120 volunteers collect 3 tonnes of waste at Siburan’s Taman Duranda Emas

KUCHING (Jan 19): Some 120 individuals collected three tonnes of waste, including discarded plastic cups and straws, cigarette butts and snack wrappers, during a volunteerism campaign held at Taman Duranda Emas in Siburan near here recently.

They included members of the World Mission Society Church of God University Student Volunteer Group (ASEZ) and the local community.

“The volunteers thoroughly cleaned a three-kilometre stretch from a commercial district to nearby residential areas. The activity was carried out amid a shared understanding of the need for environmental clean-up to help the area develop into a pleasant residential community in the future.

“Taman Duranda Emas, which is currently under development, still has many vacant lots and streets that have yet to be properly maintained,” said ASEZ in a statement on Monday.

According to ASEZ, locals who observed the young volunteers’ contributions praised their efforts and expressed their gratitude with warm smiles.

Prior to the campaign, state Deputy Minister of Transport Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, who is also Bengoh assemblyman, extended his gratitude to ASEZ for taking the initiative to organise the clean-up activity.

“This activity is truly meaningful and very helpful to all the local residents around the community here,” he said.

He was glad to note that the Siburan District Council had also rendered its support by providing all the cleaning supplies needed for the campaign.

ASEZ said it had implemented clean-up initiatives across Malaysia, including in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah, Selangor, Penang and Johor.

It added that environmental protection campaigns have also been carried out on an ongoing basis, raising public awareness and exploring ways to build a sustainable future for the planet.

“ASEZ is an international volunteer organisation affiliated with the Church of God and operates worldwide, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Korea.

“Its name carries the meaning ‘Save the Earth from A to Z’, reflecting its commitment to environmental protection from beginning to end. Across various countries, ASEZ carries out a wide range of initiatives including crime prevention, climate change response, community service and disaster relief,” the Group said.

Meanwhile, the Church of God, which ASEZ belongs to, is a global church established in over 7,800 locations across 175 countries.

Taman Duranda Emas in Siburan was among the areas in the state having been affected by the intermittent downpours, forcing families to evacuate in the early hours of Jan 9.