UNPLANNED development by the beach should be avoided at all cost if the people on Pangkor want the island’s beauty to remain forever.

MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, who visited the island on Monday, noticed that some buildings were constructed too near to the sea.

He warned that coastal erosion would take place if there was continued development along its shores.

“Development projects must be kept at a distance from the beach.

“Adequate measures have to be determined to protect the shoreline from erosion,” he told reporters after attending the Pangkor Hainan Association dinner.

Dr Chua said he did not wish for Pangkor to become like Pulau Pemanggil and Pulau Aur in Mersing, Johor.

“The coastline of these islands are slowly eroding as a result of over-development by the sea,” he said.

He said Pangkor had vast tourism potential and thus, its natural landscape must be protected amidst development.

On a separate matter, Dr Chua advised taxi operators to obtain their operating licenses before commencing business.

“Without a licence, they will not be entitled to insurance claims if an untoward incident happens,” he said.

He added that getting a licence would help restore tourists’ confidence in the country’s transportation services.

There are a total of 118 licenced taxi operators on Pangkor but figures of those unlicenced remain unknown.

Earlier during the dinner, Lumut MP Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said Pangkor had been transformed from a fishing village into a world famous tourist destination.

“Fifty years ago, there were no tarred roads and only small boats could dock at the jetty.

“Now, we not only have tarred roads but all the main jetties on the island have been upgraded.

“We also have air services between Kuala Lumpur and Pangkor,” said Kong, who is also Transport Minister.

He added that development on the island had drawn investors with investments in hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops, all of which had mushroomed over the years.

-The Star-