International Coastal Cleanup Drives the Removal of 41,015kg of Waste from Malaysia’s Beaches

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 OCTOBER 2024 – 8,569 volunteers from all around Malaysia collected 41,015kg of trash during the annual International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) event in September 2024. 

Among 388,730 items collected, the most common item found was plastic bottles at 50,785 bottles. The second and third most common items were cigarette butts at 39,584 pieces and plastic/foam pieces at 38,801 pieces.

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) coordinates the nationwide ICC in Malaysia every year since 2018. Organizations, groups and individuals collect data during the cleanup and key in data into the Clean Swell app to contribute to the global database of cleanups by Ocean Conservancy.

Tengku Zatashah, Princess Beach Cleanup in action

Y.A.M Tengku Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the princess of Selangor, who is also fondly known as ‘Princess Beach Cleanup’, also participated in this year’s ICC. “The International Coastal Cleanup is an event I look forward to every year since 2017. Participating in beach cleanups allows us to see the problem firsthand and take action to address it. I encourage everyone to do their part in keeping our oceans clean.” commented Tengku Zatashah who joined the ICC at Pantai Morib Baharu in Selangor this year.

Proud volunteers of Hapag-Lloyd Business Services Malaysia that cleaned up Pantai Batu 23

This year’s ICC was supported by Hapag-Llyod Business Services Malaysia and KPMG Malaysia. Hapag-Llyod Business Services Malaysia’s volunteers cleaned Pantai Batu 23 for ICC and collected 54.75 kg of trash. KPMG Malaysia chose to clean Pantai Remis, Kuala Selangor and collected 126.61kg of trash.

KPMG volunteers cleared 126.61kg of trash from Pantai Remis

Reef Check Malaysia also held their Kod Blue: Laut Needs You event as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Volunteers for Kod Blue 2024 which happened on 7 September at Kampung Air Batang, Tioman Island, collected 757.7kg of trash from the beach cleanup and 50.8kg of trash from the underwater cleanup. The underwater cleanup team also removed 62 coral predators, the Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COT).

All Kod Blue 2024 volunteers before the cleanups

“The objective of the event is to spread awareness about the issue of marine debris while bringing together the general public and the local community of Tioman Island,” said Theresa Ng, Chief Operating Officer of Reef Check Malaysia. “Kod Blue is an homage to the term used to mean 'emergency' in the medical field, and ‘blue’ is also a nod to the ocean.”

The second event in the series featured a conservation talk by Reef Check Malaysia’s Chief Programmes Officer, Alvin Chelliah, a special 'Action Camera Underwater Videography' workshop by Reef Check Malaysia’s ambassador, Baki Zainal, a beach and underwater cleanup, a 'Pasar Malam Mesra Alam' offering local delicacies from the Tioman Island community, a glass crusher and coral block workshop, and a movie night.

Volunteers segregated trash according to types

The event was supported by sponsors including Migalabs, Diamond & Platinum, REEF, Bose, Sol Sauce Sunscreen, Akkord Scents, Nautika Scuba Centre, B&J Diving Centre, Small Towns Malaysia, Ryan’s Special Needs Care Centre, Garmin Malaysia, Cowa, MobyTek, and Nazri’s Place.

“We are grateful for our sponsors for their generous sponsorship and support for Kod Blue 2024.” commented Theresa.

“We also would like to thank our ambassadors, Sharifah Sofia and Baki Zainal, all of our volunteers including representatives from Tioman Development Authority, Department of Fisheries (DOF), Alam Flora, SWCORP ROMPIN, PERHILITAN Department, Tioman Police, SMK Tekek (Nature Lovers Club), and Malaysia Civil Defence Force for participating in our cleanup effort.” added Theresa.

A TMCG member who supported our cleanup weighed all trash collected

Every year, millions of tons of trash—including an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic waste—flows into the ocean, impacting more than 800 marine species and even entering the food chain.

“When I first heard about Kod Blue 2024, I was excited, and I think it is a good chance to be part of conservation work with experts in the field. It was not easy to make time for this event, but I am very happy I did. I get to meet like-minded people, and I enjoy every second of the activities. I have a lot of takeaways from this event” commented Yvonne Jong, one of the underwater participants of Kod Blue 2024.

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.  

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Malaysians Answer the Ocean’s Kod Blue with a Beach and Underwater Cleanup

KUALA LUMPUR, 10 SEPTEMBER 2024 – Reef Check Malaysia’s Kod Blue: Laut Needs You 2024 (Kod Blue 2024) is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC). Volunteers for Kod Blue 2024, which happened on 7 September, collectively collected 757.7kg of trash from the beach cleanup and 50.8kg of trash from the underwater cleanup. The underwater cleanup team also removed 62 coral predators, the Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COT). The trash collected largely comprised of plastic water bottles (1,935 bottles), foam dock pieces (580 pieces) and footwear (243 slippers/shoes)

Kod Blue 2024 volunteers all ready to do their cleanups

“The objective of the event is to spread awareness about the issue of marine debris while bringing together the general public and the local community of Tioman Island,” said Theresa Ng, Chief Operating Officer of Reef Check Malaysia. “Kod Blue is an homage to the term used to mean 'emergency' in the medical field, and ‘blue’ is also a nod to the ocean.”

The second event in the series featured a conservation talk by Reef Check Malaysia’s Chief Programmes Officer, Alvin Chelliah, a special 'Action Camera Underwater Videography' workshop by Reef Check Malaysia’s ambassador, Baki Zainal, a beach and underwater cleanup, a 'Pasar Malam Mesra Alam' offering local delicacies from the Tioman Island community, a glass crusher and coral block workshop, and a movie night.

Volunteers segregated trash according to types

The event was supported by sponsors including Migalabs, Diamond & Platinum, REEF, Bose, Sol Sauce Sunscreen, Akkord Scents, Nautika Scuba Centre, B&J Diving Centre, Small Towns Malaysia, Ryan’s Special Needs Care Centre, Garmin Malaysia, Cowa, MobyTek, and Nazri’s Place.

“We are grateful to our sponsors for their generous sponsorship and support for Kod Blue 2024.” commented Theresa.

“We also would like to thank our ambassadors, Sharifah Sofia and Baki Zainal, all of our volunteers including representatives from the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), Tioman Development Authority, Department of Fisheries (DOF), Alam Flora, SWCORP ROMPIN, PERHILITAN Department, Tioman Police, SMK Tekek (Nature Lovers Club), and Malaysia Civil Defence Force for participating in our cleanup effort.” added Theresa.

Every year, millions of tons of trash—including an estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic waste—flows into the ocean, impacting more than 800 marine species and even entering the food chain.

“When I first heard about Kod Blue 2024, I was excited, and I think it is a good chance to be part of conservation work with experts in the field. It was not easy to make time for this event, but I am very happy I did. I get to meet like-minded people, and I enjoy every second of the activities. I have a lot of takeaways from this event” commented Yvonne Jong, one of the underwater participants of Kod Blue 2024.

Kod Blue 2024 participants also removed Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) which are coral predators

"Although Kod Blue has concluded, the ICC continues worldwide throughout September. In Malaysia, Reef Check Malaysia coordinates the ICC, with Saturday, 21 September set as this year’s ICC day,” added Theresa. "We invite all volunteers to join us for beach cleanups across Malaysia on 21 September! Simply email us at cleanup@reefcheck.org.my to participate or list your cleanup."

A TMCG member who supported our cleanup weighed all trash collected

Cleanup volunteers contribute to the world’s largest database on marine debris by logging the trash they collect in Ocean Conservancy’s award-nominated Clean Swell® app (available for free download from the App Store and Google Play).

Data from these cleanups are vital for scientists, researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers, informing policies and solutions to the marine debris crisis. Last year alone, cleanup data supported a ban on balloon releases in Florida, U.S.A., the introduction of the Farewell to Foam Act in the U.S. Congress, and negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty.

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my. 

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Reef Check Malaysia Empowers 10 Youths for Marine Conservation in the Mersing Islands

MERSING, 4 JULY 2024 – Reef Check Malaysia's Cintai Mersing team has embarked on an inspiring journey to train future conservation leaders among the islanders of the Mersing group of islands.

This program aims to enhance the local community's capacity and skills to participate actively in marine resource management.

“I wanted to learn how to better care for our marine environment, knowing that our marine ecosystem is a finite resource,” commented Adilah Ahmad, one of the local youth participants.

Adilah Ahmad gained a deeper understanding of the marine environment

Funded by Star Foundation under its Star Social Impact Grant (SSIG) programme, this project has seen significant achievements. Ten youths have received Open Water scuba diving certification, which includes comprehensive knowledge and skill development.

Reef Check Malaysia are training local Mersing youths to be the next marine conservation leaders

“Becoming a skilful diver is crucial for conducting underwater conservation activities. My best experience was the improvement I made in terms of buoyancy, which greatly enhanced my ability to carry out underwater cleanups. My favourite activities underwater are ghost net cleanups and coral predator removal.” said Muhamad Helmy, Mersing local youth from Pulau Pemanggil.

Additionally, these youths are trained in reef rehabilitation, receiving basic coral reef biology and ecology training, and learning about the threats facing coral reefs.  They also gained hands-on experience, having planted over 100 coral fragments and conducted 8 coral bleaching monitoring surveys.   

“We want to equip the youths with the knowledge to care for their surroundings. That is why, in addition to scuba diving certification, we also train them on ways to care for coral reefs,” commented Nazirul Amin, Programme Manager of Cintai Mersing.

This project builds upon the existing Heart of the Ocean program which has supported Cintai Mersing since its inception. The aim is to improve ocean health by increasing reef resilience and reducing threats to marine biodiversity from plastic pollution.

Furthermore, participants receive training in installing mooring buoys, removing coral predators, and conducting underwater and beach cleanups. To date, the youths have installed 4 mooring buoys, cleared more than 100 kg marine debris from reefs and removed 21 Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTs).

The youths receive various training to carry out marine conservation

“We hope to equip these local youths with enough knowledge and skills to be the next marine conservation leaders that can protect Mersing islands’ marine biodiversity.” Nazirul added.

Muhamad Helmy hopes to continue contributing to the conservation of the marine ecosystem in the Mersing Islands

When asked what his hopes are after joining the program, Muhamad Helmy said,” I hope to continue contributing to the conservation of the marine ecosystem in the Mersing Islands and to be given more opportunities to do so.”

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.

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Warm seas are stressing our corals.

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 JUNE 2024: Malaysia’s coral reefs are turning white due to a phenomenon called coral bleaching, a result of their being exposed to warm water for a prolonged period. 

Reef Check Malaysia, a non-governmental organisation committed to healthy oceans, has been monitoring for coral bleaching since February 2024.  

“We followed the steps in the Malaysia Bleaching Response Plan after receiving warning predictions of coral bleaching from the US National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch. 

“The plan is primarily a communications strategy for all stakeholders during a bleaching event. It ensures everyone is informed about the situation and outlines the limited management responses available to reef managers.” said Julian Hyde, CEO of Reef Check Malaysia. 

One key management response in the Bleaching Response Plan is frequent reef monitoring surveys. Reef Check Malaysia has been contributing to this monitoring effort, conducting bi-weekly surveys on coral reefs at Redang, Tioman, Besar Island (Johor), Larapan, Mabul and monthly surveys with Sabah Parks in Kota Kinabalu. We have also been receiving reports on bleaching from Scuba diving operators and leisure divers from Langkawi, Perhentian island, Darvel Bay, Sepanggar, Pom-pom and Mantanani Island via our online bleaching reporting forms.    

Coral bleaching monitoring by Reef Check Malaysia and youths from Pemimpin Iklim Mabul in Mabul, Sabah 

“In February bleaching was minimum and only affected around 5% of the population on some reefs. However, as temperatures remained high in April and May, we started recording more corals starting to bleach. The bleaching has been more severe in Terengganu with some reefs recording up to 80% of its population bleached. However down south in Johor and Phang we are recording around 25%. Over in Kota Kinabalu about 40% of the population was reported to be bleaching while in Semporna it was only around 14% on average”, commented Alvin Chelliah, Chief Programmes Officer of Reef Check Malaysia, based on Tioman Island. 

Coral bleaching spotted in Pulau Pemanggil in Mersing 

When asked what can be done in the event of mass coral bleaching happening, Julian commented, “We need to protect our reefs by reducing local threats. During the World Ocean Day weekend, we spoke with dive centers about measures to reduce pressure on reefs by avoiding most resilient sites and sites experiencing high levels of bleaching as well as by conducting coral predator removal, namely Crown of Thorns Starfish. The response was very positive as dive operators were eager to take actions that would promote recovery.  

“But most importantly, we need to realise that climate change related impacts such as mass bleaching are only expected to increase in frequency and intensity in the future. What we really need to be doing is thinking long term and planning for the future, building reef resilience by controlling local impacts. This includes addressing issues like sewage pollution, physical damage, coastal development, solid waste pollution and unsustainable use of this precious natural resource.  We are in talks with state and federal government agencies to foster collaboration in addressing these pressing issues.” added Alvin.  

The public are also encouraged to report incidents of coral bleaching when diving or snorkelling to Reef Check Malaysia. 

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.   

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Pulau Redang's Marine Conservation Efforts Thrive with Innovative Toolkit

KUALA LUMPUR, 18 MARCH 2024 – The vibrant community of Pulau Redang, Terengganu, has taken an active role in safeguarding their marine ecosystem, with a particular focus on restoring coral reefs. Spearheading this conservation movement is Reef Check Malaysia, which has successfully trained local youths in collaboration with its dedicated initiative, the Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG).

Corals thriving at the coral rehabilitation site

Under the expert guidance of Reef Check Malaysia's Cintai Redang team, six local individuals have undergone comprehensive training. Celebrating its one-year anniversary, RMCG proudly reports remarkable accomplishments: the rescue of 750 coral fragments, the removal of 274kg of ghost nets, and the elimination of 89 Crown-of-Thorns starfish (COTS), a notorious coral predator. They also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SK Pulau Redang to promote awareness on coral reef conservation.

RMCG member involved in coral rehabilitation work 

This programme is supported by Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance Malaysia, along with the National Conservation Trust Fund (NCTF).

The team’s success is also largely attributed to the development of a National Community-based Coral Rehabilitation Toolkit which was in the works in the past year and was piloted by RMCG.

“The toolkit serves as a comprehensive guidebook, providing effective strategies for coral reef rehabilitation that can be utilized by any community committed to coral conservation.” shared Putri Asma, Programme Manager of Cintai Redang.

The toolkit was prepared by Reef Check Malaysia with support from Coralku, Universiti Malaya Terengganu, and Universiti Malaya, and is funded by the National Conservation Trust Fund (NCTF), under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental  Sustainability.

The toolkit features advice on how to assess and select suitable sites, what practical techniques are available, and how to monitor and maintain the rehabilitation process to ensure long term success. Additionally, it also guides communities on how to develop a programme to involve tourists in rehabilitation efforts, providing a source of income to help keep the programme going.

RMCG members doing coral monitoring 

“We envision the toolkit inspiring greater community participation, fostering a collective commitment to the well-being of our precious coral reefs” added Putri.

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you can visit their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my. 

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Malaysians Responding to The Ocean’s ‘Kod Blue’ by Cleaning Beaches Around Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 OCTOBER 2023 – Over 26,000 kg of trash was collected by 10,209 Malaysians and visitors of various ages from beaches all over Malaysia throughout September for the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day and World Cleanup Day (WCD).

Among the trash collected, the most common item found was plastic bottles at 39,453 bottles. The second and third most common items were cigarette butts at 34,789 pieces and plastic or foam pieces at 29,298 pieces.

The ICC sees volunteers collecting and separating trash along coastlines all over Malaysia.

“It is great to see people of various backgrounds and ages come together and take action to combat marine pollution. This initiative not only helps to clean our coastlines but helps to raise awareness on the effects of our own consumption and habits when it comes to waste. You get to see where trash ends up when it is out of our sight.” mentioned Theresa Ng, the Chief Operating Officer of Reef Check Malaysia.

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) has coordinated the nationwide ICC in Malaysia every year since 2018. Organizations, groups and individuals collect data during the cleanup and key in data into the Clean Swell app to contribute to the global database of cleanups by Ocean Conservancy.

Y.A.M Tengku Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the princess of Selangor and a well-known environmental and social activist, is no stranger to beach cleanups. Her Royal Highness is also one of the strong supporters of the ICC movement. “The plastic pollution problem is a serious problem. It is not enough to just talk about it, we must take active actions to combat it,” commented Tengku Zatashah who joined the ICC at Pantai Morib Baharu in Selangor this year.

WCD Country Leader for Malaysia, who is also the Executive Director of Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation (MHF), Henry Teh shared, “It is important for all of us to join hands to cleanup together as a big family in Malaysia. We cannot do the cleanups alone.” He congratulated RCM for their good efforts to bring corporates and volunteers together to do the beach cleanups.

The ICC in Malaysia this year was supported by TechnipFMC in support of their Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiative. TechnipFMC was joined by 360 employees and their families and cleaned up Pantai Remis, Selangor and Pantai Batu Layar, Johor.

TechnipFMC returned to support the ICC in 2023.

“TechnipFMC has cultivated a culture where we placed great emphasis on our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). This is in line with our ESG scorecard 2021-2023,” said Jason Labani, Vice President Subsea Projects & Asia Pacific Area.

“It’s also a way to promote further strong teamwork and engagement between employees in TechnipFMC Malaysia as the program runs simultaneously on the same day across different beaches in Malaysia.”

RCM also held their inaugural ICC event, ‘Kod Blue: Laut Needs You’ (Kod Blue) on 23 September at Kampung Paya, Tioman Island. The name of the event is a nod to the 'code blue' in the medical field which means an emergency. ‘Blue’ is also used to refer to the ocean. The latter part of the name is used to indicate a wake-up call and call to action as the ocean needs our urgent help.

“We are answering the ‘Kod Blue’ activated due to the threats faced by our oceans. It is important to not only show people the effects of marine debris but also to involve them in the process of protecting our ocean to create a sense of responsibility.” commented Alvin Chelliah, Chief Programme Officer of Reef Check Malaysia who is based in Tioman Island.

Kod Blue’s participants all ready for their cleanup.

The event was held in collaboration with Lions Club, Life Initiative for Environment, UDive and RipCurl. The event was also made possible with the support of Migalabs, HydroFlask, PADI and PADI Aware.

Kampung Paya, Tioman Island was chosen as the venue for the event in light of the recent success of stopping the construction of a new airport on Tioman Island. Kampung Paya is one of the villages that would have been greatly affected by the construction as the airport was to be built right in front of Kampung Paya’s doorstep.

The ‘Kod Blue’ event saw Lions Club members and volunteers cleaning the beach and diving to remove coral predators, the Crown-of-Thorns (COT). The first ever ‘pasar malam mesra alam’ in Kampung Paya was also held during the event, with 10 stall holders from the Kampung Paya community providing a range of local foods. The event proved very popular with visitors, who crowded stalls from the moment they opened.

Sharifah Sofia held an engaging workshop with kids at Kod Blue.

'Kod Blue’ was also attended by RCM’s ambassadors, Baki Zainal and Sharifah Sofia, with the latter conducting a kids’ workshop. The event also saw lucky draws, a cleanup contest and an interactive education session with a glass bottle crusher machine.

“We are happy that the community of Kampung Paya was supportive of this event. They are already asking us to organize the event again next year”, added Alvin.

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my. 

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Reef Check Malaysia Fully Supports the Decision to Cancel the Construction of the New Tioman Airport

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) was pleased to hear the announcement by the Government to not proceed with the construction of the airport on Tioman Island, a decision the Cabinet made after the Technical Committee meeting on the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA).

RCM applauds the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change's (NRECC) stand on their commitment to preserve and conserve natural resources and the environment in a responsible manner.

The rejection of the proposal to construct a new airport on Tioman Island is a huge victory for the environment and biodiversity, not only on Tioman Island but in Malaysia as a whole. It also means the local community's livelihood on Tioman Island will not be negatively affected as its economy recovers from the Covid-19 lockdowns.

The concerns voiced by the public regarding the reclamation of protected marine areas that will destroy coral reefs, which are important habitats for various marine life, made an impact. RCM expresses gratitude to the public; a total of 1,412 people who have commented on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) from 21 June to 4 August 2023, over 26,000 people who have signed the petition to oppose the construction of the new Tioman Airport on Change.org, the SmallTownsMy team for producing awareness videos which showcase the local islanders' voices and impacts of the construction, the Youths United For Earth (YUFE) for the awareness videos, the various local and international media partners for covering the story and bringing light to the situation, and the Reef Check Foundation headquarters and network for standing in solidarity with it.

RCM would also like to express its deep gratitude to the government agencies for making the right decision, the scientists for lending their expertise and providing feedback on the EIA, and to all the NGOs and countless people for sharing the stories and raising awareness.

Most importantly, RCM thanks the local community of Tioman Island for standing strong and fighting for the protection of their island and its biodiversity.

RCM hopes this will be the final and conclusive decision on any proposal to construct a new airport on Tioman Island to ensure the protection of Malaysia's environment and biodiversity. Reef Check Malaysia fully supports this decision and looks forward to working with the relevant authorities to ensure sustainable tourism development, both on Tioman and throughout Malaysia.

Villagers of Kg Genting and Paya, Tioman Island celebrating the decision.

Kindly find the pdf version of this press statement here and the Malay version here.

AmBank Committed to Help in Rehabilitating Coral Reefs in Tioman Island

TIOMAN ISLAND, 4 AUGUST 2023 – A team from AmBank supported a marine conservation NGO, Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), in their work to rehabilitate coral reefs on Tioman Island.

The group of nine AmBank employees managed to plant 200 corals of opportunity – which are corals that have been broken by physical impact.

RCM is a non-governmental organization established in 2007 committed to a healthy ocean and bringing all stakeholders together to manage coral reefs sustainably. RCM’s field office on Tioman Island is managed by the Cintai Tioman team. Cintai Tioman is a long-term community-based programme which is a first in Malaysia. The goal of the project is to protect the coral reefs around Tioman and to improve the livelihoods of the local community. The end goal is to ensure the sustainable use of the island’s natural resources for the benefit of all stakeholders. 

Commenting on the conservation efforts, Head of Group Corporate Communications and Marketing, AmBank Group, Shazman Shahid said : “The programme is one of the sustainability activities by AmBank to inspire and raise awareness amongst AmBankers while also mobilising support for meaningful action towards sustainable development and practices.  AmBank hopes that this effort will help to further conserve marine biodiversity through sustainable, community-based coral reef rehabilitation”  

AmBank’s commitment to its Sustainability Journey in making the planet a better place for the next generation inspired them to collaborate with RCM in its coral rehabilitation efforts, paving way for more future potential collaborations in the marine conservation space.

AmBank’s employees volunteered with Reef Check Malaysia on Tioman Island.

“Coral reef rehabilitation takes a lot of time, effort and cost. It is great to have corporations such as AmBank  supporting our work to ensure that we can keep protecting the reefs in Tioman Island,” shared Alvin Chelliah, Chief Programme Officer of Reef Check Malaysia.

The AmBank  team also managed to deploy 36 coral pots at RCM’s reef rehabilitation site in Kampung Tekek, recycled glass bottles, and built coral blocks during their time in Tioman.

The AmBank team deployed 36 coral pots.

 The corals deployed will be monitored regularly to assess survival and growth rates. The team will observe for any coral diseases or predation and ensure tagging is intact near to selected replicate.

200 corals of opportunity were planted by the team.

After a few months from deployment, the team will also look for coral recruitment to observe and record the marine life inhabiting the site over time.

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.    

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Rehabilitating Coral Reefs with The Local Community on Redang Island

KUALA LUMPUR, 2 AUGUST 2023 – Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is working with the local community on Redang Island to rehabilitate coral reefs. The programme, implemented by their Cintai Redang team, is also supported by the Department of Fisheries, Laguna Dive Centre, Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), and Coralku Conservation.

The coral rehabilitation programme is funded by the National Conservation Trust Fund for Natural Resources (NCTF). 

“The objective of the coral rehabilitation project is to conserve marine biodiversity through sustainable, community-based coral reef rehabilitation.” shared Putri Asma, Programme Manager of Cintai Redang.

The local community marine conservation group from Tioman Island, Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG), was also invited to share their experiences with the local islanders.

The knowledge-sharing session is particularly beneficial as RCM has also established a similar group with the locals in Redang Island called Redang Marine Conservation Group (RMCG). RMCG is a group of Redang youths passionate about marine conservation and trained to conduct marine conservation work alongside RCM’s team.

“Learning from TMCG member’s experience and success was really interesting and inspired us to continue growing our RMCG”, commented Muhaimin, who started as a member of RMCG and is now an Assistant Programme Manager of Cintai Redang.

The team planting coral fragments.

During the programme, different methods of coral rehabilitation were tested along with different coating. This is done to evaluate the survival rates of rescued corals. All the learnings will be published in a national toolkit and will be released to the public by the end of 2024.

Different structure designs were also used as part of the testing. Among the methods tested are using different coated metal frames, cement blocks, and coral clips. 

Coral fragments, also called nubbins, are broken corals that are still alive and can be found lying on the sea bottom. Approximately 100 coral fragments were planted at each site - making a total of 300 coral fragments saved. Scheduled monitoring will then be conducted with the local community and marine biologists on-site to ensure the best survival rate.

Different structure designs were used to plant the coral fragments.

The team is also developing a coral rehabilitation toolkit as a guideline for the most effective coral rehabilitation method suitable for a community-based restoration programme.

The teams also managed to remove ghost nets that were reported by snorkelers at Ekor Tebu. The ghost nets removed weighed around 50kg. Ghost nets harm marine life, especially when entangled in the reef, suffocating the corals and trapping the animals in the coral reef.  

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.    

'Deep concerns” about the Proposed New Tioman Airport

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 JUNE 2023 – Reef Check Malaysia is deeply concerned about the long term damage to biodiversity that will result from construction of the proposed new airport on Tioman Island.

“At a time when the international community is starting to realise the implications of biodiversity loss, we are worried that the long term effect on the island’s natural resources – and community – will be substantial”, said Julian Hyde, General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.

The main attraction of Tioman Island is its natural environment such as its coral reefs and white sandy beaches, as well as untouched rainforest. These ecosystems are home to endemic and endangered species, an important part of the island’s biodiversity.

The proposed new Tioman Airport will be built on 460.50 acres, of which 76% will be on reclaimed land. The project’s components include land reclamation, quarrying, construction of revetments and hill cutting, as well as site work and preparation.

Photo courtesy of Juara Turtle Project

“Obviously there will be damage to ecosystems in the immediate vicinity of the site – not to mention the economic losses to businesses in the two villages adjacent to the project site. The EIA is clear about this. So there is going to be some loss of biodiversity”, Hyde says.

“But it goes further than that. Tioman currently receives around 250,000 visitors per year. Averaging that out over a 10-month season (with 2 months off for monsoon), that’s about 830 people per day. During busy periods rooms are hard to get; there are problems with water and electricity supply, and the incinerator struggles to deal with the load.

“The EIA suggests that up to 20 flights per day will operate at the new airport, with a capacity of up to 2,500 people. Three times the current volume. Where will they stay? How will they get there? How will that increase in waste and sewage be managed? What about water supply? The answers to these questions have important implications for the island’s biodiversity.”

The previous plan to build a new airport on Tioman was rejected as environmental impact assessment studies showed that the project would severely damage the environment through land reclamation and other activities.

Hyde says: “In terms of advancing the policy to develop the tourism sector, and the state’s development policy, a better management approach would consider protecting the islands natural assets, because what tourism means when we talk about Tioman island is its beautiful natural resources. Developing tourism cannot exclude the protection of the natural environment.”

“A more detailed study is needed to better understand the impact of more tourists. This should include not just the immediate physical impact at the site, but how a four-fold increase in visitors will affect both the island’s biodiversity and its community.”

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.    

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Hot Weather Causing Stress to Our Coral Reefs

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 MAY 2023 – Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is concerned that current unseasonal weather conditions might lead to widespread coral bleaching over the next few weeks.

RCM together with scientists from University Malaya (UM) and University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), are monitoring the mass coral spawning event that happens around this time of year.

Coral spawning describes the act of corals releasing gametes into the ocean, which then settle to form new coral colonies, and eventually new reefs. So-called “mass” coral spawning occurs when numerous species spawn at the same time, a phenomenon that occurs on cues from the lunar cycle and water temperature.

Corals spawn by releasing their gametes into the ocean

Coral reefs in Tioman Island usually spawn around the full moon of April and October/ November. However, RCM’s team has observed that corals at some of their monitoring sites did not spawn until yesterday, a month later than expected.

“The erratic weather we have been experiencing could have delayed the spawning this year. The worrying part, however, is the water was 31C last night. If it remains this hot, we are definitely going to be hit by bleaching this year,” shared Alvin Chelliah, Senior Progamme Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.

When corals are stressed, they expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues which leads to them losing their colour and exposing the white calcium carbonate skeleton underneath – hence the term “bleaching”. They not only lose their colour, they also lose their main source of nutrients, which comes from the zooxanthellae. Mass coral bleaching events may result in the death of coral colonies and affect the wellbeing of marine life and industries that depend on healthy coral reefs.

Coral bleaching happens when corals lose their colour

“Coral reefs are extremely sensitive to the growing impacts of climate change. Marine life are not the only losers due to the loss of our coral reefs. Marine-based tourism could suffer and so will the local businesses and community in the area. No coral reefs means there will be no habitat, nursery, and food for fish. Fishermen will suffer and there are also implications for our food supply” stressed Julian Hyde, General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.

The last mass coral bleaching event happened in 2010 when Malaysia’s coral reefs suffered major damage, with an estimated 5-10% of corals dying. Based on RCM’s annual surveys, it took five years for the coral reefs to recover.

RCM has also stated their recommendations on how to better protect our coral reefs in their annual survey report here.

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.   

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Are Our Coral Reefs Okay?

KUALA LUMPUR, 20 APRIL 2023 – Earth Day is celebrated every year on 22 April. It is a day to raise awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations. One of these natural resources is our coral reefs.

Coral reefs provide habitat for a huge variety of marine life and support the effective flow of the marine food chain. However, there are still a lot of misconceptions about coral reefs, such as it is a rock, when coral reef is an animal. Without coral reefs, many marine species would not survive as coral reefs act as their nursery, home in adulthood, and food source. For humans, a lot of jobs will be lost without coral reefs, particularly in coastal fisheries and tourism. Not only that, we will also lose protection against coastal erosion and a huge portion of our food source.

“Reefs provide not only food, but also important jobs for many coastal communities in Malaysia, and they are an important tourism product. Simple actions on a local level can significantly contribute to improving the health and resilience of our reefs.” shared Julian Hyde, Reef Check Malaysia’s General Manager.

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) coordinates the annual Reef Check survey programme, working with partners Department of Fisheries, island communities and trained volunteers. In 2022 the programme covered more than 300 coral reef sites around Malaysia, and provides a “health check” on coral reefs. Recently, RCM released its 2022 Annual Reef Check survey report.

Reef Check Malaysia conducts annual Reef Check survey

The report shows that on average, the coral reefs surveyed in 2022 have a “fair” level of live coral cover, at 47.83%. This is a slight increase from 2021(44.26%) and continues an upward trend noted since last year’s surveys, reversing a decline that started in 2015.

RCM is of the opinion that the improving trend is due to the huge reduction in tourist numbers to coral reefs during the Covid-19 pandemic. In one of its recommendations, RCM suggests that temporary site closures should be considered as a management measure for the conservation of marine ecosystems. Furthermore, it is suggested that the government should consider introducing a more sustainable tourism model, which is in line with tourists’ increasing demands for more authentic experiences and which will also reduce the pressure on the environment.

Map showing the reef health composition of each survey location in Peninsular Malaysia based on Live Coral Cover.

Map showing the reef health composition of each survey location in Sabah based on Live Coral Cover.

Map showing the reef health composition of each survey location in Sarawak based on Live Coral Cover.

“While we welcome the improvement in the percentage of Live Coral Cover, which is a key coral reef health indicator, RCM urges the government to intensify efforts to protect our reefs.”, Julian added.

It is hoped that more proactive actions are taken to conserve and protect our coral reefs. The protection of coral reefs will benefit not only the marine ecosystem but also livelihoods and food security.

You may read the full report here. For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.  

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Partnering for The Marine Ecosystem - Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Between Reef Check Malaysia and the Department of Fisheries

Putrajaya, 14 December 2022: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Fisheries (DOF), representing the Government of Malaysia and Reef Check Malaysia was signed by YBhg. Datuk Haji Mohd Sufian bin Sulaiman, Director-General of the Department of Fisheries and Julian Hyde, General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia at the Department of Fisheries’ headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday. The MOU was signed to reach an understanding on the future collaborations for the conservation and restoration of the marine ecosystem.

The strategic partnership between DOF and Reef Check Malaysia has been ongoing for several years and has been carried out through multiple programme collaborations, in particular in marine parks.

The MOU is important to enable Reef Check Malaysia to continue its work to support the conservation of marine ecosystems in Malaysia. Hyde commented that: “We are grateful to the Department of Fisheries for their continuing support of our work, and we look forward to working closely with them in the future.”

The MOU focuses on 2 key points i.e.:

i)        The implementation of the health of coral reefs survey and the research on restoring the biodiversity, climate change, ecological and socioeconomic resilience and contribute to the increased understanding of the importance of the marine ecosystem management; and

ii)       The implementation of educational and awareness programme for local communities and local stakeholders, particularly in Marine Parks to encourage local stakeholders to get involved in the management, monitoring and preservation of marine ecosystems and to plant a sense of ownership within the community in an effort towards implementing co-management

“I hope that this approach can encourage the participation and cooperation of various parties in order to increase the effectiveness of the Government’s service execution and achieve a win-win situation for all involved.” shared YBhg. Datuk Haji Mohd Sufian bin Sulaiman.

The signing of the MOU signifies a monumental step forward for Malaysia’s marine environment. It is hoped that the partnership will benefit all stakeholders involved and ensure a sustainable marine ecosystem. For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, visit their website at www.reefcheck.org.my or email them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.

Malaysians Picked Up 24,301kg of Trash from Our Beaches

KUALA LUMPUR, 4 OCTOBER 2022 – Reef Check Malaysia coordinated the annual nationwide beach clean-up throughout the month of September in conjunction with International Coastal Clean-up Day (ICC). A total of 9129 volunteers joined the campaign with 9065 volunteers cleaning up on land and 64 divers involved in underwater cleanups. A staggering 24,301 kg of trash were collected over 394 km of coastlines around Malaysia.  

A total of 300,183 items were collected. The most common item found were cigarette butts at 55,100 pieces, plastic bottles came in second at 44,706 bottles, followed by 34,673 plastic or foam pieces smaller than 2.5 cm. These small pieces of plastics, also known as microplastics, are most concerning as they can be accidentally ingested by marine mammals.  

TechnipFMC volunteers in action

“Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, items made from plastics were the most commonly found during our clean-ups. Plastics do not degrade easily and can be floating around our oceans for decades before ending up on our shores”, explained Julian Hyde, the General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.  

The last physical ICC coordinated by Reef Check Malaysia was conducted in 2020 when the restrictions were slightly relaxed. In 2021, in light of the pandemic, Reef Check Malaysia held a 4-week #ICCfromHome campaign. The weekly challenges include learning about what we throw away, not using single-use plastic bags, combating food waste, and sorting at the source – at home. 

ICC is a global effort that has been running for more than 35 years and took place in the month of September. Around the world, volunteers work together to clean our beaches and waterways, as well as raise awareness on the seriousness of the marine debris issue. This year’s campaign in Malaysia was using #ICCMY2022 hashtag to share all volunteers’ efforts on social media.  

Primer Group volunteers cleaning up the beach for #ICCMY2022

The #ICCMY2022 was also made possible by sponsors who supported the effort including TechnipFMC and Primer Group.  

The TechnipFMC team which consisted of their employees and family members participated in beach clean-ups in Johor and Malacca and collectively removed 1,405.127kg of trash in one day. Besides participating in a beach clean-up in Selangor, the Primer Group also sponsored E-vouchers for all volunteers and four 24oz, 21oz and 18oz Hydro Flask bottles to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd best teams that collected the most trash.  

“After the Covid-19 lockdowns, we are proud of fellow Malaysians who came out in forces to clean-up our environment for this year’s ICC campaign. This shows that there is growing awareness on the issue of marine debris”, mentioned Theresa Ng, the Programme Development Manager of Reef Check Malaysia.  

The ICC campaign may have ended this year but the effort to address waste in our environment should continue. Reducing consumption and separating our recyclables at source should become part of our daily habits.  

For more information on Reef Check Malaysia, you may visit them on their website, Facebook and Instagram or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my.   

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Cleaning Up Our Ocean for International Coastal Cleanup Day 2022 with TechnipFMC

KUALA LUMPUR, 10 SEPTEMBER 2022 – The International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) is taking place this September. Every year volunteers around the world will come together to clean our beaches and waterways of trash. This global effort has been running for more than 35 years.  

In Malaysia, this campaign is coordinated annually by Reef Check Malaysia, a non-government organization (NGO) working towards the sustainable management of coral reefs This year's campaign #ICCMY2022 is supported by one of the partners, TechnipFMC, which cleaned up two beaches – Pantai Pengkalan Balak, Melaka, and Pantai Tanjung Balau, Johor. A total of 389 TechnipFMC employees and their family members participated in the beach clean-ups and collectively removed 1,405.127kg of trash in one day.  

TechnipFMC has made it their goal to support ICC this year to take greater environmental responsibility amongst the employees, particularly on proper waste management. TechnipFMC also encourages employees to contribute to the community they work and live in.  

TechnipFMC’s volunteers at Pantai Pengkalan Balak, Melaka

"TechnipFMC is focused on making a long-term, positive impact in the communities where we live and work through active engagement and initiatives. Our iVolunteer initiative encourages TechnipFMC employees to volunteer their time towards social causes that impact the communities in which we live and operate”, said Vimi K Venugopal, TechnipFMC Malaysia, People and Culture Director.

"We have chosen to participate in this year’s ICC as one big TechnipFMC Malaysia family, activating employees from 2 separate locations to clean-up beaches near them." 

TechnipFMC’s volunteers at Pantai Tanjung Balau, Johor

The last physical ICC coordinated by Reef Check Malaysia was conducted in 2020 when the restrictions were slightly relaxed. According to Reef Check Malaysia's ICC 2020 Report, with the help of 3,500 volunteers from all over the country, more than 11 tonnes of trash were collected from over 200km of coastline. A total of 24,493 plastic bottles were collected throughout September 2020. 

Waste composition from ICC in Malaysia in 2020 

In conjunction with this year's ICC, the Ocean Mall initiative will be launched to change consumerist trends into conservation trends instead. Clean-up volunteers, especially divers conducting underwater clean-ups, will go "shopping" for trash and post their finds on social media using the #OceanMall and #ICCMY2022 hashtags. 

Although the majority of the beach clean-ups took place on the 10th September, the public can still volunteer to participate in ICC anytime this month. For more information, please contact cleanup@reefcheck.org.my.   

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Annual Campaign Gets Coastlines Cleaned

KUALA LANGAT, 14 September 2022: In collaboration with Reef Check Malaysia, 42 volunteers from Dialog Group Berhad collected 152kg of rubbish at Pantai Batu Laut in Tanjong Sepat, Selangor in under two hours in the morning of 10 September 2022 

All sorts of discarded and washed-up litter were collected, such as cigarette butts and lighters, plastic bottles, food containers, face masks, clothes, and a metal drum and then quantified to be entered in the Clean Swell app to contribute towards a global coastal and ocean trash database.  

The most common items collected were small pieces of broken plastic and styrofoam (<10cm in size) scattered all over the beach. Quantifying them for marine trash data input was challenging as it was akin to counting grains of rice. 

Volunteers also keyed in data on DIALOG ESECO's SisaLab app to organise the collection of recyclables to minimise what would end up in the landfill.  
Julian Hyde, General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia, said: “As the national coordinator for the International Coastal Clean-up Day, this event with DIALOG is in line with our commitment to highlight the issue of marine debris, specifically plastic waste, which is a serious threat to marine ecosystems”. 

“We hope to create awareness on how much plastic is discarded, but also how stubbornly it persists in our environment in small, degraded pieces which end up hidden among the vegetation or entangled in mangroves. We hope that participants will be more mindful of consumption and will take active steps in reducing and recycling waste”. 

Other groups volunteering on the same morning included My Clean Beach with Boehringer Ingelheim and Standard Chartered Malaysia, with support from Majlis Perbandaran Kuala Langat. 

Those interested to participate in beach clean events this month of September may contact Reef Check Malaysia at cleanup@reefcheck.org.my  

Awareness Programme – The Safety Principles in the Daily Operations and Handling of Boats

MERSING, 12 August 2022 – Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) conducted an awareness talk on safety in boat operation to 21 local stakeholders in Mersing, Johor, last Monday, 8 August 2022.  

“The awareness talk was intended to increase the local stakeholders’ awareness of safety issues when they are conducting boating activities”, said Atteleth Don, Sustainable Tourism Programme Manager at Reef Check Malaysia.   

“Especially when they are bringing visitors for various water activities around the Mersing islands.”, Don added.  

Tourism in the Mersing islands mainly revolves around water activities such as snorkelling, island hopping and scuba diving. Safety in operation and boat handling plays a crucial role in avoiding boating incidents.   

The awareness talk was delivered by an expert with 30 years of experience in ship handling and operation. The expert shared some practical guidelines for implementing safety measures in boat operation throughout the talk.   

Representatives from local boat operators and government agencies were among the 21 attendees. 

The awareness talk is part of a long-term RCM’s programme supported by MISC Group through its Heart of the Ocean marine biodiversity conservation programme. The programme aims to improve ocean health by supporting coral reef conservation, increasing reef resilience, and reducing plastic litter in our oceans. 

For more information on what Reef Check Malaysia does, visit their website here or contact them at hello@reefcheck.org.my. 

All In A World Ocean’s Day Work

KUALA LUMPUR (12 JUNE 2022): World Ocean Day is celebrated worldwide every 8 June 2022. For the people of Reef Check Malaysia, every day is ocean day as they work to sustainably manage coral reefs in Malaysia.

Reef Check Malaysia’s team are split across the islands in Mersing, Mantanani Island and Semporna in Sabah and Tioman Island in Pahang. Each team has been hard at work this World Ocean Day with involvement from the local communities too.

In conjunction with World Ocean Day, the team in Mersing conducted a beach cleanup at PantaiTeluk Cina, Pulau Sibu - a beach not easily accessible to villagers. As part of the #cleanseascampaign, 7 people were involved in the cleanup and a total of 447kg of trash were collected.Reef Check Malaysia was also invited to participate in a conservation activity in conjunction withWorld Coral Day on the 1st of June 2022.

7 volunteer divers from the Department of Fisheries and 1 representative from Reef Check Malaysia conducted maintenance activities at one of the coral replanting sites at Pulau Mentigi, Pulau Tinggi. Among the activities that took place were brushing off algae on the structures and removing barnacles.

Not forgetting the general public, the team at Mersing conducted a virtual zoom presentation for the Mersing community via Facebook Live through the Majlis Daerah Mersing’s Facebook account. The talk, “Kepelbagaian Ekosistem Marin diMersing - Tanggungjawab Bersama” was done in celebration of World Environment Day on 5 June 2022. A virtual tour of the island and eco-diving and talks on the importance of protecting the ecosystem and an introduction of the various ecosystems in Mersing was part of the presentation.

Volunteer divers joined our team

“It’s great to see that World Ocean Day is getting more recognised these days. People start topay more attention to issues we have and have joined hands in taking actions to save ourocean.” shared Nazirul Amin Azmi, Programme Manager of Cintai Mersing.

In Sabah, the team headed to Mabul Island for the Reef Check Ecodiver course with youthsfrom Mabul and Mantanani Island. This course was held in collaboration with Green Semporna, an environmental youth non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Semporna

On another Sabah series of activities for World Oceans Day, the team also completed their annual Reef Check survey for Mabul and Kapalai Island with trained Eco Divers. Their dedicated volunteers also did underwater clean ups after finishing the surveys. This survey issupported by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment of Sabah (KEPKAS).

Heading over to Tioman Island, the team held a beach cleanup and reef rehabilitation with MTG Capital Sdn Bhd. The ‘Reef Rehabilitation and Beach Cleanup’ campaign done on the 5th and 6th of June 2022 was done in conjunction with World Oceans Day. During the event, 15 people planted 100 corals and collected a total of 9 bags of trash, amounting to 70 kg of trash was collected.

Not wanting to miss out on the celebration, Reef Check Malaysia’s General Manager, Julian Hyde joined 140 people from Yayasan Sime Darby and Sime Darby group of companies at Pantai Kelanang for a cleanup for World Ocean Day. The group successfully collected 1,074 kgof trash all in a day’s work.

“We hope this effort will extend beyond the World Ocean Day celebration and that all stakeholders will continue working collaboratively in taking better care of our ocean.” added Nazirul.

For more information on the work that Reef Check Malaysia does, visit https://www.reefcheck.org.my/. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to keep updated with their work.

Communities Take Action on Disappearing Seagrasses in Johor

PASIR GUDANG, JOHOR, 18 APRIL 2022 – In collaboration with Reef Check Malaysia, Dr Jillian Ooi and Affendi Yang Amri of Universiti Malaya are leading a new initiative to train a group of volunteers from DIALOG Group Berhad, MyKasih Foundation, and members from the local community in seagrass monitoring and conservation in Tanjung Langsat, Johor.

 Seagrass meadows are one of the most important and productive ecosystems in the ocean, yet are often neglected. According to a 2009 research paper which reviewed the status of seagrass around the world, the rate of decline has been 7% per year since 1990. This is reflected in Malaysia, where seagrass meadows have been disappearing over the last 20 years.

Seagrass meadows provide ideal conditions for the growth and abundance of numerous invertebrates and fishes that many coastal communities collect and catch for their livelihoods. These marine animals are also often the seafood we consume at our dinner table.

According to Dr Jillian Ooi, a seagrass specialist at Universiti Malaya: “Seagrass meadows are vital to communities as they provide food and protection from floods. This project gives us a great opportunity to learn in more detail what the current situation is in this area of Johor and what we need to do to protect these important natural assets.”

Once this citizen science initiative is established, volunteers will help collect and share valuable seagrass monitoring data with experts for assessment. Dr. Jillian and Affendi will also be engaging with local communities in Johor to learn about the traditional ecological knowledge that these communities have about seagrass ecosystems and to share their research findings to help those communities govern and manage their natural resources effectively.  

Executive Chairman of DIALOG Group Berhad, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat added that this collaboration is in line with the Group’s long-term objective of enabling food security and sustainable livelihood for communities’ dependent on the ecosystem. Additionally, it is a great opportunity for the Group to contribute positively towards its ESG objectives and align with Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 14 (Life Under Water) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Every month starting April 2022, 10-15 staff volunteers from DIALOG will be taking turns to learn from the UM specialists about seagrass and what they can do as ordinary citizen scientists in collecting vital data for research. The engagement will be expanded to include local community members such as students in nearby schools, which DIALOG is supporting.

Involving the public and local communities in this activity is important to raise awareness and foster stewardship of seagrass in Malaysia. With the outcomes of this initiative, Reef Check Malaysia will lead efforts to encourage the State government to make greater strides to conserve seagrass meadows in Johor.

Julian Hyde, General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia, said: “You don’t need to be an ecologist or an expert about seagrass to make an impact. You can start simply by learning more about seagrass or taking part in seagrass monitoring activities that are happening near you.”

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Holiday goers could be accidentally killing marine life in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, 15 MARCH 2022 – A popular tourist activity - tourists and tourism operators feeding fishes and turtles for the perfect selfie is actually harmful to marine life.

Fish feeding can disrupt the balance of our marine ecosystem as one small change can have a huge domino effect, starve fishes to death due to bacteria growth, and change the natural diet of fishes causing an algae and Crown-of-Thorns starfish bloom - which kills corals.

"Fish feed is not a healthy practice especially when it is not part of the fishes' natural diet, for example, bread, and frequent feeding can cause fishes to become "domesticated" and sometimes may become too aggressive towards human when seeking for food,"

shares Dr James Tan, a marine biologist at the School of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu.

According to Reef Check Malaysia, a marine conservation NGO, while there has been an increase of 2.94% of live coral cover in 2021, there are still a number of indicators that show coral reef health is being damaged by impacts such as pollution, marine debris, and warm water bleaching.

Unsustainable marine tourism can threaten Malaysia’s marine biodiversity, which in turn, affects those who rely on marine resources as their livelihoods - fisherfolk, businesses, and island communities.

On your next island holiday, you have a choice. Do not support irresponsible tourism operators.  Choose eco-friendly hotels and tour guides. For green dive operators, you can refer to greenfins.net

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