SUNSHINE STORIES

By Sofia I remember the first time I step my foot on Maliangin island as a Community Liaison Officer. I was very excited to meet the inhabitants (community members). I have heard and read a lot about the island before I went there, and to my surprise I was amazed how this island has not become globally known as tourist destination. The island itself surrounded by crystal clear turquoise water. The island’s beach is a place for Green and Hawksbill turtles to lay their eggs while the other sea creatures living in the sea benefit from the coral reefs and seagrass thriving around the island. Dugong is one of the protected marine mammals that swim and graze seagrass around this island. I was relieved that the villagers were very welcoming and friendly, and as curious as I was. Me and my team members had a long chat with one of the family, Musana family, who is the prominent family living on the island. We chatted about the community’s thoughts about their area being promoted as a model...

My heart beat unusually fast. The weight of the tank strapped over my shoulder felt heavier than I thought it should. The octopus regulator was neatly tucked into the right pocket of my Buoyancy Control Device (BCD). The depth gauge was strapped tight against my stomach from the left. The regulator dangled at my right, waiting to be reached. My weight was settled uncomfortably on the edge of the speedboat. Slowly, I reached for my fins and tightened the straps. My mask covered my eyes and nose, allowing me to breathe only through my mouth. Adjusting my weight again, I could hear my heart beat drumming against my ears.   “BCD inflated?” the boatman asked. I reached for the short and black hose-like device on my left and pressed the grey button at the side a couple of times. The hissing sound of the air filling my BCD could be heard, as it slowly tightened against my ribs with each press. My heart beat faster as I reached for the regulator on my right and my teeth clenched n...

Group photo of marine scientists embarked in the expedition during the TMPE 2012 Press Conference in UMS  © WWF-Malaysia/Eric Madeja   From 6 to 26 September 2012, a team of marine scientists from Malaysia, the Netherlands and Australia embarked on an expedition in the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP), Kudat, Malaysia. The Tun Mustapha Park Expedition (TMPE) assessed aspects of marine biodiversity and ecology, as well as the socioeconomic benefits of the marine ecosystems to local communities in the proposed park. As signatory to the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), Malaysia developed a National Plan of Action for protecting the Coral Triangle region. This expedition is one of Malaysia ’s activities under the CTI-National Plan of Action. The expedition was jointly led by Mr. Muhammad Ali Syed Hussein, Leader of the UMS team; Dr. Bert Hoeksema of Naturalis Biodiveristy Center , Leader of the Coral Reef Biodiversity Team; and Ms. Bobita Ahad of WWF-Malaysia,...

Sabah Parks, the Banggi Youth Club and WWF-Malaysia organised a ’Run for TMP’  in Karakit, Banggi Island, within the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) on 15 July. Sabah Parks, the Banggi Youth Club and WWF-Malaysia organised a ’Run for TMP’  in Karakit, Banggi Island, within the proposed Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) yesterday. © WWF-Malaysia/Angela Lim The run aimed to raise awareness on the importance of the park in providing food security and income from tourism as well as its biodiversity richness, among the local communities and the participants of the run. A similar run was conducted earlier in Kudat town on 1 July to inform the public, especially local communities within the TMP, on the importance to support the gazettement of TMP as a multi-purpose marine park. Encik Asdari Beluot, Sabah Parks Officer, flagged off the 7km run from Astaka Terbuka Karakit to Kg. Batu Putih, Simpang Wak-Wak, SMK Banggi and back at 8am. He said, “It is heartening to see so ...

  On 17 th May 2012, Donny Musana who is a resident of Maliangin Island and an Honorary Wildlife Warden (HWW) called WWF-Malaysia Kudat Marine Biologist at around 4 pm saying that, he saw a whale swimming in the shallow water in front of his house in Maliangin Island . The whale was reported to be injured on its head. While waiting for the Marine Biologist to arrive at Maliangin Island , Donny was advised to keep an eye on the whale while waiting for the WWF-Malaysia team members arrival early the next morning. Banggi Youth Club (BYC) members were immediately contacted to help Donny keeping an eye on the suspected injured whale. Four BYC members volunteered to stay overnight on Maliangin Island, located about 20 minutes boat ride from Karakit Township on Banggi Island.                                   ...

  As we progressed into mid of 2012, we have been filling our schedules with more activities to continue raising awareness on marine conservation. To kick start the year, we have organised the first ever regional symposium to call against fish bombing activities in Sabah waters in Promenade Hotel, Kota Kinabalu. The two-day symposium aimed to make recommendations and to build partnerships with regards to anti-fish bombing patrolling mechanisms in Sabah and the wider Coral Triangle area was co-organized by the State Action Committee on Anti-Fish Bombing, Sabah Parks, Marine Conservation Society UK and WWF-Malaysia in Kota Kinabalu. Participants from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Phillipines included representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations, academicians, community representatives and enforcement agencies. In the Anti-Fish Bombing Symposium held from 22-23 February, a "Call to Action" was formulated with input from all present and w...

Group 4 of the Interim Steering Committee for Tun Mustapha Park (TMP) led by the District Office of Kudat, Kota Marudu and Pitas organized a dialogue with communities especially with the fishermen in Kg. Taritipan and Kg. Langkon Baru on the 7 July 2011. Over 50 people attended the dialogue including government agencies and NGO in each dialogue held. The dialogue held intended to update the community on the progress and status of TMP gazettement and also to obtain their feedback on the gazettement of TMP. Major concerns highlighted by the communities were fate of houses built on coastal areas in untitled land, fate of fishermen whose fishing area are near No-Take Zone , land application, status of gazettement of TMP, and area covered in TMP. The communities appreciate more of such dialogues held in the days to come to provide a platform for the communities to be involved and to be updated with the gazettement of TMP. All in all, they voiced out positive support for the gazettement of...