Piles of rubbish, including plastic waste, accumulating along the shoreline in Kampung Sim-Sim.
KNOWN for its fresh seafood and stilt houses, Kampung Sim-Sim in Sandakan should be a postcard-perfect coastal village.
Instead, plastic waste clogs its waters, threatening marine life and livelihoods.
Now, a group of environmentalists is fighting back-not with new technology, but with discarded trash itself.
Spearheaded by environmental NGO Future Alam Borneo (FAB), a 150m-long litter trap made entirely from repurposed old fishing nets and plastic waste now stretches along the waters of Sim-Sim, acting as a barrier to catch floating debris before it pollutes the sea.
Sim-Sim is more than just a fishing village, it is the birthplace of Sandakan, dating back to 1879.
Despite its historical and tourism significance, the village is now better known for its floating garbage than its charm.
Public frustration over Sandakan’s waste crisis resurfaced recently when a viral video exposed the severe pollution in Kampung Sim-Sim and Pasir Putih, calling it a “rubbish city by the sea.”
Volunteers installing a floating litter trap made from recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets.
The footage fueled discussions on habitual littering and government inaction, reinforcing the urgent need for sustainable solutions.
Even authorities have taken notice.
A minister’s recent visit to Sim-Sim brought a RM200,000 cleanup fund, but waste keeps accumulating. Without long-term solutions, clean-up efforts alone have proven ineffective.
FAB’s chairman, Anton Ngui, said this is not the organisation’s first attempt at managing waste in Sim-Sim. In 2020, they installed similar barriers, but logistical challenges and theft forced them to halt the project.
“This time, we built a new barrier in early 2024 with support from the community, YB Vivian’s team, and Sung Siew School students,” Ngui said.
Vivian Wong is the Sandakan MP.
In an earlier attempt, FAB collected two tonnes of rubbish in six months – that is equivalent to the weight of a small car.
But new waste keeps flowing in, making it a never-ending battle.
“The task of collecting waste never ends unless people stop dumping trash into the sea. Our goal is to raise awareness so the community sees this effort and realises the importance of reducing waste,” he added.
FAB also introduced a floating island, made from recycled materials, to serve as both a waste barrier and a future recreational space.
The structure, developed with Sung Siew School students, uses plastic waste collected from the sea to support plant life.
Ismail.
“Our aim is to plant greenery on it, beautify the area, and encourage recreational activities like fishing or swimming. The idea is to turn discarded waste into something positive,” Ngui explained.
Ngui acknowledged that a litter trap alone is not a real solution – it can only capture so much.
“Our ultimate goal is not just to trap litter, because a litter trap can only do so much. The real change happens when people see it and realise that there are those who care enough to make the effort, to fight for a cleaner environment,” he said.
“If enough people start to care, if they take responsibility for their surroundings, then we won’t need litter traps at all-because the ocean will be clean by choice, not by intervention.”
While the initiative has gained support, FAB’s project manager, Ismail Salan, said changing mindsets remains the biggest challenge.
“Some residents participate, but many still throw rubbish into the sea and neglect cleanliness around their homes,” he said.
Another factor complicating the issue is that not all waste comes from Sim-Sim residents.
Some local leaders note that a significant portion of the rubbish washes in from external sources, making it even harder for community efforts to fully solve the problem.
Ngui.
FAB now plans to set up a permanent waste collection system in Sim-Sim, including rubbish bins, trolleys, and an exhibition space showcasing upcycled products to generate income for the community.
Despite the challenges, Ngui remains hopeful.
“All the work we do is voluntary. We get support from organisations and government bodies, but ultimately, the community must take charge.
“They need to work together – not just with us, but among themselves – to keep their homes and surroundings clean,” he said.
For now, the litter trap and floating island serve as visible reminders of what can be achieved when waste is transformed into solutions.
But Ngui believes the real success will come when the village no longer needs a litter trap at all.
“The best litter trap is the one we don’t need,” he said. “If people take ownership of their waste, this net will become obsolete-and that’s when we’ll know we’ve won”.
