Marang: A total of 166 kilograms of waste, mostly plastic bottles, was collected within two hours at Pantai Kekabu here yesterday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Marang's Geng Plastik Ija (GPI) chief Rahim Embong said 25 volunteers, including GPI members, Marang District Council (MDM) garbage collectors, and local residents, participated in the Plogging Santai Pulau Kekabu programme. The cleanup initiative was driven by the Northeast Monsoon, which brought significant amounts of waste from overseas, affecting the beaches of Terengganu.

Rahim pointed out that most of the waste consisted of bottles from other countries, identified by brands not available in Malaysia. He emphasized that the cleanup effort was organized to maintain a good image for tourists, aligning with the slogan "Terengganu Negeri Cantik, Budaya Menarik."

He further mentioned that some of the collected waste would be sent to disposal centers, while plastic bottles would be directed to a recycling center in Kampung Undang. The program also aims to educate the public on the importance of keeping beaches clean, highlighting their significance for tourism and local residents' quality of life.

Rahim added that the Plogging Santai programme has been held regularly since the establishment of Marang GPI in 2019, with a focus on cleaning various beaches including Pantai Rhu Rendang, Pantai Rhu Renggeh, Pantai Jambu Bongkok, Pantai Rhu Dua, Pantai Rusila, and Pantai Angin Berbisik.