OSK Group has recently launched COMB-AT (OSK Beach Combing), a year-long coastal conservation initiative at Pantai Balok, Kuantan, with the aim of tackling marine litter while supporting the long-term sustainability of Malaysia’s coastal tourism destinations.
A play on the word COMB-AT, it carries the tagline “Comb the Coast, Combat the Waste” and reflects OSK Group’s commitment to turning sustainability into measurable action. Rather than a one-off beach clean-up, the programme combines systematic beach cleaning with waste segregation, weighing and data recording to build a clearer understanding of marine litter and form future interventions. The findings will provide insights into waste patterns and help OSK Group and its partners identify opportunities for more targeted environmental action.
Dato’ Shaharuddin bin Abu Sohot, Secretary General of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), officiated the initiative, underscoring the importance of public-private collaboration in advancing sustainable tourism and environmental stewardship. Organised by OSK Group, with support from OSK Capital and Swiss-Grand Beach Resort Kuantan, the initiative is carried out in collaboration with MOTAC, Tourism Pahang, and Majlis Bandaraya Kuantan (MBK), with SWCorp serving as the technical partner.
Speaking at the launch, Dato’ Shaharuddin bin Abu Sohot, Secretary General of MOTAC, said, “Our beaches are among Malaysia’s important natural assets for the tourism sector. Protecting these natural attractions is not only an environmental responsibility, but also important to maintaining the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of our tourism industry. Initiatives such as COMB-AT demonstrate what can be achieved when government, industry, local authorities and communities come together with a shared responsibility.”
Dato’ Saiful Bahri bin Zainuddin, Executive Director of OSK Group, said the initiative was an opportunity to bring OSK’s sustainability commitment to life through the collective efforts of its people, partners and the wider community. “At OSK, sustainability cannot remain confined to reports. It must be experienced and put into action by our people. COMB-AT gives our teams, partners, and the community a direct opportunity to contribute while helping us better understand the environmental challenges around us,” he said.
“We view this as a purposeful clean-up: beyond clearing litter, the data we gather alongside SWCorp will help build a clearer picture of waste patterns along the coastline. This allows us to move from simply responding to the problem to understanding it better and thinking about more informed, long-term solutions.”
The COMB-AT programme covers approximately 1.4 kilometres of shoreline per session, spanning about 45,000 square metres. Conducted monthly, this translates to approximately 42 kilometres of shoreline covered. During the COMB-AT beach combing activity, participants collected a total of 68.75 kg of waste, which was sorted and recorded by type. The waste collected comprised 38.15 kg of plastic and plastic bottles, 7.35 kg of garden waste, 7.20 kg of fabric, 5.30 kg of rope, 3.40 kg of paper and cardboard, 3.20 kg of mixed waste, 1.85 kg of polystyrene, 1.00 kg of rubber, 0.90 kg of cans and 0.40 kg of glass.
The initiative builds on OSK Group’s broader circular economy and waste management strategy. In 2025, the Group diverted 198,669 kg of metal, 155,356 kg of paper, and 784,437 kg of plastics from landfills, representing more than double the total volume diverted in the previous year.
COMB-AT directly supports OSK Group’s contribution to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 14 (Life Below Water) through efforts to reduce marine pollution, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through responsible waste management and resource recovery, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through collaboration across the public, private and community sectors.
The launch at Pantai Balok also connects to OSK Group’s hospitality business, with Swiss-Grand Beach Resort Kuantan located along the coastline. The newly refurbished resort, part of Swiss Garden International’s hospitality portfolio established in 1991, recently received five-star recognition from MOTAC.
For OSK Group, protecting the environment surrounding its hospitality operations is an extension of its responsibility to the destinations and communities in which it operates. Dato’ Saiful added, “A destination is defined by its natural surroundings as much as its facilities. Pantai Balok is the heart of this coastal ecosystem, and we have an ongoing responsibility to help protect it.”
The launch brought together approximately 100 participants, including OSK employees, local community members, students, volunteers and representatives from government agencies and partner organisations. Through COMB-AT, OSK Group aims to build a longer-term culture of environmental responsibility by bringing together its people, partners and communities to protect the natural assets that support Malaysia’s tourism industry.
