1. Kuala Tahan is the main getaway to Taman Negara, Malaysia's Premier National Park and the largest protected area in the country for flora and fauna. The site for Sturgeon Project is currently the forest reserve at the border of Taman Negara and will give major environmental impact such as erosion due to land clearing which may lead to river pollution and noise pollution from logging.
2. The proposed site is at the forest reserve and serves as a water catchment area which supply water for the locals.
3. 90% of local populations involve in eco-tourism activities. Due to expected impact on environment and the clearing of the above-said forest reserve, this sturgeon project will shy away eco-tourist who do not want to see concrete jungle in our National Park. As a result, the locals will lose their source of income and local economy may collapse.
4. The project will create social problem with influx of foreign labourers that do not understand local culture and customs.
5. Sturgeon is listed as one of banned imported fishes into Malaysia by Department of Fisheries due to its predator behaviour. The chances for the fish to escape to the river is very high especially during monsoon season due to flash flood and this will affect local species.
6. Sturgeon in an alien species and may be introduce new biological disease and contaminate Tembeling River
7. This project will benefit Felda Settlers who are not inhabitants of the site whilst the locals in Kuala Tahan will be exposed to all the unexpected dangers of the project.
8. No effort for open dialogues by the authorities and the developer even though the locals have been asking for the dialogue session for months!
9. No Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) is done even though the locals and non-governmental organisations such as MNS and Sahabat Alam Malaysia have been asking for months.
10. Continuous insulting remarks by politicians involved in this project who called the anti-sturgeon project activists as “Yahudi”(Jews), “Sakai”(derogatory word for Aborigines) and “Bodoh”(stupid).
