After the recent news announcing Malaysia as one of the top 10 contributors to ocean pollution, netizens were eager to take to the net to disagree, spew excuses and point fingers.
But who can we point fingers at if not ourselves when it’s so clearly happening in our very own backyard?
BKI (@KKCity) recently took to Twitter to share a photo taken by someone only identified as Vincent, showcasing a water village in Semporna, Sabah. The only issue with the photo? Instead of seeing crystal clear waters below the village, the only thing you can see is a thick layer of trash floating on the ocean surface.
Sampah sarap di sebuah kampung atas air di Semporna ??
? @vincentandam pic.twitter.com/dadnRZhJjQ
— BKI (@KKCity) July 2, 2019
The post captioned as, “Trash surrounding a water village in Semporna,” has triggered netizens to share their own photos of the level of pollution we’ve caused to the ocean.
So sad. This is in Lahad Datu. Maybe sebab sampah hanyut dari tengah laut kot. pic.twitter.com/HKThU8OuBi
— Adel Kamal (@adelkamall) July 2, 2019
This one is captioned, “So sad. This is in Lahad Datu. Maybe it’s because the trash floated in from the middle of the ocean.”
Source: Twitter
Surprisingly, netizens still found ways to point fingers, evade responsibility and joke about the matter in the comments section.
Source: Twitter
This comment reads, “I don’t believe that the trash is coming from everywhere. If I’m wrong, try living in a village on top of the water like this and see where they dispose of their trash.”
Source: Twitter
This comment says, “It turns out Semporna is not perfect (sempurna is perfect in Malay)”
Other’s pointed out that this is happening in other locations as well.
Source: Twitter
This comment goes, “Not just Sabah. Pulau Ketam (Selangor) is also like this.”
Source: Twitter
This comment says, “Also around the Mabul islands (Sabah), trash is thrown into the sea. It’s sad but true.”
Thankfully however, some netizens chose to encourage others to clean up Semporna and to take pollution seriously.
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
This comment goes, “I think it would be better for the villagers to clean up before sicknesses start taking their lives.”
We need to start seeing ocean pollution as a collective problem, and focus on executing a solution before the damage becomes irreversible.
And maybe, just maybe, Semporna; Mabul Islands, Pulau Ketam and whichever other locations in Malaysia that are experiencing this can go back to the way it used to be. Simply gorgeous.
Source: Kadidiri Paradise
Source: Asian Itinerary
Source: AyoPelesiran
BKI’s posting has since garnered over 1,100 retweets.
It’s about time we put the ocean back to how we found it, clean, clear and calm.
Also read: M’sian Forced to Clean Streets for 1 Hour Wearing ‘Kutu Sampah’ Vest As He Simply Threw Rubbish
