Kertih: A total of 500 one-day-old green sea turtle hatchlings, each measuring 2.5 centimetres, were released into the sea at the Ma' Daerah Turtle Sanctuary Centre in Kertih today as part of conservation efforts under the 2026 Sustainable Environment Programme organised by the Terengganu Girl Guides Association of Malaysia.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Regent of Terengganu Tengku Muhammad Ismail Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin also released several turtle hatchlings at about 6.30 pm. Tengku Puteri Daulath Raja Tengku Fatimatuz Zahra', Tengku Muhammad Ismail's sister, was also in attendance. Other notable attendees included Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar and Terengganu Fisheries Department director Pang Nyukang.

The sanctuary incubated the green sea turtle hatchlings, and the release aimed to support the species' survival and raise public awareness of the importance of turtle conservation in the state. Earlier, Tengku Muhammad Ismail called on the public to help protect the environment and marine ecosystems to ensure the sustainability of natural resources for future generations. He highlighted that pollution, littering, and uncontrolled human activities increasingly threaten the balance of the environment and marine life, including fish, turtles, and coral reefs.

Tengku Muhammad Ismail stated, "Protecting the environment is not solely the responsibility of the government or certain organisations. It is a shared responsibility. Although our individual actions may seem small, when taken by millions of people, their impact can be significant."