By: Farah Syuhada Rozmi
KUANTAN, Jan 18 – The Fourteenth College, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has conducted a volunteer programme, Wonderspartans Outreach Programme (WOP), in Balok and Cherating. It aims to provide exposure and awareness to students and the community about volunteer activities focused on the environment.
Programme director, Anis Maisarah Sharulnizam, said many are still unaware of the importance of caring for the environment and the effects of littering.
“We enjoy picnics by the beach and the beauty of the beach and sea, but we leave behind all sorts of garbage. This act is not only irresponsible to fellow humans but also to the environment and marine life,” she said.
The WOP programme started at the Natural Village Batik, Balok. The participants were exposed to the batik industry and had an opportunity to make batik with a canting. In the evening, the students conducted the Pujangga Pantai (Beach Poetry) activity where they were required to write and present poems or songs about the environment.
They also visited the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) complex in Kuantan to see the process of arrival and separation of fishes.
The students and the community also conducted the “Clean Beach, Clean Ocean” programme at Balok Beach. The programme is a joint effort of the Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing Corporation (SWCorp) Pahang and Alam Flora Sdn Bhd. Also present at the event were the Community Rehabilitation Programme (PDK) Balok, Silat Pendekar Pahang Association, Nelayan Balok Association, and Kampung Balok Committee.
The garbage was separated by waste categories, which are reuse, recycle, compostable and solid rubbish, and they were weighed by SWCorp. The most common waste found was solids (solid and non-organic), which is 89.5% and is difficult and time-consuming to decompose naturally.
A programme participant, Muhammad Isnorrizal, 22, said the programme has provided awareness on the importance of keeping the environment clean and sorting waste correctly.
Meanwhile, at Cherating Beach, a sandcastle building competition with the 3R concept (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) was held. Wastes such as plastic bottles, drink cans, rope, and even tree branches were used to build the sandcastles.
A forum entitled “Islam dan Alam” (Islam and Nature) was held at Sungai Ular Mosque, Balok which involved the WOP participants and local residents.
A sharing activity on turtles as endangered marine species was held at the Turtle Sanctuary and Conservation Centre, Cherating. The participants had the opportunity to see young turtles according to age, from one month to five and six months, as well as preserved turtles.
Accompanying officer of the programme, Siti Mahsuri Talib, said the programme is intended to enlighten the community regarding volunteer activities related to the environment.
“Many new and valuable experiences are gained, and the objective of the programme focusing on environmental volunteering is achieved,” she said. - UPM
