THE Penang Botanic Gardens’ Lily Pond has undergone a thorough cleaning following suspected vandalism that left the area in disarray.
It was discovered that the Amazonian Lily pads were destroyed during the blooming season of Lotuses in the pond, resulting in the pond and its surroundings becoming dirty.
During a check done by the Buletin Mutiara team at the garden on Sept 5, Mohammad Shahari Hafiz, a member of the garden cleaning staff, expressed concerns about ongoing incidents involving the Amazonian Lily pads.
“People would come over and tamper with the Amazonian Lily pads.
“They would throw rocks on them, poke them, and there have even been instances of fish found in the pond, nimbling on objects thrown inside.
“Whenever confronted, visitors typically respond with ‘We do not know.’ Unfortunately, this is a recurring issue due to human behaviour,” Hafiz added.
The Amazonian Lily pads are known as the world’s largest and most robust floating plants.
Hafiz also voiced worries about the blooming Lotus flowers, which are currently affected by these disruptive behaviours.
“The Lotus flowers can’t fully bloom because of these human actions,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Penang Botanic Gardens director Nur Syazwani Ismail said her staff would promptly report any incidents of vandalism.
“With proper soil management, adequate fertilisation and careful care of the Lotus plants, we can ensure they bloom beautifully, as they are seen now,” she added.
Story by Ammar Mikhail Aamer
Pix by Alissala Thian