KLANG, July 26 — A gathering of 1,615 participants in the SMG Mega Mangrove Cleanup, held for World Mangrove Ecosystem Conservation Day, put the event in the Malaysian Book of Records (MBOR) today.
The event, held by Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) under the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) initiative, was joined by representatives from various agencies at Mangrove Point in the Raja Lumu Permanent Forest Reserve here.
LLSB managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin said the record was set for the highest participation in a mangrove swamp cleanup, which is a recognition of mangrove ecosystem conservation efforts in Selangor.
He said the event, themed “Restoring Ecosystems, Renewing Futures”, is the first such initiative under SMG.
“The participation of 1,615 (people) in this programme reflects improved community awareness on the importance of and commitment to conserving the environment. Around 70 per cent of the participants are from the corporate sector, while the rest are from government agencies or higher learning institutions, or are local volunteers or international participants.
“This MBOR recognition isn’t just an achievement, but also proof that environmental conservation can be done successfully with close collaboration between government, the private sector, and the community.
“Each mangrove sapling planted and every piece of trash picked up contributes to the restoration of Sungai Klang’s ecosystemic health. This proves that the collective effort of all quarters can present a great impact on environmental sustainability,” he said today when met after the event, which was officiated by Selangor Princess Tengku Zatashah and witnessed by state executive councillor for infrastructure and agriculture Dato’ Izham Hashim.
Syaiful said participants planted 1,000 mangrove saplings and collected 5.35 tonnes of waste, including plastic bottles, plastic bags, glass bottles, aluminium tins, and polystyrene containers.
He added that since mangrove cleanups were launched in 2023, over 51 tonnes of waste has been collected under various programmes under SMG.
Besides today’s large-scale community cleanup and planting event, he said there are programmes under SMG almost every week involving corporate firms, universities and schools to plant mangroves and pick up litter in the area.
“We plan to make SMG Mega Mangrove Cleanup an annual event as this programme has received encouraging response from the public.
“With it being held more frequently, we hope this mangrove swamp area can be conserved and be free from trash swept in by the river. We want to expand this effort so more of the community is involved in environmental conservation.
“Our hope is for people to incorporate a culture of addressing pollution from the root. If all quarters are more responsible in managing domestic waste, we would no longer need large-scale cleanup programmes like this,” Syaiful added.
The event also saw LLSB launching its new corporate identity to symbolise the company’s commitment to strengthen its environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda in an effort to transform Sungai Klang into a catalyst of Selangor’s sustainable development.
