Residents load sorted waste onto boats for transfer to the mainland.
SEMPORNA: Once burdened by mounting rubbish and no formal waste management, Selakan Island off Sabah’s east coast is turning over a new leaf — thanks to a community-led programme guided by Reef Check Malaysia.
The initiative, implemented through a grassroots model, is the latest in a series of successful island-based waste management systems in Semporna, where rubbish collection infrastructure has long been lacking.
Located about 10km from Semporna mainland, Selakan is home to an estimated 380 residents, many of whom have had to rely on informal or unsanitary waste disposal methods for decades.
With no municipal collection service and limited transport access, trash often ended up in the sea or along the shorelines.
"People often blame the community for the trash, but they forget how isolated these islands are," said Adzmin Fatta, Reef Check Malaysia’s community coordinator in Semporna.
Volunteers clean up plastic and debris along Selakan’s shoreline."It’s not that they don’t care — they just don’t have the system we have in towns."
Launched in 2024, the Selakan waste programme empowers local households to take charge of their own rubbish collection and sorting.
Through awareness workshops, regular pick-ups, and a village cleanliness committee, waste is now gathered, sorted, and transported to the mainland.
The model builds on Adzmin’s earlier successes in other island communities such as Mabul, Mantanani, and Larapan — each adapted to suit the unique geography and needs of the area.
"These aren’t flashy projects — they rely on long-term trust," said Adzmin.
"You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to care and be consistent. That’s how change starts."
In Selakan, the initiative has already shown promising results.
Collected waste arrives at the Semporna jetty for proper disposal.
Waste no longer accumulates in the village or along the beach, and community members - including youth - are actively involved in maintaining cleanliness and educating one another.
Adzmin emphasised that these efforts aren’t just about hygiene, but about protecting Sabah’s rich marine biodiversity.
"The cost of biodiversity loss is far greater than the cost of basic waste systems. We all have a stake in this," he said.
Previously, on Mantanani Island, similar programmes kept more than 145,000kg of waste out of the ocean between 2018 and 2022. In Mabul, over 70 tonnes of waste were removed within six months of launching a village-led cleanliness committee.
Selakan’s progress has reaffirmed the importance of letting communities lead the way - with the right tools and support.
"It showed that if you give the community the chance and support, they’ll rise to it," said Adzmin.
The programme is expected to expand to additional villages in Semporna and neighbouring districts, with a focus on training local youth to take over operations and lead future clean-up efforts.
