nay.
Suka tengok sepsis burung kakak tua yg selalu berhinggapan diatas pokok² ru dipesisiran pantai Tj Aru.but now sungguh menyedihkn…
The beach should remain for public use. Developer should look into venturing away from the city. Better area towards Tuaran or Papar.
People of Sabah. When come to vote for government please think carefully who you X them. If not more damage will happen.
Yes we shouldn’t vote for people who don’t care about us!
Hahahaha beside Tun Fuad Stephen and Dato Shafie, others are immature leader who only care about how many digit in their bank accounts. Money is the king and corruption is the key to success! As you can see, Leaders in other countries will resign asap when they can’t fulfil their job, but not in Malaysia. When you argued with them, they’ll ask you to go back to where you belonged. Example, if you ancestors from China, they will ask you to go back to China since you look like a communist
Cant they also do something to stop them?
If ee as the public tolerate this and let it continue, we will lose all the matured tree that had given the shade and cooling to the beach goers and now we also gave the risks in losing the access to our famed beach . The younger generation will blame us if we do nothing on this issue.
We stand against this development if it means unnecessary destruction of nature.
Yes! Other countries understand that their nature is very important and actually HELPS tourism. So they try not to do this! This is so foolish!
Yes! Other countries understand that their nature is very important and actually HELPS with tourism. So they try not to do this! This is so foolish!
It’s time to go on strike and call on all citizens of Sabah origins to gather and demand for our rights..this idiots are spoiling the entire beach 🏖️ , shame on all those evil and corrupted politicians ..hope that the day will come where Karma will destroy your family and your future generations too…
This is no respect for the natives who make up most of the population of KK (even Sabah). There is no consideration for our love and respect for the trees as well as forests. This is greed. We need to do something. Sabahans have always been bullied for being docile. United, we can be strong in speaking up against this!
This literally gives bad insights to sabah’s state gov, specifically to their role and governance. GRS must take action before people lost their faith to state credibility. Many issues inside sabah yet most have been pending so long.. are we not competent enough..?, TAED, SFI, SMESH building.. what else.. cmon you could do better
We’re tired of corruption in this country !!
Absolutely Disgusting. Makes you want to cry and cry and among them historic casuarina trees. Now all will turn to dust and blow all over KK. My heart breaks for what was so beautiful and loved by the public. All caused by arrogance, and greed and whatever! Where are our strong moral and ethical leaders? Have we only got yes men at the top. God have pity on our beloved Sabah!