Kuala lumpur: The Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) Mega Mangrove Cleanup 2026 programme is among the ongoing platforms used by the Yayasan Insan Istimewa Selangor (YANIS) to empower the persons with disabilities (PwD) community through the agendas of social inclusion and environmental sustainability.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, YANIS chief executive officer Kamarul Hisham Yeop Hashim highlighted the participation of 46 individuals, including 26 students with learning disabilities from the foundation's Independent Living Support Centre (ILSC) programme. This involvement showcases their ability to make meaningful societal and environmental contributions when given the chance.
He pointed out that their participation, in conjunction with World Mangrove Day 2026, is part of the ILSC's community-based learning approach, focusing on developing independent living skills, job readiness, and social integration for youths with disabilities.
"Involvement in programmes like this helps this community build self-confidence, improve social skills, foster the spirit of volunteerism, and raise awareness of their responsibility to protect the environment," Kamarul Hisham stated at Mangrove Point, Port Klang, today. He added that such programmes provide outdoor learning opportunities for participants to appreciate and care for the environment, while indirectly enabling YANIS to help them engage more with the wider community and live independently.
Kamarul Hisham also noted that YANIS' participation forms part of its efforts to expand strategic partnerships and create more opportunities for the PwD community to contribute meaningfully to the state's development. This participation reflects the organisation's commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles through conservation, empowerment, and collaboration with various stakeholders.
He emphasized that the programme supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
"As a social enterprise owned by the Selangor state government, YANIS will continue to strengthen strategic partnerships to empower the PwD community through education, skills development, volunteerism, and sustainability initiatives, aiming to build a more inclusive and sustainable society," he added. The programme also strengthens strategic ties with companies under Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) (MBI Selangor) in advancing sustainable development and community empowerment.
The SMG Mega Mangrove Cleanup 2026, organised by Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB), brought together over 1,000 participants from various government agencies, government-linked companies (GLCs), the corporate sector, educational institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and local communities.
The event, officiated by Tengku Datin Paduka Setia Tengku Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and witnessed by state Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim and LLSB managing director Syaiful Azmen Nordin, earned recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) for achieving the "Largest Participation in a Mangrove Forest Cleanup Programme" today.