Latest news with #SabahDiveSquadClub
The Star
a day ago
- Health
- The Star
Divers must reinforce safety practices, says Sabah Dive Squad Club
KOTA KINABALU: Divers must reinforce best practices for safety and environmental reasons, says the Sabah Dive Squad Club. Club president Sim Fui stated that, given the recent scuba diving fatalities, they have organised a safety awareness talk to reinforce best practices among members. He emphasised that safety must always be the top priority for divers, and regular reminders, refresher courses, or awareness talks are necessary. "Every certified diver is taught the correct procedures during training, and the number one rule is always to return safely," he said in a statement on Saturday (June 7). "Unfortunately, recent incidents show that some divers are disregarding these procedures with fatal consequences," Sim added. Last week, a 33-year-old Malaysian man from Kuala Lumpur died while diving off Pulau Weh near Sabang in Indonesia, after reportedly panicking in strong undercurrents. In May, two Chinese nationals also lost their lives in separate scuba diving accidents in Sabah waters. "One was an unsupervised tourist who drowned while diving off Sipadan in Semporna, and the other, a certified divemaster, drowned after attempting to retrieve a lost camera near Kakaban Island," Sim said. "These tragic incidents could have been avoided had proper safety guidelines been followed," he added. The diving safety awareness talk scheduled for July 20 aims to prevent further loss of life and remind members of the importance of adhering to established procedures. Sim said the club has appointed two experts to lead the session: Lt Col (Dr) Eugene Tan Choon Li as scuba diving medical adviser and First Warrant Officer Almudi Eskal as technical diving adviser. Dr Eugene is an internal medicine specialist and diving medical officer at the Kota Kinabalu Regional Armed Forces Hospital. Almudi is the Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Department Chief Supervisor at the Armed Forces Hospital and is also an Army Submarine Escape Instructor. Both will discuss medical emergencies related to diving and offer guidance on technical skills and safe diving practices, Sim said. More information about the talk will be shared on the Sabah Dive Squad Club's Facebook page.
Borneo Post
05-05-2025
- Borneo Post
Club urges stricter action against fish bombing, illegal spearfishing
Sim and Monica KOTA KINABALU (May 5): The Sabah Dive Squad Club has urged authorities to step up enforcement against rampant fish bombing and illegal spearfishing. Its president, Sim Fui, said those destructive marine practices are a growing threat to marine ecosystems and the diving industry in Sabah. 'These destructive acts are not only damaging our marine biodiversity but also pose life-threatening risks to divers, destroy coral reefs that are vital to Sabah's tourism and the only living resources for coastal indigenous fishermen community. 'Those responsible must face the most severe legal consequences. There is no excuse for leniency when the stakes are this high. 'Sabah's ocean assets are priceless, and we cannot afford to be passive. Protecting them is not just about preserving nature — it's about securing the future of our coastal communities and sustaining a billion-ringgit tourism sector,' Sim said in a statement after the club's annual general meeting here on Sunday. He added that fish bombing and spearfishing, especially in popular dive zones, could cripple Sabah's reputation as a premier diving destination in the region. He also called for greater collaboration between enforcement agencies, dive operators, and conservation groups to prevent further degradation of Sabah's marine habitats. In 2019, two China nationals and a local dive instructor in Semporna were killed by dynamite fishing while scuba diving off Semporna waters. According to the Sabah Fisheries Department, the scuba diving industry has brought Sabah over RM500 million in income in a year. Also speaking after the AGM, club member and conservation advocate Monica Chin shared recent alarming experiences from her dive team. 'We encountered three separate bomb blasts during just one dive session. It was terrifying. There was a day where eight fish bombings happened in a day in the same area. 'In addition, we have received reports of scuba divers spearfishing in areas like Kota Kinabalu, Sepanggar, and popular dive sites in Kota Belud. 'It is just a matter of time for divers to get injured due to spearfishing to happen and affect the diving industry,' she said. She added that the excuse of a lack of resources or manpower to patrol and enforce the sea is no longer valid. 'During the Covid-19 pandemic, enforcement agencies managed to impose strict movement controls and monitor large areas effectively. 'That same level of coordination and urgency should now be directed at seriously protecting our asset marine environment,' she said. Established in June 2022, the Sabah Dive Squad Club – also known as Deus Diving Club (DDC) – has grown to over 100 members from diverse professional backgrounds, united by a shared commitment to responsible diving and ocean conservation.
New Straits Times
05-05-2025
- New Straits Times
Sabah Dive Club sounds alarm over fish bombing, spearfishing threats to marine tourism
KOTA KINABALU: Despite Sabah being renowned as its diving destination, it raised concerns that rampant destructive and dangerous activities might affect the industry. Sabah Dive Squad Club president Sim Fui said there had been reports of fish bombing and spearfishing around dive sites in the state. "These destructive acts are not only damaging our marine biodiversity, but also pose life-threatening risks to divers as well as destroy coral reefs that are vital to Sabah's tourism and the only living resources for coastal indigenous fishermen community. "Those responsible must face the most severe legal consequences. There is no excuse for leniency when the stakes are this high. "Sabah's ocean assets are priceless, and we cannot afford to be passive. Protecting them is not just about preserving nature — it's about securing the future of our coastal communities and sustaining a billion-ringgit tourism sector," Sim said after the club annual general meeting here yesterday. He called for greater collaboration between enforcement agencies, dive operators and conservation groups to prevent further degradation of Sabah's marine habitats. In 2019, two China nationals and a local dive instructor in Semporna were killed by dynamite fishing while scuba diving off Semporna waters. According to the Sabah Fisheries Department, the scuba diving industry has brought Sabah over RM500 million in income in a year. Club member and conservation advocate Monica Chin shared recent alarming experiences from her dive team. "We encountered three bomb blasts during just one dive session. It was terrifying. There was a day where eight fish bombings occurred in a day in the same area. "In addition, we have received reports of scuba divers spearfishing in areas like Kota Kinabalu, Sepanggar and a popular dive site in Kota Belud. "It is just a matter of time for divers to get injured due to spearfishing to happen and affect the diving industry," She added that the excuse of a lack of resources or manpower to patrol the sea is no longer valid. "During the Covid-19 pandemic, enforcement agencies managed to impose strict movement controls and monitor large areas effectively. "That same level of coordination and urgency should now be directed at seriously protecting our asset marine environment." Established in June 2022, the Sabah Dive Squad Club — also known as Deus Diving Club — has grown to over 100 members from diverse professional backgrounds, united by a shared commitment to responsible diving and ocean conservation.
