Youth volunteers clean up Santubong's Pasir Panjang beach in Earth Day drive for a greener Sarawak

Borneo Post

26-04-2025

The youth volunteers gather for a group photo at Pasir Panjang in Santubong.
KUCHING (April 27): A group of youth volunteers joined hands to clean up Pasir Panjang beach at Santubong near here recently, highlighting the power of community-led action in preserving sites of natural beauty in Sarawak.
The programme was run in connection with Earth Day, celebrated globally on April 22 every year.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Malaysia Chapter of the Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), brought together young people with a mission of removing unsightly litter from the shoreline.
In just a few hours, the team collected waste, including plastic bottles, food wrappers and other non-biodegradable materials, which threatened marine ecosystems and the coastal environment.
'Earth Day serves as a reminder of the urgent need to protect our planet from pollution, climate change, and environmental degradation.
'It is a day when individuals, communities, and organisations across the world take part in green initiatives to show their commitment to sustainability.
'Hosting a beach clean-up on this day adds deeper meaning, as it symbolises the shared responsibility of all people, especially youth, to be stewards of the Earth.
'Malaysia's beaches are treasures that must be protected. Through activities like this, we hope to inspire more young people to care for our environment,' said HWPL Malaysia representative when met at the beach.
The clean-up not only contributed to the upkeep of one of Sarawak's beloved beach destinations, but also promoted environmental awareness and responsibility among youths coming from diverse backgrounds.
Muhammad Nasir Said, head manager of Long Beach, remarked: 'Many people come here, and what we often see is rubbish – plastic, motor parts, and so on.
'Even though we provide rubbish bins, I feel it's still not enough because there are just too many people coming.
'We are grateful and welcome more organisations to come and do beach-cleaning here – just let us know in advance so we can coordinate and avoid any clashes.'
This grassroots initiative underscored HWPL Malaysia's commitment to nurturing civic-minded youths who take ownership of their communities.
'The organisation believes that small acts, when multiplied by many, can lead to significant positive change,' said the representative.
The HWPL is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) focused on peace-building through dialogues, education, and volunteerism.
In Malaysia, the movement works closely with youths, faith groups, and civil societies in promoting a culture of peace, unity and sustainability. beach cleanup Earth Day lead Pasir Panjang santubong youth