ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES & MONITORING

PROGRAM

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SUMMARY AGENDA

PULAU MABUL, SEMPORNA - SABAH, MALAYSIA

JEWEL OF MABUL DEVELOPMENT SDN. BHD.

(936071-M)

C-04-04, Block C, 4th Floor, Warisan Square

88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Malaysia

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ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES & MONITORING PROGRAM

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ALORIE LEPA LAPA: A “Real & Present” Eco-Friendly Statement

THE RESORT

The Alorie Lepa Lepa eco-resort will be a “First” for Sabah with regards to providing

a state-of-the-art 21st century recreational facility catering to worldwide patronage nearby

some of the most beautiful coral reef ecosystems in the entire world. Situated in the very

heart of the most diverse region of our planet for coral reef flora and fauna, this water

village type resort will offer visitors and guests a truly exotic and memorable life time

experience.

Developed and guided with internationally recognized 5 star hospitality standards,

all features of the resort design is critically, realistically, and well thought out with regards to

assuring all aspects and features are feasible, economical and ecologically sound. Both with

the design and operations, the resort is fully able to support visitors and guests for

overnight and extended stays in all manners of comfort and safety.

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) & BASE LINE SURVEY

In order for the Alorie Lepa Lepa resort to be feasibly developed, efficiently

designed, and to eventually be installed at the shallow water edge of the Mabul Island’s

fringing coral reef, a comprehensive environmental impact assessment was undertaken to

assess the biodiversity of the area’s marine flora and fauna. The initial survey showed that

the very southern portion of Mabul’s fringing coral reef was quite diverse with a high level

of live coral coverage. With this in view, the entire resort layout was re-designed and moved

away from this portion of Mabul’s fringing reef and well to the east of it.

Once the final EIA survey and report was completed and submitted to the various

Sabah State government agencies, the Environmental Protection Department gave its

approval of the same. Only with this approval did the developers gain a title for the 80 acres

of submerged land that will host the Alorie Lepa Lepa resort.

The EIA specifically addresses all aspects of the resort’s installations as well as its on-

going operational hospitality endeavours as a world class 5 star facility. From proper and

environmentally sound management of construction methods, to handling solid and liquid

waste, to how the resort will benefit the local island communities is all fully and

comprehensively mapped out in the approved EIA.

Prior to the start of the Alorie Lepa Lepa resort construction, a “Base Line” survey

will be made to give the Environmental Protection Department and the resort developers a

reference of existing flora and fauna biodiversity. This survey will be undertaken a month

prior to the scheduled construction commencement. Even though an EIA was fully

completed with surveys, it is vitally important to conduct a reference base line survey just

prior to the start of the resort’s installation works so that the existing flora and fauna can be

assessed in a ‘before and after’ scenario with regards to the construction works and the

subsequent presence of permanent installations.

COOPERATIVE INSTITUTIONS AND NGO

Along with briefings given and direct support offered from various government

agencies, Jewel of Mabul Development Sdn. Bhd. has invited various Sabah based and

national environmentally aware institutions and NGOs to be involved both in the design &

planning stages as well as during the final operational commencements. Use of specific

building materials, water and energy conservation measures, and design features will be

cooperatively assessed. With the direct consultation of Wild Asia, the Alorie Lepa Lepa

resort will also be striving to achieve the prestigious Green Globe certification. The

Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Borneo Marine Research Institute has also been invited to assist

in the on-going monitoring program by conducting field research specifically geared to the

health and wellbeing of the indigenous marine flora and fauna and how the existence of the

resort affects the same.

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CORAL REEF ASSESSMENT & MONITORING

As required within the scope explained in the EPD approved Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) for the Alorie Lepa Lepa resort, the first year of construction will require a

monthly environmental assessment report. This monthly report will also include water

quality testing at five (5) different locations in and around the resort submerged land area.

The internationally recognized coral reef assessment protocol of Reef Check will be

undertaken at no less than 18 permanent transect monitoring sites. Permanent sites are

important to assess on a monthly basis if there are any flora/fauna biodiversity changes

during the resort installations.

In addition, the shallow water reef flat regions nearby the resort will have several

permanent transects designated to assess sea grass health. Protocol for undertaking this

assessment will be from “Survey for Tropical Marine Resources,” 2nd edition, AIMS.

To assess individual coral colony health and wellbeing, the PADI AWARE “Coral

Watch” program will be used at no less than 50 individual locations that will extend from

the north eastern to the southern edge of the Mabul reef community.

All permanent monitoring sites will be fixed via GPS locations.

Data will be collected, assessed and incorporated into a formatted monthly report to

be submitted to Environment Protection Department (EPD), Sabah, by our certified EIA

consultant Integrated Environmental Consultants (Sabah) Sdn. Bhd. (IEC).

FRESHWATER

One of the first aspects addressed in having a resort of this calibre is to provide a

more than adequate freshwater supply to maintain a variety of supporting features – from

simple drinking water, showers after swimming or diving, to supporting the food and

beverage operation. Water is also required to ensure the sanitation systems are able to

efficient operate at all times. The Developers have chosen to use a modern, efficient

reverse osmosis desalination system to produce the anticipated daily volume needs for

guests, visitors and support staff.

WASTE WATER

Waste water and sanitary systems for the Alorie Lepa Lepa resort will utilise state-

of-the-art treatment systems that will include moving bed bio-film reactor technology

(MBBR) in which very little sludge is produced and the bulk of the nitrogenous waste is

harmlessly released into the atmosphere. Though the effluent from this type of treatment

is clear and relatively odourless, there is a high nutrient percentage still present. This

effluent will then be passed through as specialized, modular hydroponics application before

the water is either discharged from the resort or used for watering and maintaining the

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resort’s decorative plants and foliage. All piping and related sewage and sanitations systems

will be properly installed to ensure that there will no leakage to enter the surrounding coral

reef eco system.

Septic tanks are difficult to properly maintain in tropical environments and require

de-sludging on an annual basis. Effluent even from properly maintained septic tanks is high

in nutrient constituents, high in pathogens-bacteria, and extremely harmful to coral reef

ecology; causing suspended algae blooms as well as aiding in benthic macro-algae to

compete with live coral coverage. Though commonly used in island villages and resorts in

the Semporna region, septic tanks are primarily designed for in ground use where the

effluent is injected into the ground-soil via a leach field. Septic effluent water should never

be directly discharged to the sea or water sheds. Consequently, the Developers of the Alorie

Lepa Lepa resort have chosen to use innovative and state-of-the-art treatment systems.

FOOD, SOLID WASTE & LAUNDRY

A percentage of food wastes will be collected / compacted for transport back to the

mainland with the remaining incorporated into modern and efficient composting system,

whereas, the generated humus-soils can be utilised for resort decorative plants.

The use of disposable paper and plastic will be reduced by providing washable F&B

napkins and reusable food storage containers. Metal cans, plastic containers, Styrofoam,

and other solid waste will be safely removed from the resort and delivered to its shore side

support facility for proper disposal.

Laundry services will be provided for both resort general operations and guest use

but will be located on the mainland so as to eliminate or greatly reduce the use of

detergents and soaps at the resort itself as well as reduce the need for freshwater.

POWER GENERATING & SAVINGS

Solar and specialized wind power systems are being considered to operate the

resort’s extensive boardwalk night lighting systems by having solar energy captured and

stored in efficient battery banks strategically located throughout the facility.

To generate hot water in each of the Villa / Chalets, a specialized hybrid solar panel

and hot water heater tank system is being considered along with other more efficient ways

to produce hot water for the entire facility.

Modern, efficient diesel electrical generators will be incorporated into an automatic

load switching system that will turn off or on generators based on load uses throughout the

entire resort facility.

All fuel and related oils, lubricants will be handled carefully for use, storage, and

movement into and out from the resort. Fuel storage will be maintained within more than

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adequate sized leakage retaining chambers.

SOCIAL BENEFITS TO THE REGION

In order for the Alorie Lepa Lepa resort to aid and assist the local communities and

nearby island villages in formulating strategies to give realistic and alternative ways and

means for bettering their financial and monetary income, aquaculture endeavours have

been identified. High value species aqua-farming has been identified for sea cucumber and

giant clams. Also the expansion of seaweed farming to the Litigaan reef has also been

considered with a CR program established by the resort marine resources consultants.

Designs are now being done up in which a small family ‘pod’ can have seven (7) water village

prefab houses set up in a circular pattern, whereas, rainwater collection/filtration and

sanitary systems will located on an 8th house unit. Each ‘Pod’ cluster will be able to house

an average of 50 people.

While little can be achieved in terms of direct positive impacts to the island residents

due the lack of employment opportunities (for those without valid documentation),

additional programs will be considered under a Corporate Responsibility (CR) program.

Foremost amongst other issues to be addressed on the island is the lack of

healthcare services for most residents. Provision of a monthly clinic service (by bringing in

nurses and health staff from a private clinic) on the island is being considered. This service

will focus efforts on:

Providing deworming tablets to children Providing health education to children and women relating to nutrition, family planning,

hygiene, STDs Providing access to birth control methods Providing powdered milk to expectant mothers (for calcium and other key vitamins and

minerals) Providing ante-natal checks and guidance to expectant mothers

In this way, it is intended that the child mortality rate will decrease, and the quality

of life will improve among villagers. The additional benefit for the resort operators is that the village will become a more scenic area for tourists to visit without being faced with the current aberrant social problems.

Where possible, the island residents will be given priority to be employed by the

resort. For those unable to work legally, additional business opportunities, such as the sale of fish to the restaurant and the sale of handicrafts to the resort and guests, will help to provide a livelihood for the people living on the island who can clearly be classified as hard-core poor, and in need of additional financial opportunities.

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1 SIPADAN ECO PLATFORM

The Developer, Jewel of Mabul Development Sdn. Bhd., will also commission a

specialized floating platform (approximately 65 feet long by 25 feet wide), entitled “1

SIPADAN Eco-Platform,” that will initially serve as a working station to undertake all aspects

of monitoring the resort installations in compliance to the approved EDP Environmental

Impact Assessment (EIA). A team of divers and marine biologists will work from this

platform on a daily basis to ensure that all contractors are undertaking their specific areas of

resort installations in an environmentally sound manner; minimising ecological disturbance

and affection.

Once the Alorie Lepa Lepa resort is fully installed, completed, and operational, the 1

SIPADAN Eco-Platform will serve as a rest & relaxation cum picnic station for divers coming

from resorts that are located in Mataking, Pom Pom, and thereabouts. The marine

ecological monitoring program will continue also from the 1 SIPADAN Eco-Platform with a

small dive locker, laboratory bench, and support boats. During visits to the 1 SIPADAN Eco-

Platform, dive tourists will be able to view a variety of educational materials; from posters

to specially produced DVDs showing the various marine programs and research endeavours

underway in and around the resort. Programs and projects anticipated will include fish

aggregating artificial reefs, coral farming, and perhaps giant clam farming.

MARINE RESEARCH CENTRE

In addition to the Social programmes, the second strand to the CR Programme is the

Marine Research Centre. The infrastructure, and basic equipment of the centre, including

wet and dry lab, tanks for study of live specimens, dark rooms for photography and study of

nocturnal and deep water species will be provided by the Developer. The facilities will be

available to local students, educational institutions, NGOs and government departments. An

annual allowance for disposables and additional equipment will be allocated from the Alorie

Lepa Lepa resort management and operator to be distributed based on submission of

research proposals. International researchers will be able to use the facilities (assuming all

research licences and permits have been approved) upon payment of bench fees for use of

the facility.