Malaysia Hosts Two Diveheart/PADI Adaptive Diving Events in Accessible Tourism Initiative
Diveheart Malaysia, in collaboration with Mimpi Perhentian Resort, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) Terengganu, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Rotary Club and University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), successfully held its annual Diveheart event on 7–9 October 2024 in the Perhentian Islands.
The event welcomed ten hearing-impaired students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Pendidikan Khas Besut, Terengganu, many of whom had never set foot on a boat or an island, despite living near the coast of Besut. The students, accompanied by their teachers, explored the wonders of the underwater world in Terengganu through snorkeling and scuba diving, where they experienced the sensation of weightlessness. Dr Tengku Farah Kamilia, a lecturer in environmental and marine pollution at UMT, conducted a sharing session with the participants, highlighting the importance of marine conservation.
Breaking barriers through adaptive diving
Diveheart Malaysia celebrated the achievements of two remarkable adaptive divers. Ten-year-old Muhammad Afkar Daniel, a right-hand amputee and former UMMC patient, became the first individual with this disability in the region to complete the PADI Junior Open Water Diver course after being personally trained by Diveheart Ambassador Hj. Syed Abd Rahman, founder of Kids Scuba, a PADI 5-Star dive center near Kuala Lumpur.
Equally inspiring is the journey of 28-year-old Nabilah “Bella” Mohd Azahar, a right-leg amputee. Bella, whose passion for scuba diving began during her diploma studies, overcame a life-altering accident involving a boat propeller. With the support of Diveheart Ambassador Rahman, she resumed diving and has progressed to the level of PADI Divemaster Trainee (DMT).
Promoting coral conservation
Diveheart Malaysia’s second major event of 2024 took place at B&J Diving Centre, a PADI 5-Star Instructor Development Center (IDC) in Tioman Island, in collaboration with UMMC, RHB Bank’s Ocean Harmony initiative and the Department of Fisheries crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) population control program, which targets the coral-eating predator that threatens local reef ecosystems. Adaptive divers, including Bella and Ms. Nooraishah Arshad, actively participated in this coral conservation effort. The event demonstrated the empowering role of scuba diving for people with disabilities while contributing to marine conservation.
Acknowledgements
Distinguished VIPs were present to support the event, including representatives from Diveheart Malaysia, UMMC, RHB Bank, Tioman Development Authority, B&J Dive Centre and the Department of Fisheries, alongside marine experts from the University of Malaya. Diveheart Malaysia extended gratitude to the dedicated Diveheart volunteers as well as the media and videographer teams from B&J Dive Centre, RHB Bank and RTM, who covered the entire event.
For more information, visit Diveheart and Kids Scuba.