To quote WWF Malaysia, “The need to restore coral reefs is crystal clear, both for marine life, the livelihood and food security of coastal communities.” Lush Malaysia, who has been spearheading coral planting initiatives at Lang Tengah Island, recently expanded its conservation and restoration efforts to Johor islands.
In effort to restore the marine ecosystem and boost tourism in Mersing, Lush Malaysia recently partnered up with the Johor State Government and Johor Princess Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim Ismail for a coral planting initiative on Rawa Island and Tengah Island. The aim is to regenerate biodiversity and strengthen coral reef resilience against climate change.
“Lush believes that the health of the ocean is vital for global climate stability, diverse ecosystems and human life. Coral reefs, among the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth, provide essential habitats and protect shorelines from extreme weather. They also play a significant role in tourism. However, climate change and unsustainable practices threaten these ecosystems. Regenerating coral reefs benefits coastal communities, fisheries, and wildlife, while also contributing to climate regulation,” said Dr Harvinder Harchand, Director of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics Malaysia.
With support from the Tengah Island Conservation (TIC), the Lush team, celebrities, environmentalists together with government officers joined Tunku Tun Aminah, her husband Dato’ Dennis Muhammad Abdullah and Dr Harvinder in officiating the coral planting activity, marking a significant step towards marine conservation.
During the launch, Dr Harvinder also highlighted on the importance of corals. She stressed, “They are actually the forest of the sea. We have done coral planting since 2021. It’s grown beautifully today but sad to say, it’s starting to bleach a little bit. So we have to continue to plant and plant and plant. We want more organisations to join in because it’s going to benefit our future generation. As everybody knows, 60% to 70% of our oxygen is supplied by the sea. And corals make home for this sort of ecosystem, which is regenerative. Sustainability needs to continue, but regenerative needs to start today.”
She recalled, “When I visited a market in Sabah, I saw that they were selling parrot fish. Who are the ones that’s going to save these corals? It’s the parrot fishes. They are cute, but leave them in the sea, it’s not for us to eat. So I hope the government can come up with banning the capture of parrot fish because they are basically the DBKL of the corals. They eat, they produce hundreds of pounds of sand because they have that system to basically digest and clean up all the dead corals and then whatever that’s alive can go in and start growing. Basically, they do the cleanup job for you.”
In addition to planting coral fragments at Mersing Islands, participants also took part in a beach cleanup to raise awareness in hopes to cultivate a deeper commitment to restoring marine ecosystems. A total of 9 coral frames (roughly 210-225 coral nubbins) were planted that day, while the group collected approximately 50kg of trash during the beach cleanup.
This initiative is part of Lush’s commitment to foster a thriving natural environment and strengthen coral reef resilience against climate change. These efforts would not only regenerate biodiversity but also attract eco-conscious tourists, contributing to the revitalisation of the local economy.
“At Lush, we strive to enhance the health of people, places and the planet. This coral planting initiative perfectly aligns with our mission, restoring marine ecosystems and involving the community. Our global efforts, including partnerships that protect forests and wildlife, demonstrate our commitment to regenerative practices, going beyond sustainability,” added Dr Harvinder.
For more information on Lush Malaysia’s sustainability initiatives, visit www.lush.my. Malaysians can also apply for the Lush Spring Prize at www.springprize.org.
