KOTA KINABALU: A team of 24 divers marked Malaysia Day by clearing underwater waste off Pulau Sepanggar to promote ocean conservation awareness.
Led by Sabah Diving Squad Club chairman Sim Fui, the group targeted waters off Mari Mari Sepanggar Island as part of a community initiative highlighting the importance of protecting the country’s marine heritage.
The team retrieved 110kg of waste, bringing it ashore for sorting and weighing.
Operations focused on removing ghost nets and discarded fishing gear that threaten marine life with entanglement.
Sim said that Malaysia Day was not only about celebrating who they were as Malaysians, but also about taking responsibility for the country, including the sea, islands and marine ecosystems which are part of that heritage.
“As divers, we see first-hand the impact of marine debris.
“Ghost nets and other discarded fishing gear can continue to trap marine life, while plastic waste can remain in the environment for years.
“We hope this clean-up will remind people that protecting our oceans is a shared responsibility.
“Reducing our reliance on single-use plastics is one simple step that everyone can take,” he said in a statement.
The club also used the programme to raise awareness about reducing single-use plastics and preventing waste from reaching the ocean.
Sim said the underwater cleanup complemented efforts to keep beaches and coastal areas clean, adding that rubbish found in the sea was often connected to waste generated on land.
“What we see underwater is a reminder that our actions on land can eventually affect the sea.
“Beach clean-ups and underwater clean-ups are connected because preventing waste from entering our waterways is the best form of marine conservation,” he said.
Sim said the club hoped the Malaysia Day initiative would encourage more Malaysians to take ownership of their natural environment and contribute to its protection through simple, consistent actions.
