PENANG, 30 April 2026 — The School of Industrial Technology (PPTI) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) successfully mobilized a River Cleaning Programme and a Plastic Waste Audit Initiatives to support MSM Prai’s annual ‘Small Action, Big Impact’ campaign.
Held in conjunction with Earth Day 2026, the collaborative initiative brought together PPTI, MSM Prai, and the Department of Environment (DOE) Pulau Pinang to tackle river pollution and safeguard vital water ecosystems.
Key Highlights of the Initiative:
- Academic and Industry Synergy: The programme was spearheaded by PPTI Senior Lecturers in Environmental Technology, Dr. Widad binti Fadhullah and Dr. Santhana Krishnan Chandrasekar. They were joined by 33 dedicated first-year PPTI students who actively drove the ground operations.
- Government Support: The event was bolstered by the presence of DOE Pulau Pinang representatives, Mr. Mohd Syukri bin Abu Hassan (Assistant Environmental Control Officer) and Mrs. Nor Hashikin binti Hasan (Assistant Mechanical Engineer).
- Measurable Impact: Demonstrating the true spirit of ‘Small Action, Big Impact,’ the team successfully extracted and segregated a total of 188.56 kilograms of waste from the riverbanks. The collected debris was sorted into specific categories, including PET, PP, polystyrene, cans, and glass, ensuring proper disposal and recycling.
- Exclusive MSM Site Visit & Port Tour: As part of a holistic educational experience, the initiative went beyond the cleanup. Students were treated to an immersive site visit, gaining valuable industry exposure by exploring the mudcake processing and raw sugar loading areas. The highlight of the visit was an eye-opening boat trip to the port where the raw sugar is received, offering participants a memorable, firsthand look at MSM Prai’s massive logistical operations and environmental protocols.
By organising this cleanup, PPTI USM actively supported MSM Prai’s ongoing commitment, which aligns perfectly with the Earth Day 2026 global theme, "Our Power, Our Planet."
