Cintai Mersing Updates: April – June 2026
Turning Waste into Opportunity
What if yesterday’s rubbish could help restore tomorrow’s reefs? Through RCM’s Rumah Kitar Semula (RKS) recycling centres in Pulau Sibu, Pulau Tinggi and Pulau Aur, island communities are taking the lead in reducing waste and adopting more sustainable practices.
In Pulau Aur, 28 community members recently learned how discarded glass bottles can be crushed and reused as a substitute for sand in the construction of coral rehabilitation structures. This simple yet innovative approach not only reduces glass waste on the islands but also gives it a new purpose by supporting reef restoration through a circular economy, making a lasting difference for both the community and the environment.
Pulau Aur community members during the glass crusher machine demonstration
Construction of reef rehabilitation structures by MMCG and the Pulau Aur community
Malaysia International Diving Expo (MIDE) 2025
Kuala Lumpur, 13 – 15 June: RCM participated by setting up a booth at the Malaysia International Diving Expo held in MITEC, showcasing our marine conservation efforts. Alvin, our colleague from Tioman, was a speaker at two conservation panel discussions:
- From Recreation to Conservation: The Role of Divers in Coral Reef Protection
- The Power of Choice: How Consumers Have the Voice to Influence Sustainability and Change
OCEANS 5 Workshop
The ‘Bengkel Pengurusan Sumber Semulajadi’ di Kepulauan Seri Buat, Rompin, Pahang was held in collaboration with Perbadanan Taman Negeri Pahang and WWF-Malaysia.
The workshop brought together various representatives from both the state and federal governments in Pahang to explore how participatory, integrated, and sustainable management of our islands can be achieved. From managing marine resources to identifying land-sea challenges and solutions, the conversations were rich and insightful – thanks to the active participants who thoughtfully brought up key issues and potential ways forward.
Moving forward, we hope to see more states joining in and continuing this important dialogue on sustainable marine and island management.
The project is supported by Oceans 5 and its Bloomberg Ocean Fund and its Joint 30×30 Funding Initiative, sponsored projects of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.
Group presentation during the workshop
Group discussions
Checkout these stories
Reef Check Malaysia sends another 1,500 kg of trash off Mantanani; calls for more government support
Small, remote islands around the world share the same problem: lack of effective waste management. Malaysia is no exception.Mantanani Island, Sabah (19 July 2021)Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is currently working alongside partners and local communities to improve the...
Linking resilience, livelihoods and reef management
Reef Check Malaysia is currently operating long-term marine resource conservation programmes in three locations: Tioman island, Mantanani island and the Johor islands. We also have on-going programmes – such as our annual coral reef monitoring survey programme – that...
When will we truly start to respect nature and biodiversity?
By: Julian HydeI refer to the recent incident in which a barge-grounding destroyed an area of coral reef on the island of Mabul in Sabah. This is a sad incident that perhaps reflects the regrettably low level of awareness of biodiversity in the country and why it is...
