MIRI – More than 60 volunteers joined forces on Sunday, 14 December 2025, to clean up the riverside of Pulau Melayu in Miri, Sarawak, as part of the international “Green Earth” initiative organised by ASEZ WAO.
The group, which represents the Young Adult Volunteer arm of the World Mission Society Church of God, dedicated their weekend to improving the local environment. Participants included members of ASEZ WAO, their families, friends, and colleagues.
For three hours from early morning, volunteers cleared a two-kilometre stretch of land, collecting nearly 499 kilograms of waste. Items removed ranged from plastic cups and straws to discarded cigarette butts, bags, and beverage cans.
The Miri City Council supported the effort by providing waste collection vehicles. Council representatives praised the volunteers’ commitment, while MBM staff member Jasper noted the scale of the rubbish gathered and expressed interest in future collaboration.
One participant, Liang, described the project as meaningful, highlighting the importance of addressing litter left behind by visitors.
Another volunteer, Yurrin, voiced hope that the initiative would inspire wider community involvement, saying, “I hope that this activity can bring awareness to the Miri community so that we can all take part and take care of Miri together to make it a cleaner and safer environment.”
ASEZ WAO, whose name symbolises “Save the Earth from A to Z, We Are One Family,” has been active in Malaysia and abroad with projects aimed at environmental protection. Their campaigns include “Blue Ocean” for marine conservation, “Mother’s Forest” for tree planting, and the “2040 Plastic-Free” initiative to reduce plastic pollution.
In Malaysia, the organisation has conducted cleanups at Lutong Beach in Sarawak, Peace Park in Kota Kinabalu, Sunway City in Selangor, and Danau Kota in Kuala Lumpur. They have also planted 200 trees in Johor Bahru’s Taman Skudai and painted murals in Kuching’s Taman Mesra Bako Community Hall to enhance community spaces.
Globally, ASEZ WAO has earned recognition for its environmental and humanitarian work. Awards include the President’s Volunteer Service Award in the United States, the Medal of Honour of the Congress of the Republic of Peru, and international environmental accolades such as the Green World Award and Green Apple Award.
In Malaysia, the group has received certificates of appreciation from Members of Parliament, the Deputy Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Sarawak, and several city mayors.
The Church of God, to which ASEZ WAO belongs, operates in over 175 countries with more than 7,800 locations worldwide. The church has undertaken over 45,000 social contribution activities, ranging from disaster relief and blood donation drives to education and environmental protection.
Its efforts have been recognised with more than 5,400 awards, including the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in the United Kingdom and the Presidential Citation in South Korea.
The Pulau Melayu cleanup reflects ASEZ WAO’s ongoing mission to foster environmental awareness and community responsibility, reinforcing the importance of collective action in safeguarding Sarawak’s natural heritage.
