MBPP initiative sees Thaipusam coconuts converted into biofuelGEORGE TOWN: Instead of being wasted, some 45 tonnes of coconuts smashed during Thaipusam here will be converted into biofuel under the Penang Island City Council’s (MBPP) green initiative. Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said the coconuts had been sent to the Batu Maung Waste Transfer Station, where a company would shred, crush and process them into biofuel. “The coconuts smashed during Thaipusam will not go to waste,” he said, adding that the effort reflected MBPP’s push to reduce waste and generate energy sustainably. As part of the Thaipusam ritual, devotees smashed coconuts along the procession route as an act of humility and sacrifice, symbolising the breaking of the ego in ­fulfilling vows to Lord Muruga. “Without the Wira Kuning and machine support, the situation could have turned chaotic by the sheer number of coconuts smashed,” he said.

Source: The Star February 03, 2026 02:05 UTC