Malaysia

Photo courtesy of Hj. Syed Abd Rahman
Text and photos courtesy of Hj. Syed Abd Rahman

Training Disabled Divers in Malaysia

The objective of the program is to build confidence, independence and self-esteem in the lives of children, adults and veterans with disabilities through the sport of scuba diving, scuba therapy and related activities.



The purpose of the program is to provide and support educational scuba diving programs with PADI courses—such as the PADI Seal Team, PADI Junior Open Water and the Open Water Diver course—that are open to any child, adult or veteran with a disability, with the hope of providing both physical and psychological therapeutic value to that person.

(Filephoto) Street scene from Mabul island, Sabah, Malaysia

Shark fishing to be banned in Sabah marine parks

The area is home to about 80 percent of Sabah’s shark population, he said, according to Star Online.

The three parks are Tun Sakaran marine park in Semporna; Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park here; and the proposed Tun Mustapha marine park in Kudat.

The minister said the state had no choice but to use state laws to protect Sabah’s shark population when a request to the Federal government to amend the Fisheries Act to protect marine creature was rejected.

Hunted Out of Fear

The shark is an apex predator that has been on this earth for over 400 million years—a predator that, through the media and our deep-seated fears, has been systematically targeted and hunted throughout the world's oceans, pushing many species close to extinction.

Reefs & Rainforests of Sabah

Hairy squat lobster, Lankayan, Malaysia. Photo by Andrea & Antonella Ferrari

Encompassing an area of roughly 460 square kilometers just off Northern Sabah’s shores, right where Malaysian Borneo’s landmass, small offshore islands and international waters intermingle with their Philippine counterparts in the Sulu Sea, lies the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area, or SIMCA, for friends.