A GROUP of students from Uplands International School spent part of the morning collaborating with members of the Mutiara Recreation Club, Penang Island City Council (MBPP), Telok Bahang MPKK and Telok Awak MPKK in a beach cleanup at Telok Bahang today.
The collaborative effort came about after Year 7 students wrote to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, expressing their wish to do their part to keep the state clean and seeking support for their planned beach cleanup project.
Impressed by the students’ commitment and concern for the environment, Chow, in his response, praised the school for instilling civic awareness and respect for the shared environment among its students.
Led by teachers Patrick Anderson and JL Murdoch, the 12 Uplands students, aged between 12 and 14, enthusiastically combed part of Telok Bahang beach using rubbish pickers, bamboo rakes, bamboo dustbins and plastic bags provided by MBPP.
Among those who turned up were state Communications director and Chief Minister’s press secretary Yap Lee Ying, Southwest District and Land Office senior penghulu Mohd Farouk Varusai, MBPP councillor Ooi Mei Mei, Telok Awak MPKK representative Catherine Tan, Buletin Recreation Club deputy chairman Idzham Ahmad and secretary Zainulfaqar Yaacob.
During the one-and-a-half-hour Mutiara Recreation Club CSR Plogging with Uplands programme, several bags of rubbish were collected. One Uplands student even took home a large tyre he found lying on the beach.
Anderson said that, as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme at the school, all students were required to complete service activities throughout the year.
“We call that community engagement. This collaboration is the students’ idea. The students lead the activities. We provide guidance and help to show them the opportunities and connections, but they make those decisions themselves,” he said.
He added that other students had worked with various groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) around the island, including animal shelters and St Nicholas Home Penang.
Yap expressed her appreciation to Uplands and its students, as well as MBPP, Telok Bahang MPKK and Telok Awak MPKK, for making the event a success.
“We look forward to more collaborations in the future,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mohd Farouk said he was delighted with the good teamwork in helping to keep the beach and Penang clean.
“This is a meaningful project,” he said.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Yap Lee Ying & Law Suun Ting
