TELUK MUROH FALLS

This is one of my dream waterfall that I will be able to fulfill after Penang Falls, I began to get in touch with this waterfall during my first ever bicycle expedition from Parit using Bruas - Pantai Remis route until Lumut early 90's, where we camped in Teluk Batik after long hard day cycling using a modified bicycle. I still remember that back then the facilities in Teluk Batik still in the early stage of development and in order to get a freshwater supply we need to hike to the waterfall nearby the proposed Teluk Batik to Teluk Rubiah Road which initiated by our Late Sultan Idris Shah, but nothing is done until now but the dirt route used to survey the proposed road is still intact until now and it being used by jungle enthusiast to trek inside the Teluk Muroh Forest Reserve especially to go to isolated beach in between Teluk Batik and Teluk Rubiah known as Teluk Pengerang. I obtained the a fresh information on this waterfall from Meor Razak of Sahabat Alam Malaysia which also involved in OBS previously and few nice guy from Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam that the waterfall still survive till today. Since the area being sold by Perak State Government to make way for the development of steel distribution hub built by Vale Corporation from Brazil and the compartment that has been sold is forbidden for public entry, the Teluk Muroh Forest Reserve become the fighting ground for local environmentalist in order to preserve the few remaining coastal rainforest in Perak, in principle I am totally not agree with the project which from my opinion it has crossed the boundary of environmental impact for the survival of Teluk Batik as the main tourist destination in the mainland Lumut and if the economic factor is the main justification for this project then I would say that this another fallout for the so called economist especially those who are advising the state government. Just for the information of all waterfall enthusiast out there, Teluk Muroh Falls is a few remaining surviving waterfall that close to the sea and this phenomenon only could be witnessed in Manjung District, where most of the waterfall located in Segari Melintang Forest Reserve. Maybe due to the constant voice out campaign such as Selamatkan Teluk Rubiah Vale Corporation had put an initiative to organize a Scientific Expedition to the Teluk Muroh Forest Reserve which under their boundary in order to justify scientifically the importance of the forest reserve with Malaysian Nature Society. I managed to get the only chance to visit this waterfall under the ticket of "Researcher", and I am grateful that Siti Aishah Nor, Manjung very own nature enthusiast agreed to become my "Research Assistant" that day, thanks so much. This is the story of my first ever scientific expedition and the day that qualify me the be a waterfall researcher... 

The base camp for the MNS - Vale Teluk Rubiah Scientific Expedition in Teluk Batik Resort.

Expedition briefing session on Saturday 18th, from left Mr. Balu from MNS as expedition coordinator, Pn. Zanariah Vale Corporation representative and Mr. Andrew from MNS. During this session I also received a verbal confirmation from Vale Corporation staff that this area would be transformed into Public Eco Park, lets hope the proposal would be realized and once again public could visit this waterfall again. The highlight for this night is the discovery of Great Hornbill wildly fly within the forest reserve compound which rarely seen here and that's the effort of MNS Birding group. 

The crowds during the briefing session, both reseacher and Vale Corporation representative. The guy sitting in the front row next to the cute lady is Cikgu Hashimi Ismail, Environmental Education Coordinator of MNS, check out his blog Sayangi Alam, really informative it can be a useful tools for educational purposes, at the corner is MNS birding team.

The trail head, you need an approval to enter the area, this is few remaining trail to the waterfall. 

We heading towards the forest area with MNS Butterfly group and the camera why girl with grey shirt Siti Aishah Nor is my very own research assistant that day, she's really a good climber.

The jungle trail to the waterfall, full of dry leaf means lots of leeches.

The trails are properly marked by MNS.  

The first tier, quite huge rock formation until the top level, but you can climb the boulders to the top. 

The 2nd tier of first level, you can see the minor moss covered the rock, be careful somehow if you wear a wrong shoes you will be slipped down. 

3rd tier in this level a twin cascades, there is small tier on top of this waterfall, since there is no rain for almost 5 days this is the best that could be documented. 

View from the top of first level, quite tall structure and you can see my "research assistant" down below. 

Hiking along the stream you will meet with the 2nd level, the stream gradually reduce it speed downstream due to flat valley. 

The camera trap installed by MNS, part of their wildlife research. 

On top of second level there a bundles of rock formation staging side by side and you could hear the sound of waterfall, one the uniqueness of this streams where there is a formation of underground waterfall that slides in between the boulders. 

Top level, 1st tier. This small fall flows into underground waterfall system in between the boulders. 

2nd tier of top level, small fall that slides in between the rock.

The upstream of Teluk Muroh Falls, I think we have reached the top of the hill and probably the source of the stream, clean stream bed and water quality. According to my "research assistant" which also undergraduate of OSHA, the quality of water is drinkable since there is trace of mineral taste inside the water. 

On our way down, we try another trail uphill to the beach area and we found this cleared area that use to be a survival camp of OBS.

Some of the facilities still intact and the proposal to make this as Eco Park is at a correct time. 

Look at the dense canopy of Teluk Muroh Forest Reserve, as a person with non scientific background I don't exactly know how long this trees gonna take to grow this tall, but I bet it takes very long time. So the idea of cutting these trees is a doomsday at the making, what about the future generation especially those who are living within Manjung District, for those capitalist they don't care a shit about it accept for profit, thus I hereby making my personal appeal to Vale Minerals (M) Sdn Bhd to realize the proposal of Eco Park for your own reputation among Malaysia and as a foreign corporation who generate economic growth to our nation let live along side us, not fight with us.  

The stream from Teluk Muroh Falls that flows into the sea at the southernmost part of Teluk Batik.

Another view of downstream, it becomes the sewerage drain for the building at Teluk Batik and I wondering either the public aware that this stream flows directly to the beach in Teluk Batik. Two more concern that need to be highlighted from my opinion as amateur environmentalist is that the survival of upstream compartment where it has been threaten by severe erosion due to improper planning of hill slopes cutting to make way to extreme sport trails and the survival of wetland in the intermediate stream system that become the natural retention pond. 

This is nonsense, shame of Malaysian public... if this attitude still become part of their daily life then the realization of the Eco Park is useless. 

Panoramic view of Teluk Batik from southernmost part, you can see the jetty to carter mega ship built by Vale Corporation at the horizon. 

I thought we are in some beach in Sao Paulo, but I'm very wrong we are in Teluk Batik Malaysia and I think the nearest country we could find signage in Portuguese is in Timor Leste (por favor substitua a tabuleta com a nossa língua oficial), where does your CSR towards our official language. After the signage the land technically owned by Vale Corporation. 

Trip photo, at last I once again mingle with the waterfall that long before forgotten and the first ever pristine and natural waterfall that has been visited by me during childhood.