This 5R program has not only raised awareness among the residents of Kampung Bako, but has also successfully encouraged them to be more creative and responsible for the cleanliness of their environment. This success shows that small changes can have a big impact if done consistently by the entire community. The 5R’s@Bako project, which was launched on June 11, 2023, at Taman Mesra Bako, is organized by the Faculty of Engineering, UNIMAS, in collaboration with the local community, and supported by Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance Malaysia.
To achieve the objectives of this project, various modules covering knowledge sharing and practical activities have been developed, and several activities (such as gotong-royong and competitions) have been held together with the villagers of all ages to provide early exposure to the importance of recycling and to encourage the surrounding community of Bako to be part of this project’s success.
Apart from knowledge-sharing modules, this project will also provide a place where residents of Bako can drop off recyclable items (plastics, paper, and aluminum cans, along with used cooking oil) at Taman Mesra Bako, in a facility named the Pusat Pengumpulan Plastik Mesra Bako (PPPMB), which was entirely built by the residents of Taman Mesra Bako through gotong-royong.
Furthermore, this project has also successfully established the Taman Mesra Bako Volunteer Club, consisting of various age groups. This club was set up to manage the collection center to streamline the process of receiving recyclable materials from the surrounding residents of Bako and the sale of recyclables to the nearest recycling center. Starting in February 2023 and concluding with the Eco Bako Green Festival on 16 February 2025, this program successfully raised awareness among residents about the importance of recycling and plastic waste management. Over the course of these two years, more than 2.2 tons of plastic were collected and benefited 155 households with a total revenue of RM 4516. This program also managed to change the residents’ perspective on waste and made recycling an integral part of their lifestyle.
Prepared by Dr. Yiin Chung Loong and Mdm. Nur Syuhada from the Faculty of Engineering, UNIMAS