A group of lectures and five student volunteers from UTAR Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF) conducted a community outreach programme called the Trash Free Beach Programme on 24 July 2022 in Pulau Aman, an island off the coast of Bukit Tambun, Seberang Perai, Penang.

Aligned with SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being and SDG 14 Life below Water, the programme aimed to promote beach cleaning activities and increase the awareness of the community on the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of the ocean and marine debris whilst restoring the aquatic ecosystem. It also aimed to drive the involvement of the public in the tasks of protecting the sea and beach rather than handing off the responsibility to the local authorities.

The programme started with a briefing session conducted by FBF lecturer Tengku Rahimah binti Tengku Arifin, who is also the project leader, at Batu Musang Jetty, Batu Kawan. Upon the arrival of participants to Pulau Aman, the programme continued with other briefing sessions which were conducted by Beach Cleaning Team Leader and FBF lecturer Siti Subaryani binti Zainol and Chairman of the Village Community Management Council of Pulau Aman Saibi Abd Majid. After that, the programme continued with beach cleaning activities, disposal of wastage and sorting of recycled items.

Apart from cleaning up the beach, the organising committee also installed warning sign boards in the surrounding area. The programme finally concluded with a souvenir presentation session and a photography session.

Overall, the beach clean-up programme ended smoothly for both the staff and students involved and acted as a catalyst for the participants to foster their spirit to maintain cleanliness and keep the awareness of social responsibility in preserving and conserving the water-based ecosystem.