KOTA BELUD, 21 FEBRUARY 2022 – Seiko Malaysia strengthens their commitment to ocean conservation through their latest collaboration with Reef Check Malaysia on a 3-month community-led waste management and recycling programme on Mantanani Island, Sabah.
Seiko Prospex Save the Ocean supports marine conservation activities in order to give back to the diver's community.
“As we all know, the ocean contains more than 97% of the world’s water, and the ocean provides millions of livelihoods that stimulate local and global economies. The objective of the campaign – SAVE THE OCEAN is to prevent the pollution of the local coastal environment as well as to raise awareness of the prevention of marine debris for a cleaner, healthier ocean planet”, shares Michael Lim, General Manager of Thong Sia Sdn Bhd (Sole distributor of Seiko timepieces in Malaysia and Brunei).
In January alone, 5,872 kg worth of waste were collected from 174 participating homes. 85% of the waste was made up of food waste. Without funding to manage the waste and recycling collection, their only solution to get rid of waste is burning, burying, or dumping the trash into the ocean.
“It is important to have a proper waste management system on any small or remote island to protect the health of the local islanders and the environment, while ensuring the island is kept clean to remain attractive for tourists,” shares Adzmin Fatta, Programme Manager of Reef Check Malaysia in Sabah.
Aerial view of the village on Mantanani Island
Located 25 km off the coast of Sabah, Malaysia, Mantanani Island is home to a population of 1,024 islanders continues to face challenges due to its remote location and limited facilities, space, and resources for waste.
The programme also provides alternative income to the local island communities. Currently, 10 local islanders are hired to help with the programme as they delegate and efficiently collect the waste from the villages.
Daily waste collection team
The waste management programme transforms the lives of the local communities and protect the oceans from pollution. Reef Check Malaysia is continuously looking for ongoing support in their efforts to combat marine debris.
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About Reef Check Malaysia
Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is part of the world-wide Reef Check network. Since it was registered in 2007, RCM has become established as a leader in coral reef conservation in Malaysia and has field teams based in Tioman Island, Mantanani Island, and the Johor Islands. Its activities are organised around training survey divers and conducting coral reef surveys at over 200 locations around Malaysia to monitor coral reef health, working with stakeholders to improve the management of coral reefs in Malaysia to secure long term conservation goals, conducting studies on reef resilience and rehabilitation to better understand coral reefs and impacts, and raising awareness of the importance of coral reefs and the valuable ecosystem services they provide. https://www.reefcheck.org.my/