MNS Miri: Bekenu’s new ‘lion’s head’ rock formation fragile, in danger of collapse

The rock formation said to resemble a lion’s head was discovered end of last year near Tusan beach.

MIRI: The rock formation said to reassemble a lion’s head near Tusan beach in Bekenu is fragile and will eventually collapse like the iconic ‘drinking horse’ which crumbled in February last year, a conservation group cautioned.

Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Miri chairman Musa Musbah said that like the ‘drinking horse’, which is at Tusan Beach, the lion’s head formation was naturally carved out from fragile sandstone.

“Both rock formations are very similar with loose sand, hard rock and very, very fragile and this rock’s foundation is very high with loose sand lubricating sediment above the rock,” he said during a visit to the lion’s head on Sunday.

He said that because of the soft sandstone, rocks have been seen falling from the formation during the storms.

“The problem is this rock foundation is very weak during storms and high waves. High tide will wash away the sand stones,” Musa said.

He said that effort must be made to protect the formation such as building a retaining wall to slow down erosion and stopping all forms of development above it.

The famous ‘drinking horse’ rock formation, which was also located at Tusan beach, had collapsed on February 22, 2020, after a storm.

A before (left) and after collage showing the iconic ‘drinking horse’ rock formation before it collapsed last year.

A Kampung Beraya villager, Abdul Rahim Sanai Mat, last week claimed that he discovered the new lion’s head formation while collecting sea snails between Tusan and Beraya beaches.

Meanwhile, Kampung Terahad Bekenu community leader Ketua Kaum Tinggal Bak, who accompanied Musa on the visit on Sunday, hoped that tourists and developers near the location of the new rock formation would treasure and preserve the natural wonder.

He also hoped that the tourism authorities would take the initiative to preserve such sites.

“From year to year, we see changes surrounding Tusan beach and I believe what geologists are finding is true that we must preserve what we have now,” he said.

The new rock formation is about 20 minutes walk from Tusan beach in the direction of Beraya.

 

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