This pile of rubbish is an example of the waste found washed on the beach as well as underneath the water village. — Photos courtesy of Pemimpin Belia IKLIM Mabul
Issue undermines efforts to promote island as a holiday paradise.
MABUL Island, with its crystal-clear turquoise waters, pristine sandy shores, and vibrant coral reefs, is the epitome of a postcard-perfect paradise.
Nestled off Sabah’s east coast in the Semporna district, it’s a haven for divers and travellers seeking an escape into nature’s splendour.
But beneath its beauty lies a pressing issue that threatens to tarnish the island’s allure – an escalating trash problem.
Home to around 4,000 residents, Mabul has been grappling with waste accumulation, undermining efforts to promote the island as an idyllic destination.
Sacks containing rubbish collected from the village.
Plastic, aluminium, and discarded clothing wash ashore, creating an eyesore for visitors and harming the marine ecosystem.
The issue has not gone unnoticed; many visitors, both domestic and foreign, have shared video blogs praising Mabul’s natural beauty but expressing shock at the rubbish problem.
Fed up with the growing waste, the island’s villagers decided to take matters into their own hands. Between March and August, they collected more than 50,000kg of trash from the beaches and the sea, much of it found beneath their stilt houses.
“This effort is a collective initiative by everyone in this village who wants to see a better and cleaner Mabul,” said village chief Yusuf Jalal.
Villagers working hard to collect rubbish from the seabed underneath their houses in the water village.
“Mabul has often been labelled a dirty island despite its world-class diving sites, and we want to change that. We’re determined to ensure our beaches are cleaner than ever before.”
Over 1,000 residents have taken part in large-scale clean-ups since March, with more joining each time.
The initiative is part of a district-level cleanliness campaign launched by the district office earlier this year.
Yusuf noted that the growing turnout is due to increased awareness that Mabul’s upkeep is not just the responsibility of the authorities or resorts – it’s a shared duty.
Villagers loading the piles of rubbish collected onto a boat to be transported to Semporna for proper disposal.
“No one on the island benefits if tourists stop coming because of the rubbish problem,” Yusuf said.
“As a village leader, I want to prove that together, we can create a better and improved environment on Mabul Island.”
Villager Mubin Paraja, a member of the Mabul cleanliness management committee, said the cleanup will now be a regular event.
“We want to continue this every Saturday until we’ve cleaned everything. At the same time, we’ll lobby for a waste management system to stop direct disposal into the sea,” he said, adding that NGO Reef Check Malaysia has been providing technical advice and support throughout the process.
Children also doing their part to keep their beaches and village clean.
Reef Check Malaysia programme manager Adzmin Fatta praised the villagers’ dedication and leadership.
“I’ve witnessed great cooperation among the islanders, especially from the village leadership. When the community is given support, they can address such issues effectively,” he said.
However, Adzmin stressed that the clean-up drive should be seen as a short-term solution. Continuously collecting and transporting rubbish for disposal is expensive and unsustainable.
“The trash collected has to be sent by boat about an hour away to mainland Semporna for disposal at a landfill, costing RM1,000 each time. This excludes the cost of the gunny sacks used to collect the rubbish.
“The locals don’t have much money to pay for transportation,” he explained, adding that sometimes the district council assists with boats.
“The long-term solution is for the government to establish a proper waste management system, which will also foster a culture of not throwing trash into the sea.
“We’ll continue to work with the village committee and the islanders, providing support whenever we can,” Adzmin said.
