Trouble for the caves?
Saturday August 16, 2008
Gunung Senyum, which first opened as a recreational forest on July 14, 1989, covers 794ha of the Jengka Forest Reserve in Pahang. Managed by the Temerloh Forestry Department, the area is an important bio-diversity reservoir.
With its many caves and a forest rich in flora and fauna, Gunung Senyum offers visitors many educational and adventure activities.
There are two limestone hills here, namely the 550m Gunung Senyum, which has 18 caves, and Gunung Jebak Puyuh, which has seven caves. Gunung Senyum was highlighted a while back when a leading Malaysian conglomerate sought permission to quarry limestone from its hills.
“I am very concerned for Gunung Senyum,” said a 45-year-old local who didn’t want to be named.
A rare Albino Ara tree
“I was very disturbed when I heard that the beautiful caves of Gunung Senyum, which took millions of years to grow might be destroyed to produce cement.
“I am a cave enthusiast and I have been bringing people here to enjoy the wonders of Gunung Senyum for 19 years, including foreign researches from England and Sweden. They usually come here on extended day trips to conduct research on insects, bats and herbs.
“Gunung Jebak Puyuh, for one, is still active and growing. Many have said that it is much nicer than Gunung Senyum.
“I have encountered several animals here. There are many species of bats living here, some of which are endangered. Rare or endangered plants include the Merawan Jeruai tree and the Albino Ara tree, which you can see if you trek to Gunung Jebak Puyuh.
“Many NGOs are protesting the project, and I hope that the Government will at least listen to what they have to say before giving the go-ahead,” he said.
The Malaysian Karst Society (MKS), a non-profit, non-government organisation formed to conserve the karst outcrops in Malaysia, has even sent a letter to the company in question expressing their misgivings and requesting a dialogue with them.
“It’s been several months and we still haven’t received a response,” its president Hymeir Kamarudin said.
“We hope they would agree to not quarry the place, and we would be more than happy to suggest and identify other less sensitive suitable sites for quarrying. There are technologies and quarrying methods such as basement quarrying, which neither deface nor destroy our above ground resources.
“We are currently embarking on a project to compile a database of all cave and karst features in Malaysia to determine the holistic value of a limestone hill where aesthetic, conservation and economic values are taken into consideration. This project is important because it will enable us to better manage the country’s limited limestone resources.
“We hope the private sector is interested in funding this project to enable them to make sound decisions in relation to Malaysia’s limestone resources,” said Hymeir.
Even though it isn’t as well-known among tourists as the other caves in Malaysia, Gunung Senyum Recreational Forest is an interesting destination for those interested in caving and trekking, as well as those who appreciate the diverse flora and fauna of the natural world.
Related Stories:
Cave of smiles
Tuesday 16 March 2010
Monday 15 March 2010
Sunday 14 March 2010
NEWS
Berita terbaru!! MB Pahang, Dato Seri Adnan bersetuju untuk mengadakan pertemuan di Gunung Senyum, bukan lagi di Rumpun Makmur memandangkan penduduk di sana adalah masyarakat yang lebih dekat dengan Gunung Jebak Puyuh dan paling terkesan dari tindakan projek.. Pihak SAM akan turut sama menyertai dialog tersebut dan akan mengadakan sidang media di sana.
Friday 12 March 2010
Pembangunan Lestari Perlu Direalisasikan
Sultan ahmad Shah Mahu Kemajuan Kebendaan Diseimbangkan Dengan Alam Sekitar, Psikologi Manusia
oleh Rosli abdul Jalil
Kuantan: Sultan Pahang, Sultan Ahmad shah mengingatkan agar usaha pembangunan hendaklah diseimbangkan dengan pemuliharaan alam sekitar dan keperluan psikologi manusia.
Titahnya, kemajuan kebendaan yang disandarkan semata-mata atas dasar keuntungan tanpa mengambil kira kesan kepada alam sekitar dan pembangunan jiwa akan merugikan dalam jangka masa panjang.
"Semua pihak, termasuk kerajaan yang membuat dasar dan memantau dasar, pelabur yang menanam modal serta pihak swasta menggerakkan projek pembangunan dan cendikiawan di universiti memainkan peranan secara komplimentari bagi memastikan pembangunan lestari benar-benar membawa makna.
"Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) bagi Pendidikan, Saintifik dan Kebudayaan pada 2002 mentakrifkan pembangunan lestari yang memuatkan tema sejagat yang meliputi aspek persekitaran, masa depan dan kesaksamaan," titahnya ketika menyampaikan Titah Diraja sempena Majlis Konvokesyen Komemoratif Universiti Malaysia Pahang(UMP) di Kompleks Sukan UMP disini, semalam.
SUMBER: BERITA HARIAN
oleh Rosli abdul Jalil
Kuantan: Sultan Pahang, Sultan Ahmad shah mengingatkan agar usaha pembangunan hendaklah diseimbangkan dengan pemuliharaan alam sekitar dan keperluan psikologi manusia.
Titahnya, kemajuan kebendaan yang disandarkan semata-mata atas dasar keuntungan tanpa mengambil kira kesan kepada alam sekitar dan pembangunan jiwa akan merugikan dalam jangka masa panjang.
"Semua pihak, termasuk kerajaan yang membuat dasar dan memantau dasar, pelabur yang menanam modal serta pihak swasta menggerakkan projek pembangunan dan cendikiawan di universiti memainkan peranan secara komplimentari bagi memastikan pembangunan lestari benar-benar membawa makna.
"Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) bagi Pendidikan, Saintifik dan Kebudayaan pada 2002 mentakrifkan pembangunan lestari yang memuatkan tema sejagat yang meliputi aspek persekitaran, masa depan dan kesaksamaan," titahnya ketika menyampaikan Titah Diraja sempena Majlis Konvokesyen Komemoratif Universiti Malaysia Pahang(UMP) di Kompleks Sukan UMP disini, semalam.
SUMBER: BERITA HARIAN
KAMI TURUT BANTAH!!!!
Pada 14-21hb pihak Sahabat Alam Malaysia(SAM) bersama 12 sukarelawan dari USM telah menjalankan kajian sosioekonomi terhadap penduduk kampung yang akan menerima kesan langsung daripada aktiviti kuari ini. Sepertimana yang diketahui perubahan kuari dicadangkan dibina di kawasan batu kapur Gunung Jebak Puyuh dan Gunung Senyum. Pihak syarikat yang terlibat iaitu YTL cement corporation mencadangkan kawasan Jengka 21 sebagai kilang memproses simen.
Berdasarkan Akta Kualiti Alam Sekitar 1974, seksyen 34A, sebarang aktiviti kuari yang berada dalam linkungan 3 kilometer dari kawasan penduduk, satu Penilaian Kesan kepada Alam Sekeliling atau Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) mesti diluluskan sebelum sebarang aktiviti dijalankan. Bagi kuari Jebak Puyuh, terdapat lima kampung dan empat penempatan felda berada dalam lingkungan 3 kilometer kawasan projek, iaitu Kg. Batu Sawar, Kg. Pulau Pasir Mandi, Kg. Gunung Senyum, Kg. Pulau Raya, Kg. Rumpun Makmur, Jengka 21, Jengka 22, Jengka 23 dan Jengka 25. Jumlah penduduk keseluruhan dianggarkan sebanyak 9500 orang, di kawasan kampung, aktiviti ekonomi penduduk banyak tertumpu kepada pertanian, perikanan dan penternakan.
Berdasarkan Akta Kualiti Alam Sekitar 1974, seksyen 34A, sebarang aktiviti kuari yang berada dalam linkungan 3 kilometer dari kawasan penduduk, satu Penilaian Kesan kepada Alam Sekeliling atau Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) mesti diluluskan sebelum sebarang aktiviti dijalankan. Bagi kuari Jebak Puyuh, terdapat lima kampung dan empat penempatan felda berada dalam lingkungan 3 kilometer kawasan projek, iaitu Kg. Batu Sawar, Kg. Pulau Pasir Mandi, Kg. Gunung Senyum, Kg. Pulau Raya, Kg. Rumpun Makmur, Jengka 21, Jengka 22, Jengka 23 dan Jengka 25. Jumlah penduduk keseluruhan dianggarkan sebanyak 9500 orang, di kawasan kampung, aktiviti ekonomi penduduk banyak tertumpu kepada pertanian, perikanan dan penternakan.
Dapatan kajian menunjukkan hampir 80% tidak bersetuju dengan projek yang bakal dilaksanakan. Ini kerana, projek ini akan memberikan kesan buruk kepada penduduk kampung terutamanya. Antaranya, tahap kesihatan terjejas, kemusnahan khazanah alam, sekaligus menggugat sumber pendapatan penduduk.
NEXT EVENT
SHOULD SUPPORT
Everyone!! For your information, MB Pahang, Dato' Seri Adnan will be at Rumpun Makmur on 29th March 2010 to see community response toward this project, come and join us there, show your support!!
Everyone!! For your information, MB Pahang, Dato' Seri Adnan will be at Rumpun Makmur on 29th March 2010 to see community response toward this project, come and join us there, show your support!!
Thursday 11 March 2010
Fan of Gunung Jebak Puyuh
Jom ramai jadi fan page selamatkan gunung jebak puyuh di facebook. Ini bagi membangkang projek pembinaan kilang simen di Gunung Jebak Puyuh.
KEROSAKAN ALAM SEKITAR
ika kilang simen dibina di kawasan gunung jebak puyuh dikhuatiri akan merosakkan alam sekitarnya. Dua jenis kerosakan yang dikhuatiri berlaku ialah atas bumi dan kerosakan dibawah muka bumi.
Kerosakan diatas muka bumi adalah merupakan debu-debu kilang dan kuari. Apabila ditiup angin, ia akan berterbangan ke merata arah menyalaputi pokok sawit, getah, kebun-kebun, kediaman dan manusia juga.
Kerosakan yang lebih ditakuti ialah kerosakan dibawah bumi yang dianggap kemusnahan secara senyap. Dua batang sungai yang hulunya dikawasan ini iaitu Senyum dan Sungai Pat. Paya pula ialah Paya Gunung Hulu, Paya Gunung Hilir, Paya Gemuruh, Paya Telok Sabak, Paya Badak, Paya Geduai dan Paya Panjang. Ini belum lagi diambilkira kawasan yang sedia bencah di kawasan pergunungan tersebut.
Resapan bahan simen daripada kuari dan kilang akan masuk ke dalam sistem saliran bawah tanah. Ia akan hanyut dibawa air ke merata tempat. Secara perlahan-lahan tanah-tanah lembah ini akan menjadi kering kontang, bermakna kebun sawit, getah dan tanaman lain akan kekurangan air.
HUTAN LIPUR GUNUNG SENYUM
HUTAN LIPUR GUNUNG SENYUM
Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum terletak dalam Hutan Simpan Jengka yang merupakan jenis Hutan Dipterokarp Pamah. Hutan Lipur ini terkenal dengan keunikan gua-gua yang penuh dengan misteri yang tersendiri. Menurut kajian arkeologi, hutan lipur ini terdapat bukti kesan-kesan sejarah kehidupan manusia zaman Mesolitik.Terdapat 18 gua di Gunung Senyum dan 7 gua di Jebak Puyuh dan terdapat dua laluan denai untuk pengunjung menjelajah hutan dan gua iaitu ke Jebak Puyoh dan laluan dari Gua Kelawar ke Gua Kambing.
Selain daripada itu, terdapat pelbagai spesies flora dan fauna terdapat dalam kawasan hutan lipur ini. Beberapa kemudahan disediakan untuk pengunjung untuk menjalankan aktiviti di sini seperti berkhemah, merentas denai hutan, berjogging, meneroka gua dan berkelah. Selain itu terdapat dua asrama untuk pengunjung yang ingin bermalam disini.
Lokasi: Kuala Krau, Pahang
Pegawai Hutan Daerah
Pejabat Hutan Daerah Temerloh/Bera,
28000 Temerloh, Pahang.
Tel. : 09-2962755
Terletak 20km dari Bandar Jengka, 40km dari Bandar Temerloh, juga boleh dilawati dengan menyeberangi Sungai Pahang dari Pekan Kuala Krau dan 14km melalui Kampong Tersusun Rumpun Makmur.
Untuk sampai ke hutan lipur ini pengunjung boleh menggunakan kenderaan sendiri atau teksi dari Bandar Temerloh atau Bandar Kuantan.
Aktiviti/Kemudahan:
* Berkhemah
* Padang permainan
* Trekking
* Berkelah/Berehat
* Mendaki Gunung
Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum terletak dalam Hutan Simpan Jengka yang merupakan jenis Hutan Dipterokarp Pamah. Hutan Lipur ini terkenal dengan keunikan gua-gua yang penuh dengan misteri yang tersendiri. Menurut kajian arkeologi, hutan lipur ini terdapat bukti kesan-kesan sejarah kehidupan manusia zaman Mesolitik.Terdapat 18 gua di Gunung Senyum dan 7 gua di Jebak Puyuh dan terdapat dua laluan denai untuk pengunjung menjelajah hutan dan gua iaitu ke Jebak Puyoh dan laluan dari Gua Kelawar ke Gua Kambing.
Selain daripada itu, terdapat pelbagai spesies flora dan fauna terdapat dalam kawasan hutan lipur ini. Beberapa kemudahan disediakan untuk pengunjung untuk menjalankan aktiviti di sini seperti berkhemah, merentas denai hutan, berjogging, meneroka gua dan berkelah. Selain itu terdapat dua asrama untuk pengunjung yang ingin bermalam disini.
Lokasi: Kuala Krau, Pahang
Pegawai Hutan Daerah
Pejabat Hutan Daerah Temerloh/Bera,
28000 Temerloh, Pahang.
Tel. : 09-2962755
Terletak 20km dari Bandar Jengka, 40km dari Bandar Temerloh, juga boleh dilawati dengan menyeberangi Sungai Pahang dari Pekan Kuala Krau dan 14km melalui Kampong Tersusun Rumpun Makmur.
Untuk sampai ke hutan lipur ini pengunjung boleh menggunakan kenderaan sendiri atau teksi dari Bandar Temerloh atau Bandar Kuantan.
Aktiviti/Kemudahan:
* Berkhemah
* Padang permainan
* Trekking
* Berkelah/Berehat
* Mendaki Gunung
Gems on the Rocks
Deep in the recesses of Gunung Jebak Puyuh are huge caves with winding passages, unique formations and important wildlife. But all will be gone if plans to quarry the outcrop continue.
Deep in the recesses of Gunung Jebak Puyuh are huge caves with winding passages, unique formations and important wildlife. But all will be gone if plans to quarry the outcrop continue.
Written by Hymeir Kamarudin on 15 Sep 2009 with 0 comments. Be the first!
I spent three days at the Gunung Senyum Recreational Forest in Jengka, Pahang, recently. The jewels of this site are, without a doubt, Gunung Senyum and Gunung Jebak Puyuh. Located at just about the geographical centre of Peninsular Malaysia, both peaks are hard to miss. Jutting dramatically out of the rolling plains of central Pahang, they are spectacular hills with equally spectacular caves featuring high ceilings and large chambers. Some of these chambers have skylights that allow the sun's rays to penetrate the normally dark recesses of the caves.
The hidden jewel, however, has to be the lesser-known Gunung Jebak Puyuh. This gem takes little effort to visit but that extra work is rewarded by caves which, although not as large as those at Senyum, are equally spectacular. The caves of Jebak Puyuh are hardly visited and so, are more pristine. They are packed with exquisite formations and mysterious hidden gardens.
That was my first visit to Jebak Puyuh in 18 years, the purpose being to save it from being blasted away by cement producer YTL Cement. The limestone of Jebak Puyuh happens to be suitable for the main ingredient in the production of cement. If quarrying is allowed, the majestic limestone karst that is Jebak Puyuh will cease to exist in 60 years. The initial Environmental Impact Assessment on the project was not approved but the Department of Environment has requested for a detailed EIA. One is being prepared by YTL Cement.
The limestone of Jebak Puyuh and Senyum is of Permian age or about 240 million years old. The rocks began as deposits of dead shelled creatures, corals and skeletons of creatures which lived in the warm shallow sea that covered the area millions of years ago. Deposits laid down over thousands of years are eventually transformed by heat and pressure into limestone rocks that are later exposed on the earth surface by earth movements. The rocks were later hollowed out by rain water. After the caves were formed, secondary formations like stalagmite and stalactite gradually took shape inside. This process continues to this day. However, all this is set to disappear if quarrying of Jebak Puyuh is allowed.
Islands of wilderness
Just like an iceberg, about 95% of limestone karst is underground, with only a small portion sticking out of the ground. These towering hills are like islands surrounded by tropical rainforests. Being isolated and offering many different types of micro-habitat, many plants and animals have adapted to live in this harsh and dry habitat. Over millions of years, these life forms have evolved into unique species which are often confined to a single hill.
Some 15% of Malaysia's endemic plants are found on limestone karsts. That is impressive considering that these geological structures constitute less than 2% of Malaysia's land area. Biologist Reuben Clements has found 47 species of land snails on both Senyum and Jebak Puyuh, of which seven are endemic. Prominent botanist Dr Ruth Kiew from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia reported that the plant Senyumia minutiflora is found only at Senyum and Jebak Puyuh, and nowhere else in the world. What's more, it is the only representative of its genus - so if the species becomes extinct, the genus also becomes extinct.
Kiew has said that the population of the plant "has noticeably decreased since Gunung Senyum was opened up to tourism. The Jebak Puyuh population is therefore very important for its continued existence".
Another rare plant there is the balsam Impatiens ridleyi. The only other place with this plant is Batu Caves in Selangor. However, the species is difficult to find at Senyum and Batu Caves. Jebak Puyuh remains the only pristine area available for the continued survival of this rare plant.
The Senyum and Jebak Puyuh outcrops are rare features of the landscape in Pahang and, compared to 35 other sites surveyed in the area, support very large bat populations. At least 19 bat species have been recorded there. One bat species found in high numbers is the Eonycteris spelaea. It is the main pollinator of durian and petai and, so, is of considerable economic value to surrounding villages that grow or collect these products. The abundance of bats also suggests that they are an important source of natural insect pest control for the Jengka plantations.
Apart from being an important habitat for rare and endangered flora and fauna, Jebak Puyuh complements Senyum in terms of tourism. Senyum is appealing to mass tourism due to its easy access - just a few minutes' walk from the car park. Jebak Puyuh, on the other hand, is the wilder of the two as it takes a 45-minute hike to reach. Not having Jebak Puyuh accessible for visitors will certainly impact upon the appeal of Gunung Senyum Recreational Forest as a whole. Additionally, a cement factory and a quarry nearby will certainly put off visitors.
The Malaysian Karst Society advocates underground quarrying of limestone resources particularly where the surface area has been degraded or not under natural forest. Underground mining may cost more but is it really worth blasting away above-ground limestone resources for short-term monetary gains? This is the part that harbours unique flora, fauna, archaeological artefacts and geological features, in addition to providing recreational, tourism and landscape scenery values. The reasoning is simple - why destroy the bit that is important when there is an abundance of the same underground?
I spent three days at the Gunung Senyum Recreational Forest in Jengka, Pahang, recently. The jewels of this site are, without a doubt, Gunung Senyum and Gunung Jebak Puyuh. Located at just about the geographical centre of Peninsular Malaysia, both peaks are hard to miss. Jutting dramatically out of the rolling plains of central Pahang, they are spectacular hills with equally spectacular caves featuring high ceilings and large chambers. Some of these chambers have skylights that allow the sun's rays to penetrate the normally dark recesses of the caves.
The hidden jewel, however, has to be the lesser-known Gunung Jebak Puyuh. This gem takes little effort to visit but that extra work is rewarded by caves which, although not as large as those at Senyum, are equally spectacular. The caves of Jebak Puyuh are hardly visited and so, are more pristine. They are packed with exquisite formations and mysterious hidden gardens.
That was my first visit to Jebak Puyuh in 18 years, the purpose being to save it from being blasted away by cement producer YTL Cement. The limestone of Jebak Puyuh happens to be suitable for the main ingredient in the production of cement. If quarrying is allowed, the majestic limestone karst that is Jebak Puyuh will cease to exist in 60 years. The initial Environmental Impact Assessment on the project was not approved but the Department of Environment has requested for a detailed EIA. One is being prepared by YTL Cement.
The limestone of Jebak Puyuh and Senyum is of Permian age or about 240 million years old. The rocks began as deposits of dead shelled creatures, corals and skeletons of creatures which lived in the warm shallow sea that covered the area millions of years ago. Deposits laid down over thousands of years are eventually transformed by heat and pressure into limestone rocks that are later exposed on the earth surface by earth movements. The rocks were later hollowed out by rain water. After the caves were formed, secondary formations like stalagmite and stalactite gradually took shape inside. This process continues to this day. However, all this is set to disappear if quarrying of Jebak Puyuh is allowed.
Islands of wilderness
Just like an iceberg, about 95% of limestone karst is underground, with only a small portion sticking out of the ground. These towering hills are like islands surrounded by tropical rainforests. Being isolated and offering many different types of micro-habitat, many plants and animals have adapted to live in this harsh and dry habitat. Over millions of years, these life forms have evolved into unique species which are often confined to a single hill.
Some 15% of Malaysia's endemic plants are found on limestone karsts. That is impressive considering that these geological structures constitute less than 2% of Malaysia's land area. Biologist Reuben Clements has found 47 species of land snails on both Senyum and Jebak Puyuh, of which seven are endemic. Prominent botanist Dr Ruth Kiew from the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia reported that the plant Senyumia minutiflora is found only at Senyum and Jebak Puyuh, and nowhere else in the world. What's more, it is the only representative of its genus - so if the species becomes extinct, the genus also becomes extinct.
Kiew has said that the population of the plant "has noticeably decreased since Gunung Senyum was opened up to tourism. The Jebak Puyuh population is therefore very important for its continued existence".
Another rare plant there is the balsam Impatiens ridleyi. The only other place with this plant is Batu Caves in Selangor. However, the species is difficult to find at Senyum and Batu Caves. Jebak Puyuh remains the only pristine area available for the continued survival of this rare plant.
The Senyum and Jebak Puyuh outcrops are rare features of the landscape in Pahang and, compared to 35 other sites surveyed in the area, support very large bat populations. At least 19 bat species have been recorded there. One bat species found in high numbers is the Eonycteris spelaea. It is the main pollinator of durian and petai and, so, is of considerable economic value to surrounding villages that grow or collect these products. The abundance of bats also suggests that they are an important source of natural insect pest control for the Jengka plantations.
Apart from being an important habitat for rare and endangered flora and fauna, Jebak Puyuh complements Senyum in terms of tourism. Senyum is appealing to mass tourism due to its easy access - just a few minutes' walk from the car park. Jebak Puyuh, on the other hand, is the wilder of the two as it takes a 45-minute hike to reach. Not having Jebak Puyuh accessible for visitors will certainly impact upon the appeal of Gunung Senyum Recreational Forest as a whole. Additionally, a cement factory and a quarry nearby will certainly put off visitors.
The Malaysian Karst Society advocates underground quarrying of limestone resources particularly where the surface area has been degraded or not under natural forest. Underground mining may cost more but is it really worth blasting away above-ground limestone resources for short-term monetary gains? This is the part that harbours unique flora, fauna, archaeological artefacts and geological features, in addition to providing recreational, tourism and landscape scenery values. The reasoning is simple - why destroy the bit that is important when there is an abundance of the same underground?
SUMBER: Malaysia Karst Society
Monday 8 March 2010
Penduduk bantah pembinaan kilang simen
Penduduk Bantah Pembinaan Kilang Simen
TEMERLOH - Kira-kira 2000 penduduk di tiga buah kampung, Kampung Gunung Senyum, Batu Sawar dan Pulau Pasir Mandi membantah cadangan kerajaan negeri membina sebuah kilang simen melalui Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Pahang (PKNS) bersama syarikat Yeoh Teong Lai (YTL) di Gunung Jebak Puyuh yang terletak satu kilometer daripada kawasan rekreasi Gunung Senyum.
Keputusan membina kilang simen ini mendapat tentangan hebat daripada penduduk kerana memikirkan masa depan mereka yang bakal dihantui pelbagai masalah antaranya masalah kesihatan, gangguan bunyi dan sebagainya.
Pembinaan kilang tersebut dianggarkan bernilai RM1.2 bilion dan nilai keuntungan kasar mencecah RM40 bilion.
Beberapa penduduk yang ditemui Sinar Harian melahirkan rasa kesal kerana kawasan pembinaan tersebut akan merosakkan kawasan rekreasi Gunung Senyum serta membantutkan industri pelancongan di negeri ini. Kawasan rekreasi dikatakan menerima purata 30,000 pelancong dari dalam dan luar negara setahun.
Mohd Sakri Rani, 52, berkata, kawasan pembinaan kilang dan kuari yang dicadangkan di Gunung Jebak Puyuh itu terlalu hampir dengan kediaman penduduk, mengganggu tanaman penduduk seperti kelapa sawit, getah dan kebun buah-buahan serta mencemarkan Sungai Pahang.
Menurutnya, debu daripada kilang itu pasti akan berterbangan masuk ke kediaman penduduk dan mengganggu kesihatan mereka. Penyakit seperti batuk, selesema, sakit tekak, gatal mata dan sebagainya pasti menghantui mereka terutama anak kecil.
“Kehidupan kami tidak lagi aman seperti sekarang sekiranya pembinaan itu diteruskan. Kami bukan bermaksud menolak pembangunan tetapi pembangunan itu perlulah memikirkan aspek masyarakat dan ekosistem alam.
“Apabila kilang ini beroperasi, penduduk akan menanggung kerugian besar kerana debu kilang itu akan menyebabkan pokok kelapa sawit, getah, buah-buahan serta hidupan akuatik Sungai Pahang mati. Penduduk juga berhadapan masalah kejatuhan mutu hasil ladang.
“Penduduk di sekitar kawasan ini serta dua pertiga kawasan Jengka menggunakan sumber air Sungai Pahang dan disalurkan ke loji air Kampung Batu Sawar. Penduduk bimbang akan meminum air yang tercemar daripada kilang tersebut.
“Pengusaha ikan air tawar juga akan mengalami kerugian kerana air Sungai Pahang tercemar menyebabkan ikan sangkar yang diternak seperti patin, tilapia, baung dan sebagainya mati,” katanya ketika ditemui Sinar Harian.
Mohd Sakri berkata, pembinaan kilang itu juga tidak membawa apa-apa manfaat atau keuntungan kepada penduduk dan ia hanya menyebabkan kerosakan pada alam sekitar.
Menurutnya, Gunung Jebak Puyuh tersebut merupakan gunung tercantik antara lima gunung yang ada di kawasan ini kerana di dalamnya terdapat khazanah yang telah terbina sejak jutaan tahun lalu.
“Di sini ada lima gunung yang perlu dipelihara dan dipulihara antaranya Gunung Senyum, Gunung Jebak Puyuh, Gunung Terus, Gunung Balik Oi dan Gunung Che Ngah,” katanya.
Sinar Harian difahamkan, kawasan ini adalah tanah bencah (berair) dan berfungsi sebagai kawasan tadahan air. Kawasan hadapan Gunung Senyum pula dipanggil Paya Gunung Hulu, memanjang sehingga ke Gunung Hilir dan meliputi beratus-ratus ekar tanah paya yang ditanam tanaman padi zaman dahulu. Ia juga menjadi kawasan pengeluaran ikan paya terkenal satu masa dahulu. Selain itu, kawasan paya lain yang terkenal ialah Paya Cantik, Paya Teluk Sabak, Paya Badak, Paya Geduai dan Paya Panjang.
Selain itu, Mohd Sakri berkata, apabila cairan simen meresap ke dalam saliran bawah tanah, penduduk bimbang kawasan kampung dan ladang akan menjadi kering kontang, bukan satu atau dua tahun tetapi puluhan tahun.
“Penduduk juga bimbang dengan letupan di kuari kerana ia boleh menyebabkan gegaran dan meretakkan struktur rumah penduduk di sini. Kami diberi penerangan, kilang tersebut adalah mesra alam tetapi kami tidak diterangkan secara terperinci kaedah mesra alam yang digunakan. Penerangan yang diberikan langsung tidak meyakinkan kami di sini,” katanya.
Seorang lagi penduduk, Zamri Mohd Zain, 35, berkata, pembinaan kilang simen tersebut merosakkan kawasan rekreasi Gunung Senyum dan merugikan wang rakyat kerana kerajaan mengeluarkan jutaan ringgit untuk membangunkan kawasan rekreasi di sini.
Menurutnya, pembinaan kilang tersebut hanya satu kilometer daripada kawasan rekreasi dan bunyi letupan mengganggu pelancong yang mahu menikmati keindahan flora dan fauna yang ada di sini. Jalan di sini juga sibuk dengan kenderaan berat seperti lori pengangkut tanah, jentera dan sebagainya yang mana mengancam keselamatan penduduk dan orang ramai.
“Bagi generasi kedua kampung di sini mereka juga berasa bimbang dengan pembinaan kilang itu kerana tapak cadangan perumahan dan ladang berkelompok untuk pemuda kampung yang diwartakan oleh Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) hampir dengan kawasan kilang itu.
“Penduduk juga bimbang mengalami masalah mendapatkan bekalan air bersih. Ini kerana penduduk kampung di sini dan dua pertiga kawasan Jengka menggunakan air daripada loji air Kampung Batu Sawar,” katanya.
SUMBER: "SINAR HARIAN"
TEMERLOH - Kira-kira 2000 penduduk di tiga buah kampung, Kampung Gunung Senyum, Batu Sawar dan Pulau Pasir Mandi membantah cadangan kerajaan negeri membina sebuah kilang simen melalui Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Pahang (PKNS) bersama syarikat Yeoh Teong Lai (YTL) di Gunung Jebak Puyuh yang terletak satu kilometer daripada kawasan rekreasi Gunung Senyum.
Keputusan membina kilang simen ini mendapat tentangan hebat daripada penduduk kerana memikirkan masa depan mereka yang bakal dihantui pelbagai masalah antaranya masalah kesihatan, gangguan bunyi dan sebagainya.
Pembinaan kilang tersebut dianggarkan bernilai RM1.2 bilion dan nilai keuntungan kasar mencecah RM40 bilion.
Beberapa penduduk yang ditemui Sinar Harian melahirkan rasa kesal kerana kawasan pembinaan tersebut akan merosakkan kawasan rekreasi Gunung Senyum serta membantutkan industri pelancongan di negeri ini. Kawasan rekreasi dikatakan menerima purata 30,000 pelancong dari dalam dan luar negara setahun.
Mohd Sakri Rani, 52, berkata, kawasan pembinaan kilang dan kuari yang dicadangkan di Gunung Jebak Puyuh itu terlalu hampir dengan kediaman penduduk, mengganggu tanaman penduduk seperti kelapa sawit, getah dan kebun buah-buahan serta mencemarkan Sungai Pahang.
Menurutnya, debu daripada kilang itu pasti akan berterbangan masuk ke kediaman penduduk dan mengganggu kesihatan mereka. Penyakit seperti batuk, selesema, sakit tekak, gatal mata dan sebagainya pasti menghantui mereka terutama anak kecil.
“Kehidupan kami tidak lagi aman seperti sekarang sekiranya pembinaan itu diteruskan. Kami bukan bermaksud menolak pembangunan tetapi pembangunan itu perlulah memikirkan aspek masyarakat dan ekosistem alam.
“Apabila kilang ini beroperasi, penduduk akan menanggung kerugian besar kerana debu kilang itu akan menyebabkan pokok kelapa sawit, getah, buah-buahan serta hidupan akuatik Sungai Pahang mati. Penduduk juga berhadapan masalah kejatuhan mutu hasil ladang.
“Penduduk di sekitar kawasan ini serta dua pertiga kawasan Jengka menggunakan sumber air Sungai Pahang dan disalurkan ke loji air Kampung Batu Sawar. Penduduk bimbang akan meminum air yang tercemar daripada kilang tersebut.
“Pengusaha ikan air tawar juga akan mengalami kerugian kerana air Sungai Pahang tercemar menyebabkan ikan sangkar yang diternak seperti patin, tilapia, baung dan sebagainya mati,” katanya ketika ditemui Sinar Harian.
Mohd Sakri berkata, pembinaan kilang itu juga tidak membawa apa-apa manfaat atau keuntungan kepada penduduk dan ia hanya menyebabkan kerosakan pada alam sekitar.
Menurutnya, Gunung Jebak Puyuh tersebut merupakan gunung tercantik antara lima gunung yang ada di kawasan ini kerana di dalamnya terdapat khazanah yang telah terbina sejak jutaan tahun lalu.
“Di sini ada lima gunung yang perlu dipelihara dan dipulihara antaranya Gunung Senyum, Gunung Jebak Puyuh, Gunung Terus, Gunung Balik Oi dan Gunung Che Ngah,” katanya.
Sinar Harian difahamkan, kawasan ini adalah tanah bencah (berair) dan berfungsi sebagai kawasan tadahan air. Kawasan hadapan Gunung Senyum pula dipanggil Paya Gunung Hulu, memanjang sehingga ke Gunung Hilir dan meliputi beratus-ratus ekar tanah paya yang ditanam tanaman padi zaman dahulu. Ia juga menjadi kawasan pengeluaran ikan paya terkenal satu masa dahulu. Selain itu, kawasan paya lain yang terkenal ialah Paya Cantik, Paya Teluk Sabak, Paya Badak, Paya Geduai dan Paya Panjang.
Selain itu, Mohd Sakri berkata, apabila cairan simen meresap ke dalam saliran bawah tanah, penduduk bimbang kawasan kampung dan ladang akan menjadi kering kontang, bukan satu atau dua tahun tetapi puluhan tahun.
“Penduduk juga bimbang dengan letupan di kuari kerana ia boleh menyebabkan gegaran dan meretakkan struktur rumah penduduk di sini. Kami diberi penerangan, kilang tersebut adalah mesra alam tetapi kami tidak diterangkan secara terperinci kaedah mesra alam yang digunakan. Penerangan yang diberikan langsung tidak meyakinkan kami di sini,” katanya.
Seorang lagi penduduk, Zamri Mohd Zain, 35, berkata, pembinaan kilang simen tersebut merosakkan kawasan rekreasi Gunung Senyum dan merugikan wang rakyat kerana kerajaan mengeluarkan jutaan ringgit untuk membangunkan kawasan rekreasi di sini.
Menurutnya, pembinaan kilang tersebut hanya satu kilometer daripada kawasan rekreasi dan bunyi letupan mengganggu pelancong yang mahu menikmati keindahan flora dan fauna yang ada di sini. Jalan di sini juga sibuk dengan kenderaan berat seperti lori pengangkut tanah, jentera dan sebagainya yang mana mengancam keselamatan penduduk dan orang ramai.
“Bagi generasi kedua kampung di sini mereka juga berasa bimbang dengan pembinaan kilang itu kerana tapak cadangan perumahan dan ladang berkelompok untuk pemuda kampung yang diwartakan oleh Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) hampir dengan kawasan kilang itu.
“Penduduk juga bimbang mengalami masalah mendapatkan bekalan air bersih. Ini kerana penduduk kampung di sini dan dua pertiga kawasan Jengka menggunakan air daripada loji air Kampung Batu Sawar,” katanya.
SUMBER: "SINAR HARIAN"
Pas terus bantah bina kilang simen
Pas Terus Bantah Bina Kilang Simen
TEMERLOH – Pas bimbang tahap kesihatan 300,000 penduduk di tanah rancangan Jengka dan kampung-kampung tradisional sepanjang 50 kilometer ke Temerloh akan terjejas jika kerajaan negeri meneruskan usaha membuka kilang simen di Gunung Jebak Puyuh.
Naib Presiden Pas Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man berkata, taraf ekonomi penduduk terutama yang bergantung pada hasil kelapa sawit juga akan terjejas jika usaha itu diteruskan.
Menurutnya, lebih 3,000 penduduk di sekitar Jengka 21, 22, 23, 24 dan kampung-kampung tradisional akan menerima kesan jangka pendek akibat pembukaan kilang simen itu.
“Kesan jangka panjang pula akan melibatkan keseluruhan penduduk tanah rancangan Jengka, kampung tradisional sekitar 50 kilometer dari Rumpun Makmur ke Seberang Temerloh,” katanya kepada media semasa mengadakan tinjauan dan bantahan pembukaan kilang simen terbabit.
Turut hadir Ketua Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Kuala Krau Suhaimi Saad dan Ketua Penerangan Pas Kawasan Temerloh Hashim Abdullah.
Tuan Ibrahim yang juga Pesuruhjaya Pas Pahang berkata, Pas dukacita dengan sikap kerajaan negeri yang tidak prihatin dengan alam sekitar kerana selain menjejaskan kesihatan debu yang terhasil daripada kilang simen itu nanti akan mengurangkan kadar pengeluaran hasil kelapa sawit antara 10 hingga 30 peratus.
Beliau berkata, Pas juga bimbang pembukaan kilang simen itu nanti akhirnya akan menjadi milik syarikat korporat dan bukannya memberi pendapatan kepada kerajaan negeri.
“Kerajaan negeri menjangkakan keuntungan mencecah RM40 bilion tetapi kami bimbang kilang simen ini akan menerima nasib sama seperti kilang simen di Bukit Sagu yang akhirnya dijual terus kepada syarikat Yeoh Teong Lai (YTL).
“Kerajaan negeri pernah bantah pembukaan kuari di Gua Kota Gelanggi jadi perkara sama sepatutnya boleh dilakukan di Jebak Puyuh kerana ia juga melibatkan gangguan sektor pelancongan,” katanya.
Tuan Ibrahim berkata, kerajaan negeri hanya mendapatkan pan�dangan beberapa jabatan tertentu dalam kajian pembukaan kilang simen terbabit namun tidak daripada beberapa jabatan dan agensi kerajaan lain yang sepatutnya lebih arif.
Beliau berkata, kerajaan negeri boleh menggunakan sumber lain yang boleh memberi pendapatan seperti pasir sungai dan industri hiliran pelancongan dan bukan hanya bergantung pada kilang simen terbabit.
sumber: "Sinar Harian"
TEMERLOH – Pas bimbang tahap kesihatan 300,000 penduduk di tanah rancangan Jengka dan kampung-kampung tradisional sepanjang 50 kilometer ke Temerloh akan terjejas jika kerajaan negeri meneruskan usaha membuka kilang simen di Gunung Jebak Puyuh.
Naib Presiden Pas Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man berkata, taraf ekonomi penduduk terutama yang bergantung pada hasil kelapa sawit juga akan terjejas jika usaha itu diteruskan.
Menurutnya, lebih 3,000 penduduk di sekitar Jengka 21, 22, 23, 24 dan kampung-kampung tradisional akan menerima kesan jangka pendek akibat pembukaan kilang simen itu.
“Kesan jangka panjang pula akan melibatkan keseluruhan penduduk tanah rancangan Jengka, kampung tradisional sekitar 50 kilometer dari Rumpun Makmur ke Seberang Temerloh,” katanya kepada media semasa mengadakan tinjauan dan bantahan pembukaan kilang simen terbabit.
Turut hadir Ketua Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Kuala Krau Suhaimi Saad dan Ketua Penerangan Pas Kawasan Temerloh Hashim Abdullah.
Tuan Ibrahim yang juga Pesuruhjaya Pas Pahang berkata, Pas dukacita dengan sikap kerajaan negeri yang tidak prihatin dengan alam sekitar kerana selain menjejaskan kesihatan debu yang terhasil daripada kilang simen itu nanti akan mengurangkan kadar pengeluaran hasil kelapa sawit antara 10 hingga 30 peratus.
Beliau berkata, Pas juga bimbang pembukaan kilang simen itu nanti akhirnya akan menjadi milik syarikat korporat dan bukannya memberi pendapatan kepada kerajaan negeri.
“Kerajaan negeri menjangkakan keuntungan mencecah RM40 bilion tetapi kami bimbang kilang simen ini akan menerima nasib sama seperti kilang simen di Bukit Sagu yang akhirnya dijual terus kepada syarikat Yeoh Teong Lai (YTL).
“Kerajaan negeri pernah bantah pembukaan kuari di Gua Kota Gelanggi jadi perkara sama sepatutnya boleh dilakukan di Jebak Puyuh kerana ia juga melibatkan gangguan sektor pelancongan,” katanya.
Tuan Ibrahim berkata, kerajaan negeri hanya mendapatkan pan�dangan beberapa jabatan tertentu dalam kajian pembukaan kilang simen terbabit namun tidak daripada beberapa jabatan dan agensi kerajaan lain yang sepatutnya lebih arif.
Beliau berkata, kerajaan negeri boleh menggunakan sumber lain yang boleh memberi pendapatan seperti pasir sungai dan industri hiliran pelancongan dan bukan hanya bergantung pada kilang simen terbabit.
sumber: "Sinar Harian"
Cave of Smile
Cave of smiles
Stories by JOLEEN LUNJEW
A delightful trek through the forest, amazing underground wonders and questionable toilets are all part and parcel of the fun at Gunung Senyum.
You want me to bathe in that?” my friend asked, aghast at the dirty floor of a dark public toilet which stank to high heaven.
There were no lights, the sink was filthy and there were no shower facilities. If we were to bathe here, we would have to squat on the floor and use a short hose attached to a tap.
After a whole day of caving at the Gunung Senyum Recreational Forest, Pahang, we were looking forward to a nice hot shower. So much for that.
Gua Taman, the cave with a “garden”.
“OK, let’s look for something more decent. I’m sure they have shower facilities here,” I assured, as we combed the camp grounds hopefully.
After a bit, we stumbled upon some abandoned hostels at the back which had some sort of shower facilities. It had bare cubicles with a plastic pipe at the top, but no shower head. There was dirt all over the floor, cobwebs on the ceiling and frogs perching on the walls.
The slimy creatures looked annoyed.
“I will kill you if a frog jumps on me,” said my friend, who has a phobia of frogs. But it was this, or we go to bed smelly. We chose the shower.
Perhaps the rough conditions were only to be expected, since I wanted to do a spot of caving for the weekend and didn’t want something too commercial.
To this end, I had made a call to cave enthusiast Michael Manivanan, founder of outdoor adventure company MMAdventure, for advice.
Michael, who takes groups to commercial sites like Gua Tempurung and Mulu, and does a lot of caving of his own as well, suggested Gunung Senyum. He was there a decade ago to do some cave surveys and mapping for the Malaysian Nature Society.
“Why don’t I bring you there?” he suggested. “I’ve been meaning to go back and it would be interesting to see if the place is as I remembered it. There are more than 20 caves for us to explore, so it’ll keep us pretty busy. We can camp the night there.”
And so we headed to the town of Temerloh, Pahang early one Saturday morning to meet up with Michael, his business partner Ng Shan Wee, and Ng’s girlfriend.
We reached Gunung Senyum at about 10am, and Michael went to look for the forest rangers for information while Ng prepared the equipment.
Being experienced spelunkers, they came prepared with full caving suits, caving shoes, helmets, head torches, carbide lamps, ropes and bolts. These caving experts were clearly excited about the adventure ahead.
“Caving is a passion. It is not for everyone, but my greatest joy is to discover an unexplored passageway or uncover a whole new cave,” said Michael.
The first part of our adventure was pretty mild as the caves were dry and easily accessible. It was actually a cluster of smaller caves linked together by passageways with names like Gua Terang Bulan, Gua Angin, Gua Gajah and Gua Taman.
Squeezing through the caves of Gunung Senyum
You could walk easily into them, and there was a beautiful garden in the middle of one of these caves since it received direct sunlight. Yes, that would be Gua Taman, the “Garden Cave”.
We continued our journey, heading up to the mountain peak, but a sign at the bottom said it would take 6½ hours to get to the top, and since it was already near noon, we thought it best to climb the next day. Next day, we found out that it actually took 6½ hours to climb up and down the mountain. The sign could have been much more clearer, we grumbled.
Accessing the rest of the caves further up the mountain required a fair bit of hiking along badly marked trails. Thankfully, Michael was experienced enough that we didn’t have much trouble finding the caves. He taught us a lot about cave formations and how precious and fragile they were.
It takes hundreds of years to grow just an inch, for example, so it’s best to be careful about what you touch in here. We did a bit of spelunking towards the end.
There was a small crack in the rocks which seemed to go down forever and sounds from a rock we threw in seemed to confirm that.
It’s now or never. Stashing our day packs behind a rock, we proceeded to inch slowly down the steep slope on our bums into the gaping darkness. The small crack grew even smaller and we found ourselves lying flat on our backs in order to wiggle our way through. Thankfully, the gap opened up into a bigger hole and we were able to sit upright again.
We could feel the contrasting dampness by now and it was a bit stifling underground. The walls were coated in a layer of thin dirt that stuck to every inch of our clothing.
“Careful, big gap ahead!” called out Michael.
As my line of sight was blocked by the person in front of me, I wasn’t really prepared when my foot stepped into empty nothingness. I quickly gained my footing and stabilised myself thinking: “Phew! That was close!”
“Look up to your right, see the small hole at the top? You can see a tiny ridge a little further down in front. Place your right hand in the top hole and stretch your right leg onto the ridge. Swing your left leg and grab hold of that small protruding rock. You should be able to clear the gap with no problem at all,” said Michael.
It sounded easy, but boy was it tough. For someone with short legs, clearing a gap while hanging on for dear life was no easy feat. Lucky for me, my balance was good and I managed to swing my left foot onto the next boulder and haul my body up. I clung to the boulder for a few seconds, thankful that I survived the death-defying drop below.
Ok, maybe I’m being a little dramatic here. The gap was scary but it was not that life threatening. Granted, you might twist an ankle if you fell down but that would be about it.
The rest of the passageway was easy going from then on. The space remained small with not one section allowing you to stand at all. We were mainly crawling on our knees or slithering along on our bellies. There were times when I thought some of the bigger-bodied ones would get stuck but everyone crawled through easily. Fat is compressible, you see.
A word of caution: do not descend into a cave by yourself unless you are accompanied by an experienced guide.
It is no fun being stuck underground in complete darkness. In fact, it’s terrifying, but if you’re with an experienced guide, crawling on your belly and squeezing through holes you never thought possible to get through can be quite exhilarating.
Gunung Jebak Puyuh
We woke up bright and early to chirping birds the next day.
After a hearty breakfast which Michael and Ng cooked on their portable stove, we suited up for another day of cave exploration.
We hiked for about an hour before we reached the first caves of Gunung Jebak Puyuh. The caves here were relatively big, with soft, sandy soil. Michael and Ng wanted to explore an opening but had to retreat because the soil was too soft.
“We would love to explore every crevice but if it is not safe enough, we will not go through with it. For example, the soil here is very soft and there are lots of fine, loose particles. It might cave in on us if we were to go further down,” said Michael.
Most of the caves had no signage, unlike the caves at Gunung Senyum which had a brief history on how the names were derived, so we didn’t know exactly which caves we were exploring.
There was one particular cave I enjoyed, a huge cavern that linked several caves together. There were abandoned pathways which would have looked fantastic if they had been maintained but I’m glad in a way that they weren’t as we got to enjoy the natural environment of the cave. I was curious to explore but was too scared to go alone into the darkness until Michael said that all the passageways lead to the main cavern that we were standing in.
I told Michael to stay put as he was studying some cave formations while I ventured into a winding passageway with my friend. It wasn’t that difficult as the caves were huge and we could walk straight in.
The floors were dry and there wasn’t much debris hindering our movements.
True enough, each twisting passage led us back to the main cavern. After going down five passageways and discovering the same thing, I gave up and joined Michael at the huge column in the middle.
“Look at this column,” said Michael. “The stalactite formed from water droplets from the ceiling has joined at the bottom, becoming one big column. It takes millions or years to achieve this and only a few seconds to destroy it. We should do all we can to preserve these natural wonders.”
It was indeed beautiful. And so were the other intriguing cave formations found all around Gunung Jebak Puyuh and the small cave creatures scuttling about.
Trekking in the jungles outside again, we also had an opportunity to appreciate the magnificent rare Albino Ara tree.
Despite the horror that was the toilet, the trip as a whole was great, worthy of an educational experience.
MMAdventure Services
Hotline : (019) 6446 505
mmadventure@gmail.com
http://www.mmadventure.com/
Getting there
Travel along the old trunk road from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan, and head towards Temerloh town. Look out for signboards to Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum. One turn off is by the east end of the bridge at Temerloh, the other one is at Kampung Awah. Gunung Senyum is 40km from Temerloh and 20km from Bandar Pusat Jengka.
PERMIT Not required.
EQUIPMENT Light clothing, preferably long-sleeved and pants, flexible shoes with a good grip, flashlights and head torches, helmets and a day pack for food supplies. Expect to get dirty and wet.
FACILITIES Hutan Lipur Forest Rangers office, car park, campsite, toilets, surau and rest area. For more information, call the Temerloh Forestry District Office at (09) 296 2755.
petikan dari "THE STAR"
Stories by JOLEEN LUNJEW
A delightful trek through the forest, amazing underground wonders and questionable toilets are all part and parcel of the fun at Gunung Senyum.
You want me to bathe in that?” my friend asked, aghast at the dirty floor of a dark public toilet which stank to high heaven.
There were no lights, the sink was filthy and there were no shower facilities. If we were to bathe here, we would have to squat on the floor and use a short hose attached to a tap.
After a whole day of caving at the Gunung Senyum Recreational Forest, Pahang, we were looking forward to a nice hot shower. So much for that.
Gua Taman, the cave with a “garden”.
“OK, let’s look for something more decent. I’m sure they have shower facilities here,” I assured, as we combed the camp grounds hopefully.
After a bit, we stumbled upon some abandoned hostels at the back which had some sort of shower facilities. It had bare cubicles with a plastic pipe at the top, but no shower head. There was dirt all over the floor, cobwebs on the ceiling and frogs perching on the walls.
The slimy creatures looked annoyed.
“I will kill you if a frog jumps on me,” said my friend, who has a phobia of frogs. But it was this, or we go to bed smelly. We chose the shower.
Perhaps the rough conditions were only to be expected, since I wanted to do a spot of caving for the weekend and didn’t want something too commercial.
To this end, I had made a call to cave enthusiast Michael Manivanan, founder of outdoor adventure company MMAdventure, for advice.
Michael, who takes groups to commercial sites like Gua Tempurung and Mulu, and does a lot of caving of his own as well, suggested Gunung Senyum. He was there a decade ago to do some cave surveys and mapping for the Malaysian Nature Society.
“Why don’t I bring you there?” he suggested. “I’ve been meaning to go back and it would be interesting to see if the place is as I remembered it. There are more than 20 caves for us to explore, so it’ll keep us pretty busy. We can camp the night there.”
And so we headed to the town of Temerloh, Pahang early one Saturday morning to meet up with Michael, his business partner Ng Shan Wee, and Ng’s girlfriend.
We reached Gunung Senyum at about 10am, and Michael went to look for the forest rangers for information while Ng prepared the equipment.
Being experienced spelunkers, they came prepared with full caving suits, caving shoes, helmets, head torches, carbide lamps, ropes and bolts. These caving experts were clearly excited about the adventure ahead.
“Caving is a passion. It is not for everyone, but my greatest joy is to discover an unexplored passageway or uncover a whole new cave,” said Michael.
The first part of our adventure was pretty mild as the caves were dry and easily accessible. It was actually a cluster of smaller caves linked together by passageways with names like Gua Terang Bulan, Gua Angin, Gua Gajah and Gua Taman.
Squeezing through the caves of Gunung Senyum
You could walk easily into them, and there was a beautiful garden in the middle of one of these caves since it received direct sunlight. Yes, that would be Gua Taman, the “Garden Cave”.
We continued our journey, heading up to the mountain peak, but a sign at the bottom said it would take 6½ hours to get to the top, and since it was already near noon, we thought it best to climb the next day. Next day, we found out that it actually took 6½ hours to climb up and down the mountain. The sign could have been much more clearer, we grumbled.
Accessing the rest of the caves further up the mountain required a fair bit of hiking along badly marked trails. Thankfully, Michael was experienced enough that we didn’t have much trouble finding the caves. He taught us a lot about cave formations and how precious and fragile they were.
It takes hundreds of years to grow just an inch, for example, so it’s best to be careful about what you touch in here. We did a bit of spelunking towards the end.
There was a small crack in the rocks which seemed to go down forever and sounds from a rock we threw in seemed to confirm that.
It’s now or never. Stashing our day packs behind a rock, we proceeded to inch slowly down the steep slope on our bums into the gaping darkness. The small crack grew even smaller and we found ourselves lying flat on our backs in order to wiggle our way through. Thankfully, the gap opened up into a bigger hole and we were able to sit upright again.
We could feel the contrasting dampness by now and it was a bit stifling underground. The walls were coated in a layer of thin dirt that stuck to every inch of our clothing.
“Careful, big gap ahead!” called out Michael.
As my line of sight was blocked by the person in front of me, I wasn’t really prepared when my foot stepped into empty nothingness. I quickly gained my footing and stabilised myself thinking: “Phew! That was close!”
“Look up to your right, see the small hole at the top? You can see a tiny ridge a little further down in front. Place your right hand in the top hole and stretch your right leg onto the ridge. Swing your left leg and grab hold of that small protruding rock. You should be able to clear the gap with no problem at all,” said Michael.
It sounded easy, but boy was it tough. For someone with short legs, clearing a gap while hanging on for dear life was no easy feat. Lucky for me, my balance was good and I managed to swing my left foot onto the next boulder and haul my body up. I clung to the boulder for a few seconds, thankful that I survived the death-defying drop below.
Ok, maybe I’m being a little dramatic here. The gap was scary but it was not that life threatening. Granted, you might twist an ankle if you fell down but that would be about it.
The rest of the passageway was easy going from then on. The space remained small with not one section allowing you to stand at all. We were mainly crawling on our knees or slithering along on our bellies. There were times when I thought some of the bigger-bodied ones would get stuck but everyone crawled through easily. Fat is compressible, you see.
A word of caution: do not descend into a cave by yourself unless you are accompanied by an experienced guide.
It is no fun being stuck underground in complete darkness. In fact, it’s terrifying, but if you’re with an experienced guide, crawling on your belly and squeezing through holes you never thought possible to get through can be quite exhilarating.
Gunung Jebak Puyuh
We woke up bright and early to chirping birds the next day.
After a hearty breakfast which Michael and Ng cooked on their portable stove, we suited up for another day of cave exploration.
We hiked for about an hour before we reached the first caves of Gunung Jebak Puyuh. The caves here were relatively big, with soft, sandy soil. Michael and Ng wanted to explore an opening but had to retreat because the soil was too soft.
“We would love to explore every crevice but if it is not safe enough, we will not go through with it. For example, the soil here is very soft and there are lots of fine, loose particles. It might cave in on us if we were to go further down,” said Michael.
Most of the caves had no signage, unlike the caves at Gunung Senyum which had a brief history on how the names were derived, so we didn’t know exactly which caves we were exploring.
There was one particular cave I enjoyed, a huge cavern that linked several caves together. There were abandoned pathways which would have looked fantastic if they had been maintained but I’m glad in a way that they weren’t as we got to enjoy the natural environment of the cave. I was curious to explore but was too scared to go alone into the darkness until Michael said that all the passageways lead to the main cavern that we were standing in.
I told Michael to stay put as he was studying some cave formations while I ventured into a winding passageway with my friend. It wasn’t that difficult as the caves were huge and we could walk straight in.
The floors were dry and there wasn’t much debris hindering our movements.
True enough, each twisting passage led us back to the main cavern. After going down five passageways and discovering the same thing, I gave up and joined Michael at the huge column in the middle.
“Look at this column,” said Michael. “The stalactite formed from water droplets from the ceiling has joined at the bottom, becoming one big column. It takes millions or years to achieve this and only a few seconds to destroy it. We should do all we can to preserve these natural wonders.”
It was indeed beautiful. And so were the other intriguing cave formations found all around Gunung Jebak Puyuh and the small cave creatures scuttling about.
Trekking in the jungles outside again, we also had an opportunity to appreciate the magnificent rare Albino Ara tree.
Despite the horror that was the toilet, the trip as a whole was great, worthy of an educational experience.
MMAdventure Services
Hotline : (019) 6446 505
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Getting there
Travel along the old trunk road from Kuala Lumpur to Kuantan, and head towards Temerloh town. Look out for signboards to Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum. One turn off is by the east end of the bridge at Temerloh, the other one is at Kampung Awah. Gunung Senyum is 40km from Temerloh and 20km from Bandar Pusat Jengka.
PERMIT Not required.
EQUIPMENT Light clothing, preferably long-sleeved and pants, flexible shoes with a good grip, flashlights and head torches, helmets and a day pack for food supplies. Expect to get dirty and wet.
FACILITIES Hutan Lipur Forest Rangers office, car park, campsite, toilets, surau and rest area. For more information, call the Temerloh Forestry District Office at (09) 296 2755.
petikan dari "THE STAR"
Pakatan Rakyat Pahang turut bantah kilang simen Jebak Puyuh
Pakatan Rakyat Pahang turut bantah kilang simen Jebak Puyuh
Oleh Zukri Aksah
KUALA KRAU, 6 Ogos – Setelah terhimpit dengan beban hutang yang semakin bertambah membukit, Kerajaan Negeri Pahang yang terdesak dalam mencari sumber pendapatan negeri yang baharu telah bercadang mahu membina sebuah kilang simen di Gunung Jebak Puyuh, Kuala Krau, dalam kawasan rekreasi Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum.
Projek yang dicadang untuk dibangunkan dengan kerjasama syarikat YTL yang bernilai RM1.2 bilion ini telah menerima tentangan hebat dari penduduk tempatan, bahkan Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) kampung tersebut pernah memanggil sebuah stesen televisyen tempatan untuk membuat liputan bantahan.
Ini kerana kerajaan negeri dalam membuat cadangan ini, walaupun mendakwa telah merujuk kepada Jabatan Geologi, Alam Sekitar dan pakar sejarah tempatan, tetapi tidak pernah mendapatkan pandangan Jabatan Pelancungan, Perhilitan, Felda, Felcra, JBA dan persatuan penduduk, padahal merekalah yang akan menerima kesannya nanti.
Gunung Jebak Puyuh merupakan gunung tercantik di antara lima gunung yang terdapat dalam kawasan Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum, dikatakan memiliki khazanah alam yang telah terbina sejak jutaan tahun lalu, termasuk gua batu kapur yang nilainya dianggarkan termahal di dunia. Tahun lepas sahaja ia berjaya menarik 30,000 pelancong untuk datang melawatnya. Gunung Jebak Puyuh juga adalah penting sebagai kawasan tadahan air.
Atas kesedaran ini, sekumpulan penduduk tempatan telah berhimpun semalam bagi menyuarakan bantahan terhadap cadangan kerajaan negeri ini, kerana bimbang dengan risiko masalah kesihatan, masalah alam sekitar dan terjejasnya sumber ekonomi penduduk di kawasan terbabit.
Atas rasa prihatin, para pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat Kuala Krau turut turun menyertai perhimpunan tersebut sebagai tanda sokongan, antaranya ialah Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, YDP PAS Kawasan Kuala Krau, merangkap Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri Pahang dan Naib Presiden PAS Pusat, juga Saudara Suhaimi Said, Ketua PKR Cabang Kuala Krau.
Tuan Ibrahim dalam ulasannya, risau pembangunan kilang simen di Jebak Puyuh boleh mengakibatkan Loji Air Lubuk Kawah terdedah kepada pencemaran. Kesan pencemaran ini bukan hanya melibatkan penduduk di sekitar tapak projek, tetapi seluruh perkampungan di sepanjang 50 km Sungai Pahang, dari Kuala Krau ke Temerloh ke Felda Gugusan Jengka, yang berkapasiti penduduk seramai 300,000 orang.
Sementara Suhaimi pula dalam kenyataannya membidas Kerajaan Negeri Pahang yang dilihat tergesa-gesa mahu melaksanakan projek ini semata-mata mahu meraih hasil kewangan yang tinggi, akibat dari tekanan hutang yang semakin berganda dari sehari ke sehari. Pada masa yang sama, pandangan rakyat setempat yang sepatutnya didahulukan telah diabaikan sambil merisikokan pula keindahan flora dan fauna dan keselamatan penduduk di situ.
Bagi penduduk pula, mereka merasa hidup mereka tidak akan aman lagi selepas ini. Risiko paling nampak adalah ancaman debu berbahaya yang bukan hanya mengancam kesihatan mereka, tetapi juga hasil tanaman dan kebersihan Sungai Senyum serta Sungai Pahang.
Kalau cadangan projek kuari di Gua Kota Gelanggi sebelum ini boleh dibatalkan kerana bantahan penduduk atas alasan alam sekitar, sejarah dan pelancongan, maka atas alasan yang sama, ditambah dengan ancaman kesihatan terhadap penduduk, tidak ada sebab untuk kerajaan negeri tidak mengambil tindakan yang serupa, membatalkan terus cadangan pembinaan kilang simen di kawasan ini.
sumber dari "The Malaysian Insider"
Oleh Zukri Aksah
KUALA KRAU, 6 Ogos – Setelah terhimpit dengan beban hutang yang semakin bertambah membukit, Kerajaan Negeri Pahang yang terdesak dalam mencari sumber pendapatan negeri yang baharu telah bercadang mahu membina sebuah kilang simen di Gunung Jebak Puyuh, Kuala Krau, dalam kawasan rekreasi Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum.
Projek yang dicadang untuk dibangunkan dengan kerjasama syarikat YTL yang bernilai RM1.2 bilion ini telah menerima tentangan hebat dari penduduk tempatan, bahkan Jawatankuasa Kemajuan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JKKK) kampung tersebut pernah memanggil sebuah stesen televisyen tempatan untuk membuat liputan bantahan.
Ini kerana kerajaan negeri dalam membuat cadangan ini, walaupun mendakwa telah merujuk kepada Jabatan Geologi, Alam Sekitar dan pakar sejarah tempatan, tetapi tidak pernah mendapatkan pandangan Jabatan Pelancungan, Perhilitan, Felda, Felcra, JBA dan persatuan penduduk, padahal merekalah yang akan menerima kesannya nanti.
Gunung Jebak Puyuh merupakan gunung tercantik di antara lima gunung yang terdapat dalam kawasan Hutan Lipur Gunung Senyum, dikatakan memiliki khazanah alam yang telah terbina sejak jutaan tahun lalu, termasuk gua batu kapur yang nilainya dianggarkan termahal di dunia. Tahun lepas sahaja ia berjaya menarik 30,000 pelancong untuk datang melawatnya. Gunung Jebak Puyuh juga adalah penting sebagai kawasan tadahan air.
Atas kesedaran ini, sekumpulan penduduk tempatan telah berhimpun semalam bagi menyuarakan bantahan terhadap cadangan kerajaan negeri ini, kerana bimbang dengan risiko masalah kesihatan, masalah alam sekitar dan terjejasnya sumber ekonomi penduduk di kawasan terbabit.
Atas rasa prihatin, para pimpinan Pakatan Rakyat Kuala Krau turut turun menyertai perhimpunan tersebut sebagai tanda sokongan, antaranya ialah Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, YDP PAS Kawasan Kuala Krau, merangkap Pesuruhjaya PAS Negeri Pahang dan Naib Presiden PAS Pusat, juga Saudara Suhaimi Said, Ketua PKR Cabang Kuala Krau.
Tuan Ibrahim dalam ulasannya, risau pembangunan kilang simen di Jebak Puyuh boleh mengakibatkan Loji Air Lubuk Kawah terdedah kepada pencemaran. Kesan pencemaran ini bukan hanya melibatkan penduduk di sekitar tapak projek, tetapi seluruh perkampungan di sepanjang 50 km Sungai Pahang, dari Kuala Krau ke Temerloh ke Felda Gugusan Jengka, yang berkapasiti penduduk seramai 300,000 orang.
Sementara Suhaimi pula dalam kenyataannya membidas Kerajaan Negeri Pahang yang dilihat tergesa-gesa mahu melaksanakan projek ini semata-mata mahu meraih hasil kewangan yang tinggi, akibat dari tekanan hutang yang semakin berganda dari sehari ke sehari. Pada masa yang sama, pandangan rakyat setempat yang sepatutnya didahulukan telah diabaikan sambil merisikokan pula keindahan flora dan fauna dan keselamatan penduduk di situ.
Bagi penduduk pula, mereka merasa hidup mereka tidak akan aman lagi selepas ini. Risiko paling nampak adalah ancaman debu berbahaya yang bukan hanya mengancam kesihatan mereka, tetapi juga hasil tanaman dan kebersihan Sungai Senyum serta Sungai Pahang.
Kalau cadangan projek kuari di Gua Kota Gelanggi sebelum ini boleh dibatalkan kerana bantahan penduduk atas alasan alam sekitar, sejarah dan pelancongan, maka atas alasan yang sama, ditambah dengan ancaman kesihatan terhadap penduduk, tidak ada sebab untuk kerajaan negeri tidak mengambil tindakan yang serupa, membatalkan terus cadangan pembinaan kilang simen di kawasan ini.
sumber dari "The Malaysian Insider"
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