Latest news with #Mobula-8
Borneo Post
15-06-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Over 300kg of trash removed from Tunku Abdul Rahman Park
Volunteers posing for a group photo during the World Oceans Day – Underwater Cleanup 2025. – Photo courtesy of Robert Hartley, Sabah Dive Rangers. KOTA KINABALU (June 15): More than 309 kilograms of trash were hauled from the sea during the World Oceans Day – Underwater Cleanup 2025, held on June 14 at Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. The event was organised by the Marine Research Foundation (MRF), Reef Check Malaysia (RCM) and the Mariners Club of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), and involved over 30 volunteer divers who scoured the waters to remove a wide range of marine debris. Among the items retrieved were plastic bottles, food wrappers, plastic cups, grocery bags, beverage cans, clothing, glass bottles, baby diapers, scuba masks, snorkels, and even a few unusual objects. All collected waste was sorted and later transported to mainland Kota Kinabalu for proper disposal. RCM (Sabah) Programme Manager Nadhirah Mohd Rifal explained that every piece of trash collected would be recorded to identify the types of waste polluting local waters. The data will be used to tailor awareness programmes aimed at educating the public on proper waste management to help protect Sabah's coral reefs. Meanwhile, MRF Conservation Officer Chris Chun Xue shared that the organisation recently partnered with Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) to launch the Mobula-8 skimmer boat — an advanced marine waste collection vessel designed to remove floating plastic debris. 'Plastics and other waste materials in our oceans are severely damaging marine ecosystems and threatening biodiversity,' Chris said. 'This clean-up is a crucial reminder of the harmful impact human activity has on our marine life and natural environment.' The World Oceans Day initiative was supported by the Oceanic Society, PADI AWARE Foundation, and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment, with additional assistance from Sabah Parks, DBKK and the Sabah Dive Rangers.
Borneo Post
07-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Skimmer boat to combat marine plastic pollution in KK
Sabin (center), Rosmadi (second right), Firdausi (right) witness how the Mobula skimmer boat collects waste from the water. KOTA KINABALU (May 7): Marine plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. The issue is not confined to distant oceans, but is happening right here – in the coastal waters and islands that frame our city. Plastics and waste materials that accumulate in our drainage systems and eventually flow into the sea are damaging marine ecosystems, threatening biodiversity, and jeopardising livelihoods that depend on a clean marine environment. To tackle this challenge and to protect our marine ecosystems, the Marine Research Foundation (MRF) in collaboration with Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) unveiled the Mobula-8 skimmer boat at Gaya Island Resort, here on Wednesday. 'The Mobula-8 skimmer boat is a purpose-built vessel designed to collect and remove floating plastic debris from the waters surrounding Kota Kinabalu. This initiative represents our commitment to restore and preserve the beauty of our marine environment,' said City Hall Mayor Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Marine Research Foundation and Gaya Island Resort (GIR). Present at the event were Marine Research Foundation (MRF) Executive Director Dr Nicolas J. Pilcher, Gaya Island Resort Vice President Wayne Lee, Sabah Maju Jaya Secretariat chief coordination officer Datuk Rosmadi Datu Sulai, Invest Sabah Berhad Chief Executive Dr Firdausi Suffian, DBKK Deputy Director General of Operation Robert Lipon and Department of Solid Waste Management Director Leong Tze Fui. Sabin said the Mobula-8 skimmer boat, an advanced waste collection technology from abroad, is a clear demonstration of DBKK's determination in addressing the growing threat of marine pollution and preserving the beauty of our marine environment. 'The deployment of this vessel is one of the key initiatives under the Marine Plastics Cleanup Project, a collaborative effort between DBKK and MRF. Together, we aim to implement a strategic and science-driven approach to marine waste management,' said Sabin. Sabin said the Mobula-8 will be deployed regularly across the coastal zones of Kota Kinabalu and the surrounding islands, complementing the existing land-based efforts in waste management by DBKK. 'The project is anchored on the development of a comprehensive Marine Debris Action Plan, which will outline not only the physical cleanup strategy but also the scientific monitoring and analysis of the types, sources, and distribution of marine debris,' he said. Meanwhile, Pilcher said all data collected would be analysed for long-term research to determine the type of waste that ends up in our ocean. 'This program is still at its early stage but once we have sufficient data, we hope to work together with DBKK to develop targeted and management approaches, similar to DBKK's no plastic bag initiatives, which has seen a massive reduction in the use of plastic bags,' he said. Pilcher added that the Mobula-8 skimmer boat, which was donated to MRF by The SeaCleaners, a Swiss NGO, is able to collect up to two tonnes of waste per-day. 'The collected waste will be off-loaded at DBKK's jetty for proper disposal at the Kayu Madang landfill, in Menggatal,' he said, adding that MRF's long-term vision is that the majority of waste collected will be recycled or upcycle.
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- New Straits Times
KK City Hall checking fish sold at markets in clampdown against fish-bombing
KOTA KINABALU: City authorities here are taking action to curb fish-bombing off the city's coast by clamping down on the sale of fish caught using the method. Mayor Datuk Seri Sabin Samitah said that Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), along with the Health Department and Fisheries Department, were conducting frequent inspections at local markets to detect fish caught using explosives. Fishery inspectors typically look out for signs of internal trauma, such as sunken bodies, broken bones, bloodshot eyes, damaged gills, bruising, soft flesh, and an unusually sour or decomposed smell. "If bombed fish are found, City Hall's first action is to cancel the trader's license. We are doing a few inspections (at the market) in a month. "The Agriculture Ministry will also take enforcement action," he told the media after the unveiling of the city's second marine waste collection vessel at Gaya Island Resort here. The vessel, named Mobula-8, was donated by a Swiss-based non-governmental organisation to the Marine Research Foundation (MRF) here. The first vessel, which was operated by City Hall, was launched in January. Recently, the Sabah Dive Squad Club had called on the authorities to take action against rampant spear-fishing and fish-bombing in the state's waters. The methods are very dangerous and destructive, and may cause injury or death to scuba divers. MRF founder Dr Nicholas Pilcher was asked by the media whether it would be feasible to attach a fish-bombing detection device to a skimming boat patrolling off the city's coast. "Our goal is not to take the boat anywhere near explosive areas. But, having been here for 30 years, I can tell you that fish-bombing is now a fraction of what it used to be. "It's not eliminated, but it has gone down tremendously. People have more opportunities now to earn a living through other means," he said.
New Straits Times
07-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Second marine waste collection vessel launched in Kota Kinabalu
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah will use data from collected marine debris to better manage plastic pollution in its waters. The state capital's second marine waste collection vessel was launched today. The Mobula-8 can collect up to two tonnes of rubbish at a time. It was donated by Swiss non-governmental organisation The SeaCleaners to the Marine Research Foundation (MRF). The vessel complements Kota Kinabalu City Hall's (DBKK) skimmer boat launched in January that can collect up to five tonnes of marine debris. MRF founder Dr Nicholas Pilcher said the Mobula-8 reflects a broader commitment to targeted interventions and collaborative solutions to address marine plastic pollution at its source. "Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues globally. "As a major hub for fisheries and tourism, Kota Kinabalu is especially vulnerable to plastic pollution," he said at the launch of Mobula-8 at an island here. In 2010, Malaysia generated some 0.94 million tonnes of mismanaged plastic waste, of which about 14.9 to 39.4 per cent have entered the ocean. In 2012, Sabah's recycling rate stood at just 8.6 per cent, with Kota Kinabalu households recycling as little as 4.5 per cent. He said the Mobula-8 crew would sort and categorise collected waste to support more effective waste management strategies. "As part of efforts to tackle this challenge, DBKK has introduced a range of initiatives, including banning single-use plastic bags and promoting the recycling of e-waste and used cooking oil. "The long-term plan is to use the data (from the collected waste) to develop targeted programmes that address those types of waste. "If it turns out that bottles are our biggest problem and there's less of other things, we can prioritise our efforts in that area." Kota Kinabalu Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah, who officiated the launch of the boat, warned that marine waste threatened not only biodiversity, but also the tourism industry. "We've seen social media users comment on marine pollution, especially in popular destinations on the East Coast. They say if the waste isn't handled properly, they won't return. "We don't want that to happen in Kinabalu. We hope to acquire two more skimmer boats before the end of this year." He said the city planned to engage local authorities and stakeholders to reduce the use of plastic bottles. Earlier, MRF signed a memorandum of understanding with Gaya Island Resort to formalise a strategic partnership focused on innovation in waste collection, sea turtle conservation and broader environmental protection.
