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.

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.    

-END-

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.   

-END-

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.  

-END-

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.   

-END- 

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.   

-END- 

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.”

-END-

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

-END-

Reef Check Malaysia releases 2021 Annual Survey Report; launches ocean health awareness campaign

KUALA LUMPUR, 23 FEBRUARY 2022 - Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) has published its annual report on the Status of Coral Reefs in Malaysia, 2021. Covering over 200 sites around Malaysia, the report reveals that Live Coral Cover (LCC), a key indicator of reef health, increased slightly to 44% from 41% in 2020.

The annual survey programme – running for 15 years now, covers over 200 sites around Malaysia. Surveys are conducted by RCM staff, government agencies and volunteers. Ms Chen Sue Yee, Programme Manager in charge of the report, said that:

“while the increase in LCC is to be welcomed, there are also a number of indicators that show coral reef health is being damaged by a variety of impacts including pollution, marine debris and warm water bleaching.”

With reefs and other marine ecosystems under increasing pressure from climate change, RCM has launched a year-long campaign to raise awareness of ocean conservation issues.

RCM’s General Manager, Julian Hyde said that

“Scientists are increasingly concerned about the health of the ocean, and the ecosystems in it, including coral reefs. But the problem with the ocean is that so few people know just how much we benefit from a healthy ocean. And as a coastal nation, whose marine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) area is greater than its land area – this is particularly important for Malaysia”.

A recent report by Deloitte highlights some important, but little known facts, about the ocean. Half of the oxygen we breath comes from the ocean. It is an important carbon sink, absorbing about one third of human carbon emissions. Coastal ecosystems including mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs provide free and natural protection against flooding, and are a nursery and habitat for many marine species that provide food for local communities. Data from Marine Parks Malaysia suggest that the total economic value of the East coast Parks could be up to RM 7.8 billion.

Hyde continues “the ocean is receiving increasing attention for its biodiversity and as an important provider of ecosystem services. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework is currently being negotiated and will put in place important targets and strategies for protecting and managing our oceans, including increasing protected areas. We support this, and we want more Malaysians to be aware of what the issues are, hence this ocean literacy campaign”.

The campaign, which begins in March, will include webinars, social media posts and talks to address ocean conservation issues. Follow RCM on Facebook or Instagram @reefcheckmalaysia to get updates and resources on the ocean literacy campaign.

-END-

Seiko Malaysia funds waste and recycling collection on idyllic island

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.

—END—

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/  

“Ghostbusters” on Tioman Island fights to save the ocean

During this Covid-19 pandemic year, the Tioman Marine Conservation Group (TMCG) on Tioman Island were able to successfully remove 37 ghost nets weighing over 4,000 Kg, removed over 700 Crown-of-Thorns starfish, conducted over 60 reef surveys, and installed 15 mooring lines in the ocean.

Tioman Marine Conservation Group

TMCG, also known as the “ghostbusters” due their frequent ghost nets cleanups, began as a small group of five from Kampung Tekek and Kampung Air Batang in 2015, has now expanded to a total of 65 members spanning all seven villages on the Island.

The members are all local islanders who have expressed an interest in marine conservation and being a part of managing the island’s resources.

Born and raised on Tioman island, Shahir B Yaman, one of the founding TMCG member shares, "I am proud and thankful to have this opportunity to gain skills from the programme and now lead the TMCG. We are not only conducting conservation activities but also creating awareness among the community and acting as role models. TMCG is a good example for Malaysia on how local islanders can protect their island.”

Shahir (left) and fellow EcoDivers completing a Reef Check survey 

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) has organized various trainings to equip the TMCG members with skills and knowledge which they can apply to assist in day-to-day marine resource management activities, such as installation and maintenance of mooring buoys, removal of ghost nets and marine debris, bleaching monitoring, Crown-of-Thorns Starfish monitoring, coral rehabilitation, and so on.

The team is led by Alvin Chelliah, Senior Programme Manager of RCM. “We learned that protecting the ocean is beyond just coral reef monitoring and surveys and we had to look at initiatives that directly involve and impact the community. We slowly shifted our focus to participatory management – an approach where responsibilities are shared among various stakeholders, from local communities, government or non-government actors, to policymakers. And that is how the TMCG came about,” Alvin shares.

TMCG members removing abandoned fishing nets around Tioman Island

The training and setting up of the TMCG was fully sponsored by Yayasan Sime Darby. The group was later supported by the Department of Marine Parks Malaysia and is currently sponsored by a matching grant from the Ministry of Finance.

RCM hopes to strengthen the TMCG and replicate this success with communities on other islands, providing new livelihood opportunities that do not rely entirely on tourism, and at the same time strengthening reef conservation through a participatory approach to management. 

-END-

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/

Bringing together the community to reduce waste from home

KUALA LUMPUR, 21 SEPTEMBER 2021 – Reef Check Malaysia, an NGO working towards sustainable management of coral reefs in Malaysia, hosted a “reduce waste from home” campaign from 23 August to 19 September called #ICCfromHome in an effort to raise awareness on the problem of marine debris in conjunction with International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a worldwide surge in demand for personal protect equipment (PPE) such as face masks, gloves, and gowns. With the number of new cases in Malaysia, the need to put on face masks by the public will just have to be prolonged. In addition, the increasing convenience of food delivery services has prompted the rise in the use of single-use plastic and food packaging.

Trash picked up on Pantai Teluk Nipah, Perak on ICC Day 2020

Theresa Ng, Programme Development Manager at Reef Check Malaysia said: “We need to know about the environmental impact of the waste we are generating. What gives us protection and convenience in our day-to-day lives, such as face masks or delivery food packaging, can in turn become a health hazard and harm our environment if disposed irresponsibly.”

The #ICCfromHome virtual campaign addressed marine debris pollution and provided simple weekly challenges and solutions on how Malaysians can prevent waste from entering our ocean even from home. The weekly challenges include knowing what goes in our bins, no single-use plastic bags, fighting food waste, and segregating at source. The campaign has garnered the attention from at least 17,660 individuals in Malaysia and has also encouraged companies like Malaysian Recycling Alliance Berhad, DKSH Malaysia, TechnipFMC, and ABB Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. to participate in the weekly challenges prepared.

#ICCfromHome Weekly Challenges

Theresa continued, “The pandemic has changed so much in how we do things and how we live our lives. We could not organize and clean up our local beaches as how we used to do over the past 3 years, but still, we are amazed with the genuine engagements from the community and the support we have received from our sponsors in the virtual ICC campaign.” A quick glance on the challenges taken on by the community can be found here.

The #ICCfromHome campaign was also made possible by sponsors who supported the effort including Malaysian Recycling Alliance, DKSH Group, Famous Amos, Morgan Home Appliances, and Us for Ocean.

"Waste Segregation at Source (SAS) is the key to cleaner coastal areas," said Pauline Goh, General Manager of MAREA, "We're glad to have helped in spreading awareness on how to practice SAS at home. We hope that participants will continue this practice and spread the idea to their circle of influence even after the ICC campaign."

As part of the #ICCfromHome campaign, weekly prizes sponsored by DKSH such as RM30 Famous Amos vouchers were awarded to 12 winners and a grand prize of the Morgan 3-blade circulation fan was awarded to Alyssa Ng.

Nicholas McLaren, Head, Country Management, DKSH Malaysia said: “At DKSH, we take responsibility for our environmental impact as part of the company’s sustainability strategies. At our workplaces, we have eliminated single-use plastic water bottles and provided facilities for waste-sorting and e-waste recycling. Through #ICCfromHome, we hope to advocate responsible waste management in the homes as well. Climate change is a mammoth environmental challenge best tackled with collaborative efforts among responsible organizations. We are proud to support Reef Check Malaysia in this campaign to protect the beaches and oceans of Malaysia, which is home to a rich diversity of marine life and coral reefs.”

Theresa adds on, “The #ICCfromHome campaign might officially be over, but we hope it has and will continue to lead the way for Malaysians in the effort of reducing waste and preventing more trash from entering our environment.”

If you would like to encourage your community or family to take on some of the activities, all #ICCfromHome resources is made available to the public on Reef Check Malaysia’s Facebook and Instagram page and you may contact Reef Check Malaysia at wecare@reefcheck.org.my for more details.

-END-

About Reef Check Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is part of the world-wide Reef Check network. Registered in Malaysia in 2007 as an NGO, RCM's early work was focused on coral reef monitoring and island based educational programs. Today, RCM monitors over 200 coral reefs annually around the country and runs resilience-based programmes for island communities. In addition, RCM is actively involved in marine debris awareness, waste management, and plastic recycling programmes and has been leading the annual International Coastal Cleanup event in Malaysia. You can access RCM’s ICC 2020 Report here. Find out more about Reef Check Malaysia’s work at www.reefcheck.org.my or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

About MAREA

MAREA, also known as the Malaysian Recycling Alliance, was established in January 2021 as an industry-led, pioneering initiative towards circular economy. Our goals will primarily revolve around enhancing collection, promoting the use of recycled and renewable materials as well as minimising post-consumer packaging leakage into the environment.

MAREA was founded by 10 like-minded initial FMCG companies that are taking the lead in EPR in Malaysia. The alliance currently comprises: Coca-Cola Malaysia, Colgate-Palmolive Malaysia, Dutch Lady Milk Industries, Etika Group of Companies, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, Mondelēz International Malaysia, Nestlé Malaysia, Spritzer, Tetra Pak Malaysia and Unilever Malaysia.

With a clear mandate in hand, MAREA is committed to collaborating with the Malaysian Government and other stakeholders including consumers, waste collectors, recyclers and industry players to drive the singular goal of a greener Malaysia through circular economy solutions.

About DKSH

DKSH’s purpose is to enrich people’s lives. For more than 150 years, we have been delivering growth for companies in Asia and beyond across our Business Units Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Performance Materials and Technology. As a leading Market Expansion Services provider, we offer sourcing, market insights, marketing and sales, eCommerce, distribution and logistics as well as after-sales services. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, DKSH operates in 36 markets with 32,450 specialists, generating net sales of CHF 10.7 billion in 2020. www.dksh.com

Nationwide International Coastal Cleanup Event Aims to Reduce Waste from Home This Year

Reef Check Malaysia, an NGO working towards sustainable management of coral reefs in Malaysia, is hosting a virtual International Coastal Cleanup campaign from 23 August to 19 September in an effort to raise awareness on marine debris pollution and provide simple solutions on how the public can prevent more waste from entering our ocean even from home.

#ICCfromHome Campaign

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 AUGUST 2021 – Every year, Reef Check Malaysia coordinates International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day in Malaysia. ICC is a global event that has been running for 35 years, during which volunteers all around the world engage and encourage their communities to take action by removing trash from beaches or oceans, identify the sources of the litter, and inspire change in beating marine debris pollution.

However, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and MCO this year, ICC will be held virtually as #ICCfromHome with the focus for 2021 being 'preventing waste escaping into the environment', instead of 'cleaning up the environment'.

The 4-week virtual campaign will focus on encouraging consumer behavioural change through actionable challenges, quizzes, talks, and resources relevant to reducing waste at home. Best of all, participants will stand a chance to win weekly lucky draw prizes, sponsored by DKSH’s own brands, Famous Amos and Morgan. This campaign is also proudly supported by a new organization, MAREA (Malaysia Recycling Alliance) which aims to make a difference in the recycling of consumer packaging waste.

Since the onset of the pandemic, one of the most visible increases of used items is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks. In addition, the increasing convenience of food delivery services has prompted the rise in the use of single-use plastic and food packaging. While plastic is cheap and convenient, the consequences of becoming overly reliant on single-use plastic items comes with a huge ­­­­toll on our environment. Thus, the #ICCfromHome campaign supports the “Malaysia’s Roadmap Towards Zero Single Use Plastics 2018-2030" by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment & Climate Change, where the roadmap aims to address single-use plastics in Malaysia with multi-stakeholders as a collective effort.

 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. 24,493 plastic bottles were collected throughout the month of September 2020.

Data collected from ICC in Malaysia in 2020

Reef Check Malaysia’s Programme Development Manager, Theresa Ng, shares, “Marine debris isn’t an ocean problem—it’s a people problem. That means people are the solution. Tackling the problem of plastic in the ocean begins on land.” Theresa has been in charge of organizing ICC since 2018 and has seen the overwhelming data on trash collection by all ICC volunteers in Malaysia throughout the years.

 “Ocean trash affects the health of wildlife, people and local economies. We do not have to wait until we are able to safely organize beach cleanups in order to reduce marine debris from our coasts or the ocean. It can start today, right now, from the comfort of our homes” added Theresa.

The #ICCfromHome campaign will officially begin from 23 August until 19 September 2021. An easy and educational campaign which you can join for free simply by following Reef Check Malaysia on Facebook or Instagram. Weekly guidelines and updates on the campaign will be posted on their social media pages. For more information, please contact cleanup@reefcheck.org.my.

-END-

About Reef Check Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is part of the world-wide Reef Check network. Registered in Malaysia in 2007 as an NGO, RCM's early work was focused on coral reef monitoring and island based educational programs. Today, RCM monitors over 200 coral reefs annually around the country and runs resilience-based programmes for island communities. In addition, RCM is actively involved in marine debris awareness, waste management, and plastic recycling programmes and has been leading the annual International Coastal Cleanup event in Malaysia. You can access RCM’s ICC 2020 Report here. Find out more about Reef Check Malaysia’s work at www.reefcheck.org.my or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

About MAREA

MAREA, also known as the Malaysian Recycling Alliance, was established in January 2021 as an industry-led, pioneering initiative towards circular economy. Our goals will primarily revolve around enhancing collection, promoting the use of recycled and renewable materials as well as minimising post-consumer packaging leakage into the environment.

MAREA was founded by 10 like-minded initial FMCG companies that are taking the lead in EPR in Malaysia. The alliance currently comprises: Coca-Cola Malaysia, Colgate-Palmolive Malaysia, Dutch Lady Milk Industries, Etika Group of Companies, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, Mondelēz International Malaysia, Nestlé Malaysia, Spritzer, Tetra Pak Malaysia and Unilever Malaysia.

With a clear mandate in hand, MAREA is committed to collaborating with the Malaysian Government and other stakeholders including consumers, waste collectors, recyclers and industry players to drive the singular goal of a greener Malaysia through circular economy solutions.

About DKSH

DKSH’s purpose is to enrich people’s lives. For more than 150 years, we have been delivering growth for companies in Asia and beyond across our Business Units Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Performance Materials and Technology. As a leading Market Expansion Services provider, we offer sourcing, market insights, marketing and sales, eCommerce, distribution and logistics as well as after-sales services. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, DKSH operates in 36 markets with 32,450 specialists, generating net sales of CHF 10.7 billion in 2020. www.dksh.com

7-Eleven’s One-Of-A-Kind Reusable Bags To Benefit Reef Check Malaysia & Juara Turtle Project Through #TrashToTreasure Campaign

KUALA LUMPUR (11 AUGUST 2021) – 7-Eleven Malaysia has just launched an eco-friendly initiative to transform post-consumer plastic bottle waste into striking tote bags. The brand’s new and exclusive reusable bag collection is dedicated to sustainability, encouraging Malaysians to factor in environmental friendly steps while shopping.

The largest 24-hour standalone convenience store operator nationwide has released two reusable bag variants - the Out of the Ocean Bag and the Recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate) Bottle Bag – to address the conundrum of what to do further with all the plastic waste being generated.

The Out of the Ocean Bag is constructed using 100% recycled ocean plastics whereby every bag removes the equivalent of two-to-three bottles from the oceans and waterways. This spacious bag may look dainty, but can support up to 15kg.

On the other hand, the Recycled PET Bottle Bag is upcycled from 100% recycled PET bottles. With a maximum carrying capacity of 10kg, this bag allows you to carry your purchased necessities while reducing the equivalent of up to three plastic bottles from the environment.

7-Eleven Malaysia’s General Manager of Marketing, Ronan Lee, expressed, “Plastic trash are ecologically damaging to the planet that we live on and we want to make a change through our Trash To Treasure reusable bag campaign that aim to drive momentum in influencing our customers’ behaviour to bring their reusable bags when shopping in our stores as well as provide financial contribution to our chosen change agent NPO partners as every little step matters.”

Lee continued, “On top of this, we are also currently using bio-degradable plastic bags in our stores as part of our environmental protection efforts. We hope that our sustainability initiatives will encourage our consumers to shop while keeping the environment in mind to protect the world that we live in from more plastic waste. We must do our part to transform #TrashToTreasure.”

First of their kind in Malaysia, 7-Eleven’s latest reusable bags are not only eco-friendly but look cute, too! The quirky bags are adorned with educational fun facts and their wide straps make them extremely comfortable to wear.

Affordably priced at RM7.90 (Recycled PET Bottle Bag) and RM13.90 (Out of the Ocean Bag), the reusable bags are available exclusively at selected 7-Eleven stores in Peninsular Malaysia. With huge bang for your buck, you can repay Mother Earth with kindness without breaking the bank.   

Best of all, as part of the #TrashToTreasure Reusable Bag campaign, from now until 16th September 2021, with every purchase of the reusable bags, RM1 will be channelled toward 7-Eleven’s environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners, Reef Check Malaysia and Juara Turtle Project, so you can play your role in supporting their nature conservation efforts while sporting a trendy tote on your shoulder.

General Manager of Reef Check Malaysia, Julian Hyde, said “Trash leaking into our ocean is a serious and universal issue. Our teams based on the islands and the island communities see it first-hand - trash washing up to the shores, plastic bags being caught on coral reefs, ghost nets trapping marine animals. It's devastating. Everyone has a role to play if we are to find sustainable solutions to this problem, and this initiative by 7-Eleven Malaysia is a perfect example of how companies can play a role”.

Sharing the same sentiment, General Manager of Juara Turtle Project, Tom Woodford, said, “We are really grateful to 7-Eleven Malaysia for stepping up and recognising that big companies need to help lead the way to changing how we use plastics. Plastic based marine debris is a massive problem for our marine life, including but not exclusive to the sea turtles that we work with here at JTP. We hope that this campaign will inspire people to change their behaviour and to make their own little contribution to protecting our ocean.”

While shopping for your reusable bags at 7-Eleven stores, you may perform another kind act for your local community by contributing to 7-Eleven Malaysia’s Kotak Putih campaign. At the same time, do check out exclusive products such as HY BTS Special Package coffee, Magnum Chocolate Truffle, Nescafe Gula Melaka, and Wonda Masala Spice Coffee, among others.

For more information on the latest #TrashToTreasure Reusable Bag Campaign, visit www.7eleven.com.my or its official social media pages at 7ElevenMalaysia.

-END-

About 7-Eleven Malaysia

7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Berhad through its subsidiary 7-Eleven Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. is the owner and operator of 7-Eleven stores in Malaysia. Incorporated on 4 June 1984, 7-Eleven Malaysia has made its mark in the retailing scene and has been a prominent icon for over 37 years. 7-Eleven Malaysia is the pioneer and largest 24-hour standalone convenience store operator in Malaysia with over 2,400 outlets nationwide and serves more than 1 million customers daily. 7-Eleven stores can be found across bustling commercial districts to serene suburban residential compounds throughout Malaysia, from petrol stations and LRT stations to shopping malls and medical institutions. 7-Eleven is Always There For You. To learn more, please visit our website at www.7-eleven.com.my.

About Reef Check Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is part of the world-wide Reef Check network. Registered in Malaysia in 2007 as an NGO, RCM's early work was focused on coral reef monitoring and island based educational programs. Today, RCM monitors over 200 coral reefs annually around the country and runs resilience-based programmes for island communities. In addition, RCM is actively involved in marine debris awareness, waste management, and plastic recycling programmes and has been leading the annual International Coastal Cleanup event in Malaysia.

About Juara Turtle Project

Juara Turtle Project is a community-based marine conservation organisation, located on Tioman Island off the south east coast of Malaysia. For the last 14 years JTP has worked together with the Malaysian Department of Fisheries to conserve sea turtles, their eggs and their natural habitat. JTP's mission statement “To work with the local community to manage threats to the local sea turtle population” is representative of the work they do and how they attempt to deal with a wide range of marine conservation issues that not only affect turtles, but the marine ecosystem as a whole. To find out more, visit www.juaraturtleproject.com or check out their social media pages at Facebook and Instagram.

RM205,000 food aid donated by SC Johnson amplifies the need to support remote island communities around Malaysia

11 islands in Malaysia received RM205,000 worth of food aid from SC Johnson, a global manufacturer of household consumer and professional products, with the assistance of Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), to ease the burdens and challenges faced by remote island communities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

KUALA LUMPUR (29 July 2021)

RCM works closely with communities on a number of islands across Peninsular and East Malaysia. It is clear that their livelihoods have been severely impacted due to the loss of tourism, for many islanders the main economic activity.

Alvin Chelliah, Senior Programme Manager of RCM and leader of the Cintai Tioman programme, shares,

“Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen with our own eyes how island communities are struggling - even those who we did not think would be in need of assistance. Many on the islands worked in the tourism industry - resorts, dive centres, restaurants, all catered to tourists. Now, they are left with no income for months.”

Transporting of food aid to Mabul Island and Larapan Island

The RM205,000 food aid programme is expected to serve 2100 families across all the islands, with a budget of around RM90 per household. As of today, food aid has been successfully distributed to Redang, Tioman, Mantanani, Mabul and Larapan Island. Over the next few weeks, it will be distributed to Perhentian and the Mersing Islands. RCM is working closely with local community leaders to arrange distribution to those most in need.

Food aid distribution in Redang Island (left), Tioman Island (middle), Mantanani Island (right)

Rommy Aziz, a local fisherman on Mantanani Island who sold seafood pre-COVID-19 to tourists visiting Mantanani Island, was one of the recipients of the food aid. Rommy shares,

“I am so thankful for the food aid that has been donated to us by SC Johnson to help with our burdens. Much thanks also go out to Jawatankuasa Pembangunan dan Keselamatan Kampung (JPKK) and Reef Check Malaysia for handling the arrangements.”

General Manager of RCM, Julian Hyde, said:

“Island communities live in a fragile ecosystem – small island surrounded by the sea. We need to keep up the #kitajagakita spirit and work together to put the lives of the disadvantaged first”.

In July, the government announced a food basket programme to support those in need. For more information on how to apply for this program, please visit: https://portalsemakan.com/bakul-prihatin-negara/

###

About Reef Check Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) is part of the world-wide Reef Check network. Registered in Malaysia in 2007 as an NGO, RCM's early work was focused on coral reef monitoring and island based educational programs.  Today, RCM monitors over 200 coral reefs annually around the country and is actively involved in reef management and conservation efforts.

About SC Johnson

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including LYSOFORM®, AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 135-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com