Malaysia Dive Industry Proposes National Safety Council and Scuba Academy

The Malaysia Scuba Diving Association has proposed a broader national framework for dive safety and workforce development as Malaysia considers how to use tourism and conservation funding announced under Budget 2027.

MSDA says it is ready to work with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and other agencies on policy, regulatory compliance, professional development and marine-tourism promotion. Its most consequential proposal is a National Recreational Scuba Diving Safety Council that would focus on safety standards, risk management and regulatory compliance.

The association also called for stronger professional standards and enforcement of dive-guide licensing requirements, alongside a National Scuba Diving Academy developed with Malaysia’s technical and vocational education system. The proposed academy would provide skills training, safety education and career pathways for young people entering the sector.

Other recommendations address destination management. MSDA wants jetty improvements that separate passenger and cargo movements, visitor-capacity controls at locations including Pulau Tenggol, Pulau Bidong, Labuan and emerging destinations in Sabah, and expanded work on coral protection, ghost nets, pollution control and public environmental education.

MSDA estimates that more than 800 Malaysian companies participate in marine tourism and that the country’s scuba community numbers approximately 500,000 people. Those are industry estimates rather than government census figures.

For divers, the proposals could eventually affect how guides are licensed, how operators are monitored, how emergencies are managed and how visitor numbers are controlled at sensitive destinations. They should not yet be described as new law, a funded academy or an operating safety council: BERNAMA reported them as industry proposals submitted for government consideration.