Volunteers digging the mud to plant mangrove saplings at Kampung Pendas Baru in Gelang Patah, Johor. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
BESIDES seagrass conservation, Iskandar Puteri City Council (MBIP) supports a range of grassroots projects with its low-carbon community grant programme.
One recipient is Albukhary International University lecturer Aiman Muqri Ahmad Shukri, who received RM21,000 for a mangrove planting project in Iskandar Puteri and Forest City.
Since 2023, he and his team from the Alor Setar university have planted about 1,000 mangrove saplings, returning every few months to monitor growth, replace fallen saplings and reinforce weak stems with wooden supports.
“Protecting the environment requires everyone’s involvement,” he said.
“Support from MBIP has allowed us to expand our work and get more people to see how important it is to care for our mangroves,” he added.
Aiman Muqri says support from MBIP has allowed his team to expand their conservation work.
In a recent mangrove planting programme near Tanjung Kupang jetty, Aiman Muqri’s team along with other volunteers planted 300 saplings as part of expansion efforts.
Beyond tree planting, his team also reaches out to schools and higher education institutions in Johor, conducting composting workshops and promoting low-carbon living.
“We believe it is important to start education from an early stage.
“These students are the country’s future leaders and if they grow up with this awareness, it will shape the way our society develops,” he said.
Iskandar Puteri mayor Hasrin Kamal Hashim said the grant programme, along with MBIP’s other environment-related programmes, reflected the city council’s commitment to making sustainability part of daily life.
“Programmes like these build awareness while creating a culture of responsibility that goes beyond just one-day events,” he said, adding that MBIP’s own initiatives mirrored this hands-on approach.
Earlier this year, it ran a green waste management workshop at the MBIP urban forest in Mutiara Rini, where participants practised composting and took part in tree planting.
In August, pupils from SJK (T) Taman Tun Aminah planted trees in their school compound under MBIP’s “Sekolahku Ceria” programme.
Hasrin hopes future generations will see environmental care as part of their identity.
During a recent “Jom Hiking” event at Sireh Park, families took part in aerobics and hiked a 3km to 5km trail in a programme that combined National Day activities with river preservation efforts such as fish release and mudball tossing.
The city council also continues to drive long-term projects, including the “Drive to Save” recycling campaign and “Jom Hijau” competition, which promote creative landscaping and green ideas.
Hasrin said MBIP’s work did not stop at spreading awareness.
“Our blue carbon initiative highlights the role of seagrass and mangroves, which store more carbon than terrestrial forests and provide crucial breeding grounds for marine life.
“This is not just about planting trees or holding events, but about changing mindsets so that future generations will see environmental care as part of their identity,” said the mayor. — By MYSARA FAUZI
