Tasik Chini, Pahang

Beautiful Tasik Chini. Such strong will to survive the ravishes of humans. It's been several years since our last visit to Chini lake, and she is still as beautiful as when we first laid our eyes on her in 1996. She is a little sicker. Everywhere, we see life clinging on to a fine line of survive or perish. The old fig trees in which the jungle birds and animals feed off fruits are around but fewer. Palm oil plantations encroaching into the area, illegal logging, introduction of alien destructive plants like the 'ekor kuching' and that damned dam - they're all tightening the noose round her neck.. and the authorities are not heeding to it's melancholic call.

Tasik Chini, the country's second-largest freshwater lake, is contaminated with high levels of e-coli, the bacteria that may have caused rash and diarrhoea among the orang asli living near it.

The state government had warned the 400 villagers, including 100 children aged six and under, not to drink water from the lake and wells but they do nothing to improve the situation... The orang Jakun (indigenous tribe who lives around and on the lake) believes that the lake is slowly suffocating and the spirits of the lake and the jungle fringing her are upset with the state of the lake. As it is, the lake people have been complaining of poor fish harvests recently and that the stagnant lake water is giving them much worry that soon the juvenile fish stock will die off and the river fishes will no longer return to the lake for spawning. There is only one way to resolve this and it is to do away with the dam.

The orang Jakun are still keeping their chins up on the matter in hope that the situation will be reversed. They believe that the problem is rectifiable and if things happen soon, the lake can be saved and their livelihood restored. With the restoration of the lake will also come the restoration of their folklore and their tales of the good old days where water was so clear and clean one could drink straight from the lake! That would be nice....

Lake Chini Resort is a favourite haunt for fishing enthusiasts and at times, corporate team building trips. But this Resort is not for the fainthearted... just be sure to bring a pair of rubber slippers, a bottle of dettol or bleach, your own toilet roll and towels, and lower your expectations.

But once out on the lake and into the narrow sungai or river chini, life becomes clear..this is it...this is worth the trip ... just to be at one with the lake..Birds can be heard all round..deep behind the veil of vines and foliage, melodious singing lures strangers like sirens of the mermaid.

Let's hope that due to the insensitivities or perhaps greed of a few, this gift of life is not taken away from us..