PANTAI Batu Laut in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, got a clean-up with 338.5kg of rubbish cleared from the beach.
The clean-up was a corporate social responsibility (CSR) project by Proton Edar Malaysia which teamed up with MY Clean Beach, a local environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO).
It involved 42 volunteers from Proton management, Kelab Proton Edar members and MY Clean Beach who focused on two key areas of the beach: the mangrove region and the local visitor area.
The team collected 263.95kg of general waste, 38kg of large items, 19.5kg of plastic, 14kg of glass, 3.5kg of tins and metal items, 148 cigarette butts and 46 plastic straws.
The clean-up restored the condition of the beach that is along the shores of the Straits of Malacca and less than two hours’ drive from Kuala Lumpur.
Pantai Batu Laut is known for its lush mangrove swamps and clear waters.
Proton Edar chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said the event was aimed at improving the beach’s condition as well as raising awareness about the importance of keeping our beaches clean and the role that mangroves and coastal ecosystems play in environmental conservation.
The collaboration between Proton and MY Clean Beach, he said, underscored the importance of environmental responsibility for corporations.
“Through this initiative, Proton continues to engage its employees in meaningful CSR activities, fostering teamwork and camaraderie while promoting environmental awareness,” he said.
He highlighted that the event also served as a platform to raise awareness of proper waste disposal and the pressing issues of plastic pollution.
“By removing waste from Pantai Batu Laut, Proton has helped contribute to healthier ecosystems.
“It also fostered a sense of unity among our employees while raising awareness about the vital importance of environmental protection and responsible waste management.
“As we grow our product line to include more hybrid and EV models, it is imperative that our operations are also more environmentally friendly and CSR activities such as this are a great way to get the ball rolling,” Roslan said, adding that the tagline was “My beach is local, and I own it. It’s part of me and my country”.
MY Clean Beach is an organisation dedicated to protecting marine life and addressing plastic pollution.
To date, the NGO has removed 16,817.8kg of waste, engaged 3,677 volunteers and planted 485 trees in its efforts to protect the environment.