KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government will be working with secondary school students in the state to address marine plastic waste problems.
Sabah and Japan's Conference of Earth Environment from Akita (CEEA) signed the memorandum of understanding for the "Clean Ocean Project by Students in Sabah and Akita (COPSA) Sustainable Ocean Project in Sabah, Malaysia: The Initiative of Secondary School Students to Protect the Future of Oceans".
State Tourism, Culture and Environment permanent secretary Datuk Mohd Yusrie Abdullah represented the ministry, while CEEA Board chairman Professor Kenichi Hasegawa signed on behalf of CEEA.
Mohd Yusrie said the project will be implemented over the duration of three years from 2023 until 2026.
"The main purpose of the current project is for an educational method to address the marine plastic waste issue to be developed and disseminated to secondary schools in Sabah.
"The expected outputs of the project through the implementation of various activities such as surveys, awareness programmes and international symposiums are to be carried out by the relevant agencies including a study on marine plastic waste in Sabah, and identification of countermeasures against it.
"(It will also include) development of an educational module and materials on the marine plastic waste issue, and dissemination to secondary students.
"(Thirdly) is the enhancement of the capacity of relevant organisations to continue developing and utilising educational modules and materials on marine plastic waste," he said in a statement.
In 2019, the ministry had also concluded an MOU with CEEA for three years for the enhancement of the capacity of relevant departments and agencies, for actions related to climate change in Sabah.