17/09/2025

WEDNESDAY | SEPT 17, 2025

6

Sailing solo around the world

o Former marine engineer leaves corporate career to circumnavigate globe

food waste into compost. Fish farmer Abdul Majid Fitri, 34, said BSFL helped him cut feed costs by up to 70%. “I farm about 4,000 catfish. By combining pellets with BSFL, the fish grow faster. Usually, it takes 40 days to reach market size, but now (it only takes) about three weeks.” However, food waste supply remains the main challenge. Both Liyana and Abdul Majid collect scraps from households and eateries. Liyana is urging the public and food operators in Perak to contribute. “It is a win-win situation. I get feed for the larvae and the community no longer needs to worry about waste disposal. We also provide free collection services.” – Bernama fearsome storms, unpredictable seas and currents converge. “It demanded every bit of planning, seamanship and mental strength I had. Successfully making it through was both a relief and one of the most defining moments of the entire circumnavigation.” When he completes his journey, he will be the fourth Malaysian to sail around the world. Above all, he feels privileged to carry Malaysia’s name to distant shores. “Knowing I’m nearing the end of this journey fills me with a mixture of humility, relief and gratitude. “There is pride, not the boastful kind, but the quiet satisfaction of having followed a vision I set for myself and seeing it come true. “I feel thankful, for the moments at sea that took my breath away, for the people such as those at Point Yacht Club Durban who lifted me up and showed me my story mattered and even for the hardships that made the triumphs sweeter. “There is also a sense of responsibility. I’m coming home with lessons to share, a message about persistence and faith and a desire to use this experience to inspire others through speaking and writing. Ending this journey does not close a chapter so much as it opens a new one.” Fernandez chronicles his odyssey on his website, destinydawnsailing.com and through social media updates, hoping to remind Malaysians to embrace boldness, persistence and the spirit of discovery. reputation, where

Ű BY MAHADHIR MONIHULDIN newdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Steering a yacht across treacherous waters is not for the faint-hearted. But for Fabian Fernandez, it is a test of courage, grit and an abiding love for the sea, one that has taken him around the world. The 54-year-old sailor is on the verge of circumnavigating the globe single-handedly, a feat he is expected to complete by the end of this month or early next month. Sailing aboard his vessel Destiny 12 , his three-year voyage has spanned more than 35,000 nautical miles (about 64,820km), with stops in the Maldives, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and scores of islands in between. What makes his journey even more remarkable is that he left behind a comfortable corporate career as a marine engineer and plantation manager to chase a childhood dream. “What inspired me to attempt this (journey) was a mix of curiosity, challenge and a love for the sea. From the beginning, I knew this was not going to be just another

Sailing aboard his vessel Destiny 12 , Fernandez’s three-year voyage has spanned more than 35,000 nautical miles (about 64,820km). – PIC COURTESY OF FABIAN FERNANDEZ

by the Raja Muda of Selangor, a patron of his club, the Royal Selangor Yacht Club, and a supporter of his journey since day one. The voyage has not been without peril. He counts sailing past the Cape of Good Hope and through the Mozambique Channel as his most harrowing test. No Malaysian has attempted that passage from east to west because of the Cape’s

voyage, it had to be something unique and meaningful.” Fernandez, now in the final leg of his journey, recently departed Indonesia and is about 1,100 nautical miles away from Port Klang. If all goes according to plan, he will return two years ahead of his original five-year schedule. When he sails home, he will be welcomed

Entrepreneur saves cost on livestock feed by farming fly larvae TAIPING: What began in 2019 as a way to cut the cost of rearing chickens and ducks has led Kebun Rahsia founder Liyana Farhana Noor Izan to an innovative and sustainable solution, farming black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). and leftovers collected from neighbours. BSFL farming also produces organic fertiliser from larval waste and shed skin. spread diseases. BSFL are safe for all types of livestock and even pets.” To share her knowledge, Liyana introduced a BSFL starter kit priced at RM150.

“It helps improve soil quality, keeps plants healthier and enriches the land. When given to animals, livestock also grow larger than usual.” She also said BSFL take about two months to reach feed size. “The eggs hatch within three to four days, followed by a larval stage of two weeks. Then, they enter the pre-pupal and pupal phases before becoming adult flies, and the cycle continues,” she said, adding that her farm now produces up to 500kg monthly. “Black soldier flies are not like houseflies. They only lay eggs in clean environments and do not

“The kit comes with eggs, basic equipment, a video guide and two months of mentoring. It is enough to complete one breeding cycle and produce up to 100kg of larvae. My focus is on small-scale farmers, gardeners and home breeders,” she said, adding that she aims to build a community of 1,000 BSF farmers by year-end. She has also partnered with Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and is a strategic partner of the Perak Tengah District Council in its BSFL Project, which converts

She said the idea came along when she searched for alternatives to costly livestock feed and discovered BSFL as an eco-friendly option. “By using BSFL, I could save between 45% and 50% on livestock feed costs. The savings are even greater when I breed them myself.” Beyond savings, BSFL supports sustainability by consuming food waste, which is their main food source. A mother of four, Liyana calls them “nature’s cleaners”. The larvae consume her household scraps

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