Almost three decades ago, the waters off Kampung Penimbawan in Tuaran, Sabah, shimmered with life. Green meadows of seagrass stretched across the Sulaman Lagoon, and turtles swam through them in search of food. Today, the elders of the village pause when asked about turtles. Most cannot remember the last time they saw one.
There used to be turtles living around this area and seagrass was their food source. But in the last three decades or more, we’ve not seen any turtles because of the dwindling seagrass growth. – Hj Jaukal Badak, Chairman of JKKK and fisherman at Kampung Penimbawan
From the air, drone footage still reveals scattered patches of green, some sprawling as wide as a football field. But these meadows are fragile, chipped away by destructive fishing, over-tourism, and a warming climate.
To outsiders, they may look unremarkable. For the Bajau Sama people of Kampung Penimbawan, they are a thin line between scarcity and survival.
A Village Bound By Sea
About 70% of Kampung Penimbawan’s residents are fishermen. For generations, the tides dictated their rhythm of life, providing fish, clams, and crabs that sustained families and supported the local economy.
The sea feeds us. If the fish disappear, what happens to us? This is why we are planting seagrass – for our children so that they will still have a future here. – Hj Jaukal Badak, Chairman of JKKK and fisherman at Kampung Penimbawan
When the meadows vanish, the community feels it first in smaller catches, the absence of once-familiar species, and livelihoods hanging by a thread.
Planting For Tomorrow
For the children of Kampung Penimbawan, seagrass is almost invisible. Every morning, they travel by boat to schools far from the lagoon, unaware that beneath their backyard lies one of the most productive ecosystems on earth.
Their fathers and grandfathers are working hard to change that.
With guidance from marine scientists at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), fishermen are now trained to safeguard and replant seagrass through the Seagrass Mapping and Community-Based Programme, led by Yayasan PETRONAS in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries Malaysia (DOF) and the Sabah Biodiversity Centre (SaBC).
Efforts to protect these meadows are part of a broader nationwide initiative involving Universiti Malaya and Universiti Putra Malaysia, which also works with coastal communities to raise awareness and foster stewardship.
Our children don’t know much about seagrass yet. They go to school far from here. But one day, I hope they will understand why we are doing this. This is for them. – Hj Jelin bin Hj Laidin, Village Head of Kampung Penimbawan
On planting days, the lagoon comes alive with quiet determination. Boats drop anchor offshore as fishermen wade through knee-deep mud, carrying bundles of shoots, measuring tapes, and wooden stakes. With practiced hands, they press the shoots into the seabed, anchoring them deep enough to withstand waves and currents.
It’s not easy, but we do it because we want to see marine life come back. We want our children and grandchildren to enjoy the best of nature. Hj Jelin bin Hj Laidin, Village Head of Kampung Penimbawan
Each planting is just a beginning. Seagrass meadows need ongoing monitoring, protection from harmful practices, and above all, a community that feels responsible for their survival.
The protection and conservation of marine ecosystems won’t work without the close involvement of the local community. They are the ones who will be here every day to monitor and ensure that seagrass thrives, and with it, marine life. – Shariah Nelly Francis, CEO of Yayasan PETRONAS
Why Seagrass Matters
Scientists call seagrass the “lungs of the sea.” Like forests, it photosynthesises, releasing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide.
Seagrass can sequester up to 35 times more carbon than terrestrial forests. That number depends on the species, but it shows just how powerful this ecosystem is for climate resilience. – Dr. Chong Wei Sheng, Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Seagrass meadows are biodiversity powerhouses: an acre can shelter 40,000 fish and 50 million tiny invertebrates. They provide food for dugongs and turtles, nurseries for juvenile fish, and natural protection for coastlines. For coastal villagers, they mean more than science; they mean survival.
Seagrass is a very important marine element because it allows marine habitats to thrive. When biodiversity thrives, marine life increases, and that becomes food for the surrounding community. It supports livelihoods, especially fishing, which many families depend on. – Shariah Nelly Francis, CEO of Yayasan PETRONAS
Yet these ecosystems remain among the least protected on earth. Destructive fishing, careless boating, over-tourism, and sediment from land clearing threaten their survival.
In Malaysia, research had long focused on coral reefs and mangroves. Now, momentum is shifting. In Sabah, a five-member UMS team led by Associate Professor Dr. Ejria Saleh, with Dr. Chong Wei Sheng among them, is leading this effort.
In just eight or nine months, we found more than 20 newly documented seagrass meadows. This is the first comprehensive mapping of seagrass in Malaysia, and it’s feeding into a national action plan. – Dr. Chong Wei Sheng, Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Using drones, satellite imagery, and field dives, researchers are charting distribution and density, building a geospatial database for long-term conservation.
Restoring Hope And Life Underwater
In Kampung Penimbawan, the return of seagrass stirs memories of childhood – of swimming in clear waters, catching crabs, and watching turtles glide through the lagoon. For the fishermen, it also stirs hope.
After the planting, I believe there will be more species coming in from the mangroves: crabs, prawns, and fish. That means better income for the villagers. – Hj Jelin bin Hj Laidin, Village Head of Kampung Penimbawan
Each planting carries both hope and responsibility. It promises food on the table, stronger livelihoods, and the chance for future generations to inherit more than fading stories.
The fishermen of Kampung Penimbawan are no longer only taking from the sea – they are giving back, becoming guardians of a home they hope their children will one day truly know.
