“I have received reports from the Semporna District Council confirming that the project implemented there since 2021 has had a noticeable positive impact.

“My visit to Lahad Datu with officers from the Sandakan Municipal Council and Lahad Datu District Council reinforced this.

"We saw cleaner waters, and the local authorities said the project not only met their expectations but exceeded them,” Poon said in a statement on Tuesday (March 4).

Sandakan, the second-largest city on Sabah’s east coast, is home to close to 500,000 people and sits approximately 320km from Kota Kinabalu.

The district’s economy relies heavily on tourism, with visitors drawn to its rich biodiversity, pristine islands and marine attractions.

However, in recent years, cleanliness issues, particularly along the coastline, have become a major concern, slowing tourism growth.

The issue of cleanliness in Sandakan gained national attention in February last year when Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing immediately channelled RM200,000 each to Sandakan and Batu Sapi for clean-up efforts.

This happened after Tiong saw firsthand the poor hygiene conditions at a popular seafood restaurant in Kampung Sim-Sim, a water village frequented by tourists.

Despite these efforts, pollution remains a persistent problem, prompting calls for a more structured and long-term solution.

Given the success of the initiative in Lahad Datu and Semporna, Poon believes Sandakan should not be left out.

“I support the proposal to bring this sea-cleaning initiative to Sandakan. With collaboration among the government, local authorities and the community, we can tackle our coastal waste problem more effectively,” he said.

Poon added that he will bring the matter to the state government for urgent implementation.