Authorities say they are unable to take action against those responsible for coral reef degradation at a diving spot near Mabul Island in Sabah, leaving divers feeling helpless.

A private contractor steered a massive barge of construction materials onto a coral reef at Paradise One, one of the island's most popular dive spots, last week, badly damaging the corals.

The following day, Jafry Ariffin, the minister of tourism, culture, and the environment in Sabah, quickly issued a statement pledging an early investigation.

However, Jafry said that the fact that the site was not in an area protected by either Sabah Parks or the state wildlife department made it difficult for authorities to intervene.

Suzimin Edris, deputy president of the Semporna Local Divers Club, said the tragedy could have an impact on their lives when the tourism business reopens.

Because of their topography, he said, the "badly damaged" reefs are well-known among beginner divers seeking their licences.

He explained, “The location isn't too deep and is protected from powerful undercurrents.”

“Besides being popular for beginners, the area is also a favourite haunt for amateur divers because it’s home to many marine species.

“This makes Paradise One the main diving site at Mabul Island.”

Many international divers come to the world-famous dive location, which is also home to unique coral species, many of which were discovered as part of WWF-prestigious Semporna's Hard Coral Mapping Project.

Suzimin, who is also a member of the Semporna Professional Divers Association, denounced the incident, saying it might have been avoided if those involved had a sense of environmental responsibility.

“We feel the movement control order is a perfect period for marine life to come back here to reproduce, including the corals, due to reduced diving activities.

“But this incident has made things worse. We sincerely hope an agency will be able to take action against those responsible for the destruction,” he said.

Mabul Island is an important place for the world’s biodiversity as it is part of the Coral Triangle Region – a marine region that spans parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

This area with abundant biodiversity contains at least 500 species of reef-building corals, of which 76% (605) of the world’s coral species (totalling 798) are found in the Coral Triangle, the highest coral diversity in the world.