YONG JINN REN (U2103168)

 I’m YONG JINN REN (U22103168/1), from group 4, currently a second-year student pursuing Bachelor of Civil Engineering. The following are my self-reflection for the course GIG1005 Social Engagement.

Preliminary preparations

For the Preliminary preparation, our team prepared several activities proposals that are possible and at first we decided to have a talk at any high school but due to time and some issues none of the schools accepted our request . We are only able to carry out our second proposal which is to clean a beach. Our team has several online meetings to discuss the possible location of the beach, activities on the beach and also our overall budget. At last we came out with our location which is the Bagan Lalang Beach and we decided to go there by the cars of our team members. I'm glad that even though the distance of the beach is far away from University Malaya, our members did not hesitate when asked to drive all of the team members to the beach. In the budget phase I myself was quite shocked when the budget for petrol for one car is RM100 as the budget is set by one of the members who does not know about the condition of cars, after explanation the budget is set to around RM 50 which is still more than enough. This phase of the whole event taught me that it is important to work as a team and always communicate with each other to avoid any miscommunication. All of the team members work together to make sure that the plan is going well. Preparation of a plan b is always crucial in case of any problems, we can always switch to the second plan without any delays. 

Day of the event

On the day of the event, we gathered early at 7 am in the morning in the engineering faculty. I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. All of our teammates gathered around to have a short briefing and our team leader Firdaus briefed us about the exact location, time and after everything was set, we went off to the beach in our respective cars and we reached the beach after one hour. In the car we have fun and talk to each other that are not familiar with each other at first. I am glad that after 3 sems i finally have a chance to meet and get to know each other .

As we stepped onto the beach, the sight that greeted us was disheartening. Plastic bottles, cigarette butts, food wrappers, and all sorts of debris were scattered across the once pristine shoreline. Multiple tents were seen as some families were having their family time and camped at the beach through the night. I feel sad when I see the camping site's condition and think that it will be a better experience for these families if the beach is kept clean all the time.  It was a stark reminder of the carelessness and disregard for our environment that prevails in our society. However, rather than feeling discouraged, a sense of purpose and unity took hold of our group.

Figure 1 : Beach Dirty Condition Before Cleaning

We divided ourselves into smaller teams and began our clean-up efforts. Everyone wore their gloves and started cleaning from the very end of the beach. It was astonishing to witness the amount of waste we collected within a short period. We combed through the sand, sifting out tiny fragments of plastic and diligently picking up larger items that had been left behind. It was tiring for all of us and the morning sun is not friendly at all and we are quite sad that there are a lot of people who do not care about the cleanliness of the beach. 

Figure 2 : Cleaning Session

While cleaning the beach , we had an interview with some of the citizens that are playing and relaxing on the beach. We had some fun and shared some laughter with them and some of the citizens are so friendly that they offer us some drinks as the weather is hot. They gave us some insightful opinions about the cleanliness of the beach and we are glad that all of them are quite concerned about the beach cleanliness problem. It awakened a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the environment that most of us had previously taken for granted.

Figure 3: Interview Session

After a few hours of cleaning we successfully finished cleaning the whole length of the Bagan Lalang Beach. As the sun is getting scorching hot, we decided to start our recycling activity as it is not suitable for us to clean the beach under the hot sun. We gathered all of the collected waste and started sorting them according to categories such as plastic, paper, glass and general waste. Participating in a recycling activity was an eye-opening experience. Seeing the amount of waste that could be repurposed instead of ending up in landfills was inspiring. It made me realize the importance of responsible consumption and the impact of our choices on the environment. It reinforced the idea that small actions, like recycling, can make a significant difference when multiplied across communities. It was a reminder of our collective responsibility to protect and preserve our planet.

Figure 4 : Recycling Activity

As we reached the end of our activity, the transformation was incredible. The beach, once littered with waste, now revealed its true beauty. The golden sand sparkled under the sunlight, and the crashing waves seemed to dance with gratitude. We stood back, taking in the sight before us, and a deep sense of accomplishment washed over me.

               

Figure 5 : Condition of the beach before and after cleaning 

After

Cleaning the beach was not just an activity; it was a transformative journey. It taught me that even the smallest actions can have significant consequences and that our choices today shape the world of tomorrow. But these actions require help from our teammates and friends or else it would be hard and tiring. It taught me that teamwork is a powerful force that unites individuals towards a common goal. Even though the beach is clean after our hard work, I believe that after some time, the beach will be dirty and uncomfortable after some time. Therefore it is important to spread more awareness and educate the people about the importance of keeping the beach clean. We hope that by our action of cleaning the beach, more people that saw our work or our blog and even our news will appreciate our hard work and start practicing good and responsible action. I am grateful to University Malaya for this once in a lifetime opportunity to have a great and meaningful time with my coursemate during my university life. I really appreciate all my teammates hardwork and dedication towards this event and if i have the time i would like to have similar activities before my graduation.