Dive club to spearhead community-driven cleanups of Sabah's coastal hotspots

The Star

05-05-2025

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Dive Club aims to increase public awareness of marine conservation through hands-on, community-driven initiatives.
'In June, we will launch a monthly ocean cleanup dive, inviting all club members to join forces with reputable private dive operators and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs),' said Sim Fui, who was re-elected club president on Sunday (May 4).
Each dive will target a different coastal hotspot, combining underwater debris removal with on‑site educational briefings on the impacts of pollution, he added.
Sim said by rotating locations every month, they aim not only to keep shores and reefs clean but also to engage diverse community groups, schools, and corporate volunteers in learning about sustainable waste management and responsible diving practices.
'Regular post‑dive reports and social media highlights will ensure transparency, showcase our progress, and inspire broader participation across Sabah and beyond,' he said.
The club, also known as Deus Diving Club, is in discussions with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) to establish a coral planting programme, he added.
This collaboration seeks to reintroduce resilient coral species onto degraded reef areas, bolstering biodiversity and enhancing reefs' resistance to climate change.
'To ensure the programme's success, we are lining up partnerships with several key local authorities covering permits, site selection and long‑term monitoring support.
'Pending final approvals, we anticipate our first pilot planting session by the third quarter, with volunteer training workshops and community outreach events to follow,' he said.
Sim said these initiatives underscore the club's dedication to both immediate cleanup efforts and the longer‑term restoration of the marine ecosystem.
He said the club has grown into a force for conservation and community diving across Sabah, and is a passionate community of divers bound by shared values: adventure, marine stewardship, and respect for the underwater world.
The club has 111 members and has organised 30 diving and conservation activities since its establishment in 2022 up to April this year.
These include underwater cleanups, coral planting initiatives, and sustainable diving awareness campaigns across Sabah's coastal areas.
"On July 28 last year, 28 of our divers participated in a marine cleanup at Mari-Mari Sepanggar Island, successfully removing over 100kg of debris,' Sim said.
The club also took part in the Borneo Ultra Ocean Cleanup with the Royal Malaysian Navy and Sabah Parks, involving more than 130 divers.