Coasting to a clean record
2,400 volunters get into the Malaysia Book of Records while cleaning up the Gurney Drive beachfront in Penang.
GEORGETOWN: For college student Mohamad Fadzhar Mohamed Fadzill, taking part in the Cleaning Gurney 2012 event meant more than just cleaning up the beach.
He said he was proud to have helped make Penang cleaner.
“This is the first time I took part in a beach cleaning activity,’’ he added.
Mohamad Fadzhar, a SEGi College student who is pursuing a Diploma in Tourism Management, also made new friends while being kept busy at the Gurney Drive seafront.
The 19-year-old was among 2,400 participants armed with rakes, waste baskets and garbage bags who sacrificed their Sunday morning snooze to help out at the event.
Organised by New Century Lions Club of Penang Island and the Pulau Tikus constituency, Cleaning Gurney 2012 also made its way into the Malaysia Book of Records for being the largest coastline clean-up operation.
Among those who took part were 82 students and teacher advisers from SEGi College’s SEGians Care Club.
Organising chairman Benson Ooi said many others also joined in without actually signing up.
Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai urged the public to reduce the use of disposable cutleries.
State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh also said the state-wide polystyrene ban would start on Dec 1.
“We are working on enforcement details to be announced later,” he said.