Irresponsible and Cruel Governance in the Telaga, Pitas Prawn Farm Failure

Murray Hunter


Irresponsible and Cruel Governance in the Telaga, Pitas Prawn Farm Failure

Daniel John Jambun
Feb 25, 2025


Press Statement
25th February 2025


The failure of the prawn farm in Telaga, Pitas, is a direct consequence of the government's reckless governance, sheer irresponsibility, and cruel disregard for the well-being of the local inhabitants. The absence of accountability and failure to conduct thorough environmental and socio-economic assessments before approving this billion-ringgit debacle is an unforgivable act of negligence. What was falsely promised as a catalyst for economic growth and development has instead resulted in environmental devastation, shattered livelihoods, and economic hardship for the already vulnerable communities of Pitas.

The government’s heartless decision to allow the destruction of over 900 hectares of critical mangrove forests without proper ecological assessments has directly led to the annihilation of traditional livelihoods, severely crippling local fisheries and pushing communities deeper into poverty. This blatant act of environmental vandalism is not just negligence—it is a cruel betrayal of the very people the government claims to represent.

Furthermore, the government’s disgraceful failure to ensure transparency and effective oversight in the project's implementation enabled gross mismanagement, ultimately dooming the venture to collapse. Despite grand promises of job creation and infrastructure development, the local communities have been left with nothing but broken dreams and further economic despair. The systematic abandonment of these people by the government is nothing short of an unforgivable act of cruelty.

Yayasan Sabah, a partner in this joint venture project, has suffered losses amounting to hundreds of millions of ringgit. This massive waste of public funds should have been invested in critical sectors such as education, which would have benefited countless Sabahans. Instead, the money was squandered on a failed and ill-conceived project that has brought nothing but misery to the people of Pitas.

The abrupt shutdown of the farm, particularly during the pandemic, only served to expose the government’s incompetence and complete lack of empathy for the suffering of the people. Instead of being a symbol of progress, this project has become an international embarrassment—a case study of government failure, corporate greed, and environmental destruction at the expense of Sabahans.

We demand full accountability from the government for this disaster. Immediate and concrete action must be taken to rehabilitate the damaged mangrove ecosystems, provide economic relief to affected communities, and implement strict environmental safeguards to prevent another catastrophic failure of this scale. No more empty promises, no more political deception—the people of Pitas and Sabah deserve justice. It is time for the government to answer for its failures and end its reckless, cruel, and irresponsible governance before it inflicts further irreversible harm on our land and people.

Daniel John Jambun

President

Borneo`s Plight in Malaysia Foundation (BoPiMaFO)