Protect Coral Reefs in Malaysia

In early March, the residents of Kampung Larapan Hujung in Semporna, Sabah, once again displayed remarkable community spirit by coming together for a clean-up operation on their island. A crowd of 120 strong, comprising of 70 adults and 50 children came together to clean various locations, targeting areas such as the areas around their houses, the community hall and beneath stilt houses.

In collaboration with Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), this initiative resulted in the collection of nearly 300 garbage bags, which amounted to approximately 3,000kg of trash! This clean-up is a vital step taken by the villagers in the effort to combat the waste management crisis on the island. Two previous clean-up intiatives recorded a collection of 1,800kg of trash in May 2022 and more than 700kg of trash in September 2023. 

The diverse types of trash collected, comprising of plastic bottles to electrical appliances, and even clothing and diapers, highlights the pressing environmental challenge faced by Larapan Island. 

Adzmin Fatta, RCM's Programme Manager, said that in addition to the clean-up efforts, the community on the island works closely with RCM for waste management initiatives, including daily waste collection and segregation by the islanders themselves. "Approximately 105 households are involved, with the daily collection led by the local waste management team. On average, 661kg of waste is collected every month, preventing it from polluting the seas of Larapan." He adds that these efforts are crucial for Larapan Island, which boasts a live coral cover of 56.38%, falling into the the category of being in "good" condition. It ranks as the second highest live coral cover in Semporna, just after Sipadan Island, which is well known for its rich and diverse reef ecosystem. 

The partnership between RCM and the Larapan community also focuses on building marine conservation leaders through the Larapan Marine Conservation Group. "In addition to training and certifying them as SCUBA divers, we also provide training for the local youth in the area of coral restoration and conservation activities," adds Adzmin. The islander recently made local headlines for their reef conservation efforts, deploying more than 10 spider frames and 400 bottle reefs, amounting to over 1000 coral nubbins being transplanted. The success of this effort signifies the willingness of the islanders to be engaged in managing their own island and its marine resources. 

Meanwhile, the village head of Kampung Larapan Hujung, Ramlan Hayawan shared how the villagers were excited to be a part of the clean-up programme. "We're immensly proud of the collabprative effort displayed by the residents, who worked together with RCM, while being supported by many others, including the Semporna District Office and Council." He added that the clean-up intiative not only demonstrated the commitment of the villagers to preserve the beauty of the island, which aligns with the vision of a cleaner Semporna by the District Office. It also fosters a stronger sense of community and environmental responsibility, particularly among the younger generation. 

"We hope that through this initiative, the younger ones are exposed to marine pollution issues and will grow up understanding that trash, especially plastic waste has detrimental effects to the sea," said Rinta Parintamin, a local villager. 

What was witnessed in Kampung Larapan Hujung not only addresses the immediate issue of waste accumulation but also sets a precedent for sustainable tourism practices and community-led conservation efforts in many other islands across Malaysia. 

Links:

• Villagers clean up 3,000kg of waste from Semporna
• Semporna's Kampung Larapan Hujung Unites for Massive Clean-Up