ClementText and photos by Peter Symes Lee Clement Lee is the time we hit the water there, at the time. So, we needed to embodiment of the en- we saw that it was something start it, but at the same time, special and that this was our we also needed to start dive trepreneurial dive indus- future. What I saw was beyond tourism in the area. We brought try pioneer. A quarter description. It was a like a liv- in the first guests in 1984 and of a century ago, he ing aquarium. We thought it never looked back. seeded what was later was an adventure area, but at the same time, we also asked PS: What obstacles did you to become a flourishing ourselves how to protect this have to overcome? recreational dive indus- pristine environment and the try in the Malaysian state marine life. CL: Oh dear... There were just of Sabah. In this inter- too many. Since we are talk- PS: What was there then? Was ing about Sipadan, it was view, we take a remi- there any sort of tourist infra- everything from permissions niscent look back at the structure in the area at all? to logistical issues and setting challenges overcome up infrastructure. Because we CL: Semporna (the bustling were the pioneers, nobody and the awards won. town which is a point of dis- knew about recreational scuba embarkation for the resorts on diving or what the dive industry PS: When was the first time you Mabul, Kapalai and others –ed. was all about, so there was no saw and dived on Sipadan? ) was just a fishing village at the help to get. We had to organ- Can you recall your first impres- time, with no infrastructure and ise everything ourselves. And at sions and sentiments? Did you only very basic facilities. When that time, things like the airport think that this could become we started off on Sipadan, we were not as good as they are one of the finest dive destina- had to buy, hire and bring in today, and transfers from the tions on the planet? everything from Semporna and airport took 3-4 hours in con- Tawau (bigger towns some trast to the hour it takes today. CL: We started Borneo Divers distance away –ed.) using It was a quite a challenge, but in 1983, but it was in 1984 chartered boats to bring it to I am glad to say that over the we went to do a survey of a the island. In a way, there was years, things have smoothed freighter in Ligitan reef, and none at all. We had to start out and better infrastructure after the survey, we went from zero. has been built. straight to Sipadan to check it out, because we could tell PS: What made you decide to PS: What do you consider your from the depth charts that it go into recreational diving and biggest victories or achieve- had to be significantly different build a dive operation? ments? from the other islands that we knew. CL: There was no professional CL: When we started, we knew And already from the first recreational dive industry at all where we going. The ques- Clement Lee in his Kota Kinaballu office 84 X-RAY MAG : 32 : 2009 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED profile tion was how we were going to be improved, because the cru- guest permits (120) for Sipadan a lot of guests will be disappoint- achieve it? So, seeing Sipadan cial number is not the number for obviously fall far short of popular ed if they don’t get to Sipadan, now being hailed as one of the visitors, but the number of dives. demand. With all the resorts now but as I often tell my staff or fel- best dive sites in the world and But we do feel that Sipadan is in the area, how is it possible to low resort operators, ”In order to bringing it to the public, I consid- now protected for the future, distribute these permits fairly? see the rainbow we have to put er that our biggest achievement and that we have already seen Who has the final say? up with the rain.” It is a necessary in terms of the hard work that results in the form of improve- sacrifice we had to make. So, in was put into it. Another is being ments in the marine life. CL: This is quite a difficult ques- my explanations to my divers and able to sit down and work out tion. There will never be enough, colleagues, I always urge them how to protect the island PS: The limited number of day which means that some or even to protect the underwater envi- ronment, and I ask them PS: Sipadan seems to be bet- to think if they do one ter protected now, but do you dive less, they are actu- think the latest protection meas- ally contributing to the ures and restrictions are the right protection of the envi- ones? What can be improved? ronment. In regards to the CL: Sipadan now has a limited number of permitted quota of 120 guests per day, visitors, it is still controlled which in many ways, is a role by our National Security model, although the system can Council, which is an independent body that has the final say on the THIS PAGE: Images from Borneo matter. Divers resort on Mabul Island TOP LEFT: Clement Lee enjoying PS: The number of resorts breakfast with guests in the canteen 85 X-RAY MAG : 32 : 2009 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Clement Lee Dive into X-RAY MAG’s profile Library of Issues! Download past issues FREE is no point in just transferring the they don’t go out very often any- problems of Sipadan to another way. I’ve been living on Mabul island. That being said, there are since 2004, and now I actually see quite a lot of islands in the area more sharks today than few years that are uninhabited, undeveloped ago. Probably not because there and where the underwater life is of are more sharks, but that they are equal quality—in terms of macro less shy of people than before. I’ve life—to Mabul. The only problem is checked with the fisheries depart- that this area once had some issues ments, and while there are no with dynamite fishing, but tourism formal catch limits in place here, will put a definite end to it, and there don’t seem to be any con- and tourist facilities in area (around thus improve the environment. So cerns about the local shark popula- Sipadan and Mabul islands) seem indirectly, tourism will improve the tions either. to be constantly growing. How marine life. Meanwhile, curbing much more development do you over-development in some areas PS: There were also some writings think the area can sustain? Will will come down to the authorities. in the press about an aquarium to there be a time to say, “Stop. Now, be built on Mabul? What was that it is enough, or we’ll ruin the area,” PS: A while back, there were about? and how close do you think the rumours about shark finning taking area is to this point now? place on Mabul? Was there any CL: I know very little about this truth to it? project. But it was actually about CL: In any development plan, an ‘Oceanarium’ that was more there is a set capacity for what the CL: We need to get the perspec- like a museum. But if someone has ► area can carry, and even though tive right. There wasn’t shark finning the significant kind of money need- Sipadan is our main attraction, we as such where you cut of the fins ed—which I doubt—the money is cannot forever depend on it to and throw the rest of the fish back better spent elsewhere, such as draw in divers simply because of to the sea, and I can assure that Ligitan Island, which I said to the the limits to how much you can that isn’t the case. There are only consultant on the project. But I exploit the island, and the same three families on the island that have not heard anything about goes for Mabul, so the task of the have been involved with shark fish- any developments. government agency is to stand ing, and they have been doing so firm on this point. While the private for centuries, but they go far away sector has already made the sac- from the island and into interna- THIS PAGE: Scenes from rifice to move off Sipadan in order tional waters to do their catches, Borneo Divers resort. RIGHT: www.xray-mag.com to protect the environment, there and they sell the whole fish, and On the pier, Clement Lee pre- pares an underwater camera 86 X-RAY MAG : 32 : 2009 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED profile Clement Lee PS: You are also the chairman of Sabah try require the establishment of wildlife PS: What is your next ambition or Tourism Association. How do you see corridors and compulsory wildlife zones. dream? Sabah’s development economically I do believe that while we have made in an ecologically sustainable way? mistakes in this area in the past, we are CL: Well…umm, to retire as a Malaysian Coming to the region as a tourist, one now going in the right direction.