Sabah heritage water village gets RM50,000 cleanup boost

The Star

2 days ago

Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying (third right) presents a RM50,000 mock cheque to support cleanup efforts in Kampung Sim Sim.
SANDAKAN: Kampung Sim Sim in Sandakan, one of Malaysia's oldest water villages, is getting a lifeline after years of pollution.
This week, the Federal Government allocated RM50,000 to support coastal and environmental cleanup efforts in the historic settlement, home to more than 7,000 residents and dating back to 1879.
Located on the east coast of Sabah, Sandakan is known for its rich history and coastal communities, many of which are built on stilts above the sea.
Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying, during a visit to the site with Sandakan MP Vivian Wong Shir Yee yesterday, handed over a mock cheque to Persatuan Harapan Dinamik Sabah to fund waste disposal activities around Bridge 8, an area known for persistent marine pollution.
The visit included a walkabout at Lorong H to inspect the ongoing cleanup, which forms part of broader efforts to rehabilitate the village.
'It may be convenient to throw rubbish into the sea, but the consequences are severe – it pollutes the environment and increases the risk of diseases,' Lim said, urging residents to take shared responsibility for coastal cleanliness.
She stressed that such issues require proactive discussions and cooperation between all levels of government and the community to find sustainable solutions.
Wong said her team has been leading the cleanup since last year, removing more than 300 tonnes of waste — including debris deeply embedded in mud and the seabed — using heavy machinery.
'The rubbish situation here was extremely serious — we had to hire an excavator to dig through saltwater and remove years of accumulated garbage,' she said.
'But after starting this initiative last year, we've seen real change. Seawater is finally flowing back into the area, and recently we even spotted jellyfish and crabs returning. That shows the ecosystem is healing.'
She added that despite limited annual parliamentary funds, she had prioritised RM50,000 for this project for two years running and was grateful for federal backing.
'This allocation is not just financial support — it affirms our community's efforts to rehabilitate this environment,' she said.
Wong also revealed that her parliamentary office had begun repainting the exterior of some ageing stilt houses to beautify the area and attract more tourists, restoring both pride and potential to the long‑overlooked village.
She urged residents in Kampung Sim Sim, Tanjung Aru, and other water villages including those in Batu Sapi to stop dumping rubbish into the sea.
'When rubbish falls on land, you just need a broom and shovel to clean it up. But once it ends up in the sea, we need machines to dig it out — and the cost is far greater,' she said.
It has been reported over the years that certain parts of Kampung Sim Sim have struggled with severe waste buildup, particularly beneath and around the wooden stilt houses. Once a vibrant waterfront community, the area had become increasingly polluted due to inconsistent waste management and years of dumping into the sea.
As one of Sandakan's oldest settlements and a symbol of Sabah's coastal heritage, the village's deteriorating condition has long been a concern among conservationists and locals alike. The current cleanup represents one of the most coordinated efforts yet, with both federal and local support finally converging on a shared solution.