KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Diving Squad club hopes that more underwater cleanups will be organized in the future, said its president Sim Fui.
“Despite being a new club, we consistently have members who are newly certified scuba divers seeking more exposure to improve their competency, especially in buoyancy and confidence levels.
“At the same time, we also hope that these newcomers and other scuba divers will become part of marine conservation efforts.
“By participating in underwater cleanup programs like today’s, our members have the opportunity to lend a helping hand in clearing some debris,” he said in a statement after participating in the Borneo Ultra Ocean Cleanup here yesterday.
The one-day event was organised by the Royal Malaysian Navy Submarine Force off Tunku Abdul Rahman Park here.
In addition to Navy and Sabah Diving Squad club members, others who joined the program included the army, marine police, Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department, National Security Council, and the Fisheries Department, among others.
There were 138 divers and volunteers assigned to do cleanup at several sites, including the Sabah Parks jetty, Mamutik, Manukan, Sulug and Sapi islands.
“Initially, the weather yesterday morning was not favorable, and we thought they would raise a red flag and postpone the program to another day.
“But we were lucky that, after waiting for some time, the weather improved, and surprisingly, the visibility was good, and the temperature was just right for all divers.”
This year, the club members participated in the second cleanup organised by the navy, and several also collaborated with other organisations such as the Marine Research Foundation.-pr/BNN
