The rubbish mostly household waste to be cleared this morning by volunteers.
MIRI: Over 220 volunteers have confirmed taking part in the beach cleaning campaign ‘Save the Ocean – Let’s Clean Up’ at Marina Bay here at 8am today as part of the World Oceans Day (WOD) activities here.
The volunteers are from government agencies, schools and non-governmental organisations such as the Malaysian Nature Society MNS Miri and Selangor. Other members of the public are also encouraged to take part in the campaign.
Other WOD 2017 activities to be held until July 29 are a symposium (tomorrow July 2 at 1pm Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri), public speaking contest, essay writing, radio talks as well as arts and crafts competition.
The pollution of Marina Bay and its beach was highlighted by The Borneo Post in the past few days raising the awareness of the public here on the urgent need to help clean up the environment.
The severity of the pollution of Marina Bay beach was highlighted by an aluminium can collector who told The Borneo Post he could easily collect more than one kilogramme from the beach in one day. He said although he could sell the cans for RM4 per kilogramme at recycling centre, he is saddened by the pollution of the area by the public.
“If everyone is doing recycling like me, this Marina beach and other beaches in Miri would not be so dirty like this. Although recycling aluminium tins is a source of income for me, sadly it showed the bad side of the people who care very little about polluting the environment,”
Meanwhile the people interviewed by The Borneo Post on how to address pollution here all agreed that The 3R (Reduce Reuse and Recycle) concept is one of the most effective means to solve pollution of beaches, the seas and the environment.
Co-organising chairman of the World Oceans Day (WOD) 2017 celebration here, Datin Judy Wan Morshidi concurred that 3R concept is key to keeping the environment clean.
“The 3R centre operated by the Malaysian Red Crescent, MRC Miri Chapter has not only prevented illegal dumping of unwanted items by individuals but can be recycled to help the less fortunate,” said Judy who is also the Second vice chairman of the MRC Miri Chapter.
She said the activities of the WOD 2017 will not end with the celebration as the MRC Miri Chapter’s Health and Community Committee headed by Dr. Uma Devi will continue the environmental conservation efforts initiated celebration.
Bruce Chai, a former councillor of the Miri City Council (MCC) also encouraged the people to appreciate and love the environment.
“MCC is very much engaged in this matter especially when dealing with management of garbage waste disposal .. including placing communal bins for them to use especially those areas which are inaccessible by garbage collection trucks.
However let us not forget that the source of rubbish is not only from people that live next to the rivers. In fact most of our drainage systems in Miri run off into the river especially Sungai Miri all the way from Sungai Adong. So the solution is civic consciousness! ,” he said
Chai who is also United People’s Party (UPP) Pujut branch chairman hoped that MCC would acquire River Garbage Scooping Boats to be deployed in the rivers.
For more information on WOD 2017 the public can contact Lilian Baun Pulo of Pustaka Miri at tel. 085-422525 ext. 221/303 or email [email protected].