KUCHING: ‘Guardians of the Shores’, a documentary feature about the biggest marine conservation project in Borneo has been selected for the Feature Film/ Long Documentary category in the 15th Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival (KLEFF) 2023.
Kayu Malam Productions Sdn Bhd’s Mark Nyambang documentary has been included in the official selection of 14 films within the category, standing as the only production from Malaysia to be chosen.
The documentary, which unveils the challenges faced by the Sarawak Forestry Corporation’s (SFC) team and their effort in protecting the state’s marine resources using artificial reef balls, premiered in February on TVS last year.
“A great start to 2024. Our documentary, Guardian of the Shores has been selected for Feature Film/ Long Documentary category in the 15th KLEFF,” the production said in a Facebook post.
Sarawak’s reef ball project has been recognised as the longest artificial reef in the world for building the world’s longest reef ball barrier stretching 746km.
In recognition of the state’s effort, the Reef Ball Foundation of the United States presented a special certificate to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development in July last year.
Under phase one of the Sarawak Reef Ball project with an allocation of RM70 million, a total of 16,800 reef balls were deployed along a 746km stretch of Sarawak’s coastal waters.
A total of 23,500 reef balls have been deployed in Sarawak waters from 1998 to 2022.
Phase two of the project, from 2023 to 2027, with an additional allocation of RM30 million, aims to increase fishery resources, encourage marine-based ecotourism such as scuba diving, sport fishing, and develop a coral mariculture pilot project as a new economic opportunity.
Meanwhile, the 15th KLEFF 2023 is Malaysia’s first homegrown and longest-serving creative platform promoting sustainable living.
The festival which will be held on Feb 17-18 at the IWK Eco Park Pantai Dalam, is a platform to facilitate the building of a nation of ESG-conscious individuals through film screenings, on-ground activities and partnerships focused on critical sustainability topics.
