Volunteers unite in Malaysia's Dive Against Debris mission for environmental impact
The event, led by the Black Eye Scuba Team with support from the Besut District Office, will feature underwater clean-ups, shoreline waste removal, and interactive educational sessions on topics such as ocean health and turtle conservation.
'This is a dive against debris, beach clean-up and environment education happening that entire weekend,' Datuk Zuraidah Atan, a collaborator, said
'The difference here is we don't just collect rubbish and throw it away, we weigh it, sort it, collect the data and record it in a global database which then goes to the PADI Aware Foundation and the Jabatan Laut.'
Timed to follow the monsoon season, the campaign aims to rejuvenate eco-tourism in the area while reinforcing advocacy for zero plastic waste through data-backed evidence.
According to Zuraidah, cigarette butts remain the most commonly found litter on beaches, and the statistics collected feed into PADI's global climate action movement.
PADI Aware Foundation contributes its expertise to the programme by supporting divers who document marine debris, enabling the data to help shape international marine protection policies.
Besides diving, volunteers will also take part in shoreline clean-ups, educational workshops, and outreach sessions at SK Perhentian, including talks on responsible tourism and turtle conservation.
More information on the event is available here.
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Malay Mail
18-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Environmentalism needs the soul — Azizi Abu Bakar
JULY 18 — In Malaysia, conversations about the environment are everywhere — from school murals to government masterplans. We talk about climate change, biodiversity, clean energy, and zero waste. Yet despite this growing awareness, our rivers are still polluted, and our forests still falling. Why? Because we often forget that caring for the environment is not only a scientific issue — it is a deeply human one. We're taught to treat environmentalism as a technical puzzle: install solar panels, reduce emissions, calculate carbon footprints. But the planet isn't just a system to be fixed. It's a relationship to be mended. And relationships don't thrive on data alone — they require empathy, care, and meaning. I've seen community projects struggle because they lacked this emotional connection. Without a sense of belonging or shared purpose, even the best-funded initiatives fall flat. Environmentalism loses its power when it becomes transactional. It regains that power when it becomes personal. We usually don't protect what we don't feel connected to. Today, environmental activists across Malaysia are out there cleaning rivers, picking up trash, restoring forests. But their work should never be misunderstood as simply correcting what others — whether locals or tourists — have done wrong. These acts are not punishment. They are invitations. They are living examples of hope. In Malay culture, we call this suri teladan — to lead by example. When someone bends down to collect a plastic bottle from the riverbank, they are not just removing trash. They are reminding us what dignity and care look like. They are performing a small, visible act of devotion to the mother earth, in hopes that others will feel moved to do the same. Goodness is contagious. When we witness someone doing good, it awakens something inside us. We feel inspired to join in. And that is how transformation spreads — not by force, but by example. Some people hesitate to speak out about environmental issues because they fear being seen as hypocrites. 'How can I talk about zero waste if I still use plastic?' 'How can I ask others to plant trees if I haven't yet planted one?' But here's the truth: it is okay to call others to do good even if you're still trying to do it yourself. Every change begins with an intention. Every good habit starts with a conversation, a reminder, a nudge. Sometimes, saying it out loud — even before we fully live it — is part of becoming the person who eventually does. What matters is sincerity. When we speak from the heart, not to lecture but to spark thought, we're helping to build the foundation for action both in others and in ourselves. Environmentalist should never be misunderstood as simply correcting what others have done wrong. — Picture fron Unsplash/Colin Meg In many ways, Malaysians are still being pampered by a system that protects us from inconvenience. For example, we are not yet required to strictly segregate domestic waste. We're not faced with the reality that our unseparated garbage could be left in front of our homes indefinitely, or that we would have to wait until a certain day — and only that day — for it to be collected. We may say, 'It's fine, we still have land,' but the real question is: do we need to wait until we have no other choice but to live on top of it? Environmental action shouldn't begin only when we're pushed to the edge. It should begin with awareness and a willingness to shift — even before crisis forces us to. Comfort is not an excuse for complacency. The good news is we can change. We've seen it before. There was a time when people in Malaysia casually used parking spots designated for persons with disabilities. But after constant exposure through television commercial breaks, social media reminders, and signage campaigns — something clicked. Today, most people respect those parking spaces without question. It's not just about enforcement. It's about a collective shift in values. We now understand that those spaces are a matter of dignity and fairness. We learned to do the right thing, even when no one was watching. This is proof that when values are communicated consistently and compassionately, people respond. Although I work in an office setting, I once took the opportunity to join a beach cleanup activity at selected beaches in Pahang and Terengganu. It was part of a research programme focused on identifying plastic waste in coastal environments. Our centre's director was one of the co-investigators and joined us in the activity. At first, I joined out of curiosity — I wanted to experience something new in life. But the experience shifted my perspective completely. As we picked up all sorts of trash along the beach, I saw and felt how much waste ends up where it shouldn't — not only waste manufactured locally that I was familiar with, but also foreign-labelled waste, including from countries like Vietnam. I remembered what I'd learned: plastic takes around 450 years to decompose. And suddenly, it wasn't just a fact — it was real. Tangible. Heavy in my hands. It struck me — this is not just a programme. It's a reflection of what we owe to the environment. It's not the sole responsibility of cleaning staff. It's all of us. We don't do this every day — we still have other responsibilities and tasks — but we show up when we can, because it matters. Today it might be us. Tomorrow, it could be you. We all have a role to play. A similar situation reminded me of this truth during a river cleanup along the Selangor River, which I joined as part of a mobility programme with Australian students. As we collected waste along the riverbank, we discovered that more than half of what we picked up was recyclable. It made me wonder — if we all truly understood that these materials could have been sorted and repurposed, there would be far less waste to begin with. More importantly, none of it should have ended up in the river at all. This is not something that takes complex policy to fix — it's something that can be avoided if we all simply remember that rivers are not a dumping ground. And it made me reflect further — why do we Malaysians admire good practices abroad, but rarely bring them home? We see how people in other countries clear their tables in restaurants, manage their waste responsibly, or act with basic courtesy in shared spaces. Why can't we do the same here? Yes, it's someone's job to clean up — but wouldn't it be kinder if we made it easier for them? During that same beach cleanup, something unexpected happened — the van driver who had been with us throughout the trip quietly began collecting trash too. He had seen us doing it. He had listened to our conversations. And in that moment, he must have understood the purpose behind what we were doing — that it wasn't just about picking up rubbish, but about protecting something shared. He made the decision to join — not because we asked, but because he recognised the need. That reminded me that change doesn't always start with bold campaigns or big speeches. Sometimes, it happens when someone sees a meaningful act and quietly decides this is worth doing. That's why we must keep talking about the environment — at work, at home, with friends, with strangers. Talk about it until it reaches the soul of someone else. That is how movements grow — not only through action, but through reflection, storytelling, and example. That is how we build a greener, kinder Malaysia together. * Dr Azizi Abu Bakar is a research officer at Universiti Malaya Sustainable Development Centre (UMSDC). ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Malay Mail
12-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Saying hedge can't replace a 30‑year‑old tree, Penang activists sound alarm as green cover shrinks
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Free Malaysia Today
02-07-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
The Ocean Cleanup to expand Klang River rubbish-clearing effort
Boyan Slat, inventor of the Interceptor rubbish-collecting boats, on board Interceptor 002 which has been in the Klang River since August 2019. (X pic) KLANG : Environmental NGO The Ocean Cleanup plans to expand its plastic waste interception effort in the Klang River, warning that current measures are not enough to stop pollution from reaching the ocean. 'Even with two Interceptors, the volume of trash is overwhelming,' said Marco Piet, the group's rivers director. 'We plan to upgrade the systems and possibly deploy more Interceptors to boost capacity.' The Interceptors – solar-powered, autonomous vessels – have been operating in the Klang River since 2019 and 2021. They aim to capture plastic waste before it reaches the sea. A 2020 report by state-linked company Landasan Lumayan showed improved water quality in the Klang River since the Interceptors were introduced. Despite this, Piet said, a large amount of waste still escaped capture. 'Cleaning one river is not enough. We need broader solutions, better waste management, sustainability education, and strong local involvement,' he said. He called for greater cooperation from NGOs, civil society, and local communities, stressing that effective solutions must be locally driven. He was speaking at the launch of a new plastic sorting and processing facility in Klang, part of the state's Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) river rehabilitation project. Klang mayor Abdul Hamid Hussain said the facility would play a vital role in both waste management and environmental protection. 'It will help reduce carbon emissions, air and water pollution, and also create jobs since it will be manually operated,' he said. Landasan Lumayan managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin said public behaviour needed to change if long-term sustainability goals were to be met. 'Interceptor boats and log booms only treat the symptoms. Real change comes from shifting public attitudes,' he said. 'This facility is also about education and building a culture of sustainability.' Natural resources and environmental sustainability ministry secretary-general Ching Thoo Kim said broader steps were being taken through the proposed Climate Change Bill to address river pollution, citing the introduction of bottle deposit machines, similar to systems in the Netherlands and Germany, as one example. 'Our dream is for the Klang River to one day be clean enough to take a boat ride all the way to Mid Valley Megamall. It may take 20 or 30 years, but that's the goal,' he said.
