Protect Coral Reefs in Malaysia

Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) has been working in the Mersing group of islands for more than 5 years. We first began our project in a few islands around Mersing, spending time with the local villagers on these islands to understand their needs and issues. Today, our project has evolved into something much bigger and we still have the support of the local community members. In the last few months, our team has been working towards better management of waste on the island. All our efforts on the island complement one another, from skills training courses for local islanders, to education and awareness programs for all ages, to other marine ecosystem conservation programs. These are designed to include all our local stakeholders. 

In the months of July to September, our Mersing team conducted and co-organised four underwater clean-ups at two islands around Mersing. Among our collaborators were the Mersing District Council, Johor National Parks (state park), Department of Fisheries Johor (state government body), a few other NGOs and the local community from both the islands as well as those from around Mersing. 35 divers joined the underwater clean-up, which resulted in the removal of 293kg of ghost nets and marine debris from the reefs. 

In the last quarter, we launched the community recycling program in Aur Island by installing nine recycling bins made from BRC wire mesh. Each of these bins were built with the help of the island community and placed at various locations throughout two villages, where population density is among the highest. This recycling initiative was developed based on previous community consultation sessions with the island community. It aims to improve waste management on the island by focusing on recyclable items such as plastic bottles, metal cans, aluminium tins and glass bottles. 

In the coming months, we will be conducting more community consultations to gather feedback on the current recycling program. We hope that with the continued support and participation of the island community, this recycling program will be come an integral part of Aur Island's waste management efforts.