Explore our stories on sustainability
Unveiling Nature's Ocean Treasures
Blogs
Projects Updates
Julian’s Thoughts
Cintai Redang: October – December 2025
Cintai Redang Updates: October - December 2025Reef Rehabilitation EffortsOur team recently partnered with TNB once again as part of their CSR programme to restore some of the damaged reef areas in Redang. This 2 day-initiative in Tanjung Ara 50 involved TNB staff and ...
South of Johor Updates: October – December 2025
South of Johor Updates: October - December 2025Stakeholder Consultation and EngagementOur RCM colleagues continued engaging key partners to strengthen marine conservation efforts in southern Johor. Discussions with Majlis Perbandaran Pengerang (MPP), led by YDP Mr....
Semporna Updates: October – December 2025
Semporna Updates: October - December 2025Reef Rehabilitation EffortsOur local CMCGs in Semporna have been actively managing and maintaining nine coral rehabilitation sites in four islands. Each team conducts a monthly maintenance and has noted down good progress and...
Kota Kinabalu & Mantanani Island: October – December 2025
Kota Kinabalu & Mantanani Island: October - December 2025Annual Reef Check SurveysHere is a quick recap of the surveys we conducted in the last quarter around Sabah: October: Completion of the annual Reef Check survey at Turtle Island Park by RCM, Sabah Parks and...
KL Team Updates: October – December 2025
KL Team Updates: October - December 2025RCM's Participation in the Malaysian ParliamentRCM is honoured to have been a part of the Mesyuarat JKP Alam Sekitar, Sains dan Perladangan Parlimen Malaysia Kelima Belas Bil.14 Tahun 2025. Our CEO, Julian Hyde and our Chief...
Cintai Mersing Updates: October – December 2025
Cintai Mersing Updates: October - December 2025Mersing Islands Recycling ProgrammeThe Recycling Program in the Mersing Islands was implemented to encourage proper waste segregation and recycling practices among local communities and visitors. Throughout 2025, a total...
Cintai Tioman Updates: October – December 2025
Cintai Tioman Updates: October - December 2025Conservation Partnership2025 marks the third consecutive year of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia’s support and commitment towards conservation efforts on Tioman Island. Their long-term partnership has been instrumental in...
South of Johor: July – September 2025
South of Johor: July - September 2025Stakeholder Engagement MeetingsReef Check Malaysia (RCM) held three stakeholder meetings with local schools and the Majlis Perbandaran Pengerang (MPP) to plan future conservation activities. Teachers from SMK Pengerang Utama and SK...
Cintai Mersing: July – September 2025
Cintai Mersing: July - September 2025Awareness Programs with Local CommunitiesBetween July and September, two community awareness programmes were held to promote marine conservation in the Mersing Islands. Over 100 visitors visited Reef Check Malaysia’s exhibition...
Sabah Updates: July – September 2025
Sabah Updates: July - September 2025KOTA KINABALUOur team in Kota Kinabalu has been actively engaging local schools and college students through various education and awareness programmes. In July, we conducted a marine education session with three primary schools,...
The 2025 Reef Check Survey Results and What They Mean for Our Coral Reefs
Let's Talk About Our Reefs I’m not sure I know how to do this anymore, to make it effective and impactful. It feels like every year I talk about the results of the annual surveys…but nothing seems to change. But here we go… Overview of the 2025 Reef Check Survey...
Reef Check Malaysia’s 2025 Highlights and What’s Ahead in 2026
Reef Check Malaysia's 2025 As 2025 comes to a close, it’s traditional to look back on the year’s events – and look forward to the coming year. 2025 has been as busy a year as I can remember! Lots of great things happening, and I think we are laying a solid foundation...
The Mersing Islands Dilemma: To Close or Not to Close
To Close, or Not to Close…That Is The Question… Ok, paraphrasing Shakespeare is a cheap shot, but it just seemed appropriate. So, What’s The Problem? I’m referring, of course, to the recent closure of a number of islands off the East coast of Johor, near the town of...
Where Did the Year Go? At Least the Oceans Got Some Good News
Is It Just Me? Is it just me, or is the world going bonkers? Without looking at your computer screen…what is today’s date? ….. I can wait… ….. 30th September? You’re kidding, right? I mean – what happened to the year??? It was June just yesterday…now I’m talking about...
Islanders Squeezed Out by Mainland Boatmen
We were invited by Macaranga to share our views on overtourism on Redang Island, which was first published in Macaranga here: https://www.macaranga.org/islanders-squeezed-out-by-mainland-boatmen/#more-36839...
Making Community-based Management Work – Lessons from ASEAN
Reef Check Malaysia held a UN Ocean Conference Side Event I recently posted some thoughts about the UN Oceans Conference, which was held earlier this month in Nice, France. Not many people will know (until now!) that Reef Check Malaysia hosted a “side-event” webinar...
UNOC 2025: Why Do We Need an Ocean Conference?
The UN Ocean Conference 2025As “the world” gathers in Nice this week for the UN Ocean Conference 2025, it is perhaps a good time to pause and reflect on just why there is such a thing as an ocean conference.Last week I was privileged to be invited by the Sunway Centre...
Bridging the Gap: Mechanisms to Enable More Holistic Marine Resource Management
Effective Management of Marine ParksI think pretty much everyone reading this would agree that managing protected areas effectively is as important as establishing them in the first place. Otherwise, you end up with what are called “paper parks”.The concept of...
Community Marine Conservation Groups – Coming of Age
Community Marine Conservation Groups – Coming of AgeReef Check Malaysia (RCM) has long championed the cause of local communities having a role in managing protected areas, whether terrestrial or marine. The establishment of protected areas to manage and conserve...
(Part II) The Results of the 2024 Reef Check Surveys: Challenges and Opportunities
What Can We Do to Help Malaysia's Coral ReefsIn my last post I covered the results of the 2024 annual reef check survey programme, which had just been released. The headline: coral reef health declined slightly – again – compared to the previous year, and I outlined...