30/09/2025

TUESDAY | SEPT 30, 2025

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Gotong-royong event sets new records

SEREMBAN: The Housing and Local Government Ministry entered the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) twice in a single day during the Hari Cuci Malaysia 2025 event in Port Dickson on Saturday. Its minister Nga Kor Ming said the two feats were the “Largest Gotong-Royong Participation”, involving 100,817 volunteers nationwide and the “Most Used Cooking Oil Collected in a Day”, totalling 27,679.31kg and worth RM79,684.56, Bernama reported. “This achievement surpasses last year’s gotong-royong record of 58,007 participants. At the same time, the ministry set a fresh benchmark by gathering the most used cooking oil, collected from 10 states; Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, Terengganu and Kuala Lumpur.” The MBOR certificate was presented to the ministry’s deputy secretary-general (management and development) Datuk Mohd Zamri Mat Zain by MBOR representative Siti Hajar Johor on Sunday, which coincided with World Cleanup Day, a global movement to promote environmental care. Nga said the event also saw the collection of 6,462 metric tonnes of solid waste nationwide, including discarded plastic, garden waste, wood, paper, textiles and other materials. He added that the campaign was not only about breaking records but also about showcasing national unity. o Activity also resulted in 6,400 metric tonnes of solid waste collected nationwide, says minister

Nga posing with a group of volunteers at the event. – BERNAMAPIC

The effort drew participation from government agencies, local councils, schools, community groups, cleaning companies, housing developers such as PR1MA and SPNB, industry associations, private firms and NGOs.

environmental sustainability in line with aspirations for a cleaner, greener future. The programme, part of the government’s national cleanliness agenda, rallied thousands of volunteers from all walks of life to take part in cleaning and recycling activities.

“It reflects a shared commitment to cleanliness for the well-being of current and future generations.” He also said the record-setting effort underlined Malaysia’s commitment to building a culture of cleanliness and

Port Dickson shellfish safe for consumption: Fisheries Dept SEREMBAN: Mussels and other shellfish from the waters off Port Dickson are now safe to eat, after biotoxin levels in samples taken on Sept 17 were found to be below 800 parts per billion (ppb). Pasir Panjang have been allowed to resume collection and harvesting activities with immediate effect. “Monitoring and test results on mussel samples from the area have consistently shown readings of less than 800 ppb for nearly four consecutive weeks. Therefore, the shellfish are safe for consumption.”

Kasim said the ban remained in place until monitoring was completed, during which the public was advised against consuming shellfish from the affected area to avoid the risk of food poisoning. He added that members of the public who still have shellfish harvested during the prohibition period are advised to dispose of them and not consume them. – Bernama

“This is based on the findings of the Main Committee on Harmful Algal Bloom Cases, which confirmed that the level of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin in mussel samples taken on Sept 17 was below the 800 ppb threshold.

On Aug 15, the department issued a ban on the collection and harvesting of shellfish in Port Dickson after mussel samples were found to contain PSP toxin levels above the limit.

Negeri Sembilan Fisheries Department director Kasim Tawe said mussel farmers using piling and raft systems in the waters stretching from Sungai Sekawang to Kampung Telok in