Saturday, January 19, 2013

This is extracted from China Press after Pengerang became a national attention due to protest over the petrochemical project. Many medias made visit to Pengerang since then, including some from Taiwan.

Pengerang, Quiet no more

A simple small town, famous with seafood, Pengerang is changing its face.
Located at the north east of Johor state, currently undergoing massive land reclamation to make place for the petrochemical project RAPID, it is losing its peace as just a tranquil fishing town.
Generations of villagers saw the sea right in front of their houses been replaced with land, many houses, schools, temples and grave yards of the ancesters are all going to be destroyed. Thousands of fishermen are affected, traditional fishing households are facing the difficulties in lives, losing their income. This so called development bring nothing to the local people but sadness and damnation.





邊佳蘭靜中帶枉

純樸的小鎮,擁有廣闊海水及豐富漁產的邊佳蘭(Pengerang),逐漸山河變色。
位于柔佛州東南部的邊佳蘭,目前大興土木進行填海工程,將發展提煉及石油化學綜合發展計劃(RAPID),但卻破壞當地的純樸漁鄉面貌。
生活好幾代的居民,看到前方海水被一堆堆泥土填塞,部分家園、學校、神廟及祖墳即將夷為平地,還有近千名捕魚人家遭受前所未有的打擊,傳統漁家面臨斷炊命運,因此對邊佳蘭的大型發展乍喜還憂……




Peaceful and quiet, but won't be anymore.


The traditional chinese pastry. This shop has been there since i have memory.


What else other than to mend their net if the fisherman couldn't go to the sea? Or worst more, there is no more sea with fishes.


The fisherman jetty at Sungai Rengit.


The coconut trees used to be abundance in my childhood, now we see this only at the more inner areas of the villages. But soon, wont even see this anymore.


This tailor shop is there since i have memory as well.


Part of the Sungai Rengit town from the bird view. Sungai Rengit town center will be spared from destruction, to keep it as a supply town to the petrochemical plant, around 5km from here, if no nearer.