KOTA KINABALU: Volunteers and environmentalists have built over 1,000 coral reef frames to restore damaged reefs at Tun Mustapha Marine Park in Kudat over the past three days.
This effort aims to plant 12,000 coral fragments and 1,000 reef structures as part of the marine park's ninth anniversary and to set a record in the Malaysia Book of Records.
This initiative started on Monday (May 5) and will end on May 18, said Sabah Parks director Maklarin Lakim.
According to the Sabah Parks Facebook page, the programme's goal was to lay down 1,000 reef frames with 12,000 fragments for a national record.
On the first day at Kg Tajau Laut Kudat, the programme began with an introduction and awareness talk on marine biodiversity and reef restoration techniques.
The event involved 169 participants from various groups, including Sabah Parks, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, villagers, NGOs, divers, and students.
A total of 400 coral frames, which are artificial structures used to restore reefs, were completed.
On Tuesday (May 6), volunteers, including students in Kudat, continued restoration work, covering reef frames with resins and sand and preparing structural tools for the sea.
A total of 155 people participated, including SK Landung Ayang pupils who received demonstrations and explanations of the work's purpose.
Volunteers managed to complete 814 units of the first layer of coral frames.
On Wednesday, volunteers continued with reef planting and managed to lay down 1,300 coral frames, exceeding their target of 1,000.
Twenty divers conducted a habitat pre-assessment at the restoration site and collected coral fragments.
Over 180 people participated in the overall programme, with pupils from SK St. James Kudat and SK Muhibbah Kudat learning about the marine environment.
