Polluted beaches give Miri a bad image
MIRI: The shores and beaches here are again heavily polluted by rubbish of mostly household waste, giving the city and its residents a bad image.
On Monday afternoon at Marina Beach, which is part of the reclaimed land for Miri City, one could see kilometres of the beach strewn with rubbish, mostly plastic bottles, which remained until yesterday.
Who is to be blamed? Certainly the locals.
The current habit of indiscriminate dumping of rubbish needs to be stopped at all cost before the situation becomes chronic and causes massive problems to the people and degrades the environment.
One of the ways Mirians and the authorities here can help is to take part in the activities in conjunction with the World Oceans Day ( WOD) 2017 celebration to be held here from July 1 to 29.
Co- chairman of the celebration in Miri and Miri Inland Revenue Board ( IRB) assistant director Iqbal Abdollah, when contacted yesterday, said pollution in Miri including at Marina beach was very common.
“Undoubtedly, several beach cleaning campaigns had been carried out at Marina Beach, even recently, but the rubbish keeps coming in with the tide and there seems to be no end to it unless indiscriminate dumping is put to a stop,” said Iqbal, who conducted studies on the beaches of Miri Marina on Oct 30 last year and at Kampung Kuala Sibuti.
Undoubtedly, several beach cleaning campaigns had been carried out at Marina Beach, even recently, but the rubbish keeps coming in with the tide and there seems to be no end to it unless indiscriminate dumping is put to a stop. Iqbal Abdollah, World Oceans Day Miri cochairman
He added “I believe the current rubbish composition is almost the same if not more when I did the study of the sample plot measuring just about 10m² where I picked up 301 plastic bottles, the most trash there.
“Others included plastic containers, industrial waste like wood pieces, iron scraps and zinc sheets, toys, plastic sheets, disposable diapers, and also brassieres and panties.”
Iqbal, who is also Malaysian Nature Society ( MNS) Miri treasurer, thus urged more people to volunteer and take part in the WOD Miri 2017 beach cleaning campaign at Marina Bay on July 1, from 8am.
He said former deputy chief minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan had agreed to officiate at the event and take part in the cleaning campaign which is themed ‘Save the Ocean – Let’s Clean Up’.
Also expected to take part is WOD Miri 2017 co- organising chairwoman, Datin Judy Wan Morshidi, who is also the Malaysian Red Crescent ( MRC) Miri vice-chairwoman.
One of the advisors for WOD Miri 2017, Dr Loh Yunn Hua, who first mooted the idea to host WOD 2017 in Miri, is also expected to attend.
Iqbal added that 100 people had confirmed their participation in the cleaning-up and those interested can call him at 0198416185 or email Iqbal@ hasil.gov. my.
More information on other activities and entry forms can be obtained by contacting Lilian Baun Pulo of Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri at 085- 422525 ext 221/303 or email lilianbp@ sarawak.gov.my.
Other activities to be held are a symposium, public speaking contest, essay writing as well as arts and crafts competition.
WOD Miri 2017 is initiated by a group of volunteers passionate about environmental conservation with support from Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri; Miri City Council; Malaysian Red Crescent ( MRC) Miri Chapter; MNS Miri; Society of English Writers Northern Zone (Soswe) and Miri Toastmasters Club.
It will be the first time Miri and Sarawak in general observe WOD, which is a global day of ocean celebration and collaboration for a better future.
Themed ‘0ur Oceans, Our Future’, its main conservation focus will be on plastic pollution prevention and cleaning the ocean of marine hazards.