Launching of the Environmental Interpretive Centre (EIC) at Sepang

The EIC at Sepang was launched on Thursday April 9, 2009 by YB Dr Xaviar Jayakumar, Exco for Health, Plantation Workers & Compassionate Government of Selangor. It is a joint project of Sepang Gold Coast Sdn Bhd and the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS). The site and building of the Cetre was an old police station which the Company has acquired and used it as a nursey of ornamental plants. It is located in the fringes of the mangrove areas of the Sepang Besar River in Sepang. The EIC here will function to undertake studies on the local ecosystems and the communities living around it, to conduct training in sustainable development related subjects and to monitor environment related activities . The target groups will include the government employees, schoolchildren, the business community, the villagers.

2. The EIC at Sepang is the seventh in MNS's network of environmental education centres established all over the country - Kuala Selangor Nature Park, FRIM-Shell-MNS NEC at Kepong, Boh-MNS Centre in Cameron Highland, Batu Caves, Rimba Ilmu UM-MNS Centre and ecoCare Centre in Kertih.

3. The launching ceremony was attended by around 70 participants who represent government departments, leaders of the community, the local business community, the Mah Meri group, employees of Gold Coast Sdn Bhd and MNS officials. The curtain raiser of the ceremony was the cultural dance of the Mah Meri community.

4. As the main organiser of the Event, Mr Ho Hock Seng, the President of Sepang Coast Sdn Bhd detailed the objectives and the planned activities of the Centre. I was the second speaker as the representaive of MNS. I touched on the need for a balanced development of the area - whilst having physical buildings it has to be balanced with retaining the vegetation. The mangrove plays an important role in the fishing industry and in protecting our shores. Development must also not ignore the role of the local community and the success of the Centre requires the support and participation of the local people. YB Dr Xaviar congratulated the efforts of the two participating organisations and look at the Centre as part of the ecotourism network in the State. He indicated that the Selangor State Government is aggresively promoting ecotourism and recognise the importance of the remaining forest areas in the State to be protected. He assured the audience that steps are being taken to conserve and protect the remaining 31 percent of the forested areas in the State. He emphasised the importance of retaining green areas to overcome the serious threat of global warming brought about by excessive emission of glasshouse gases as a result of too many people on the plane and the indiscriminate felling of the forest.

5. The ceremony was followed by tree planting and cutting of the ribbon and the tour of the Centre. An exhibition was made up of displays of items related to the ecosystem of mangrove, the traditional fish traps, handicrafts and games of the Mah Meri community. The Ceremony ended up with a lunch at the Sepang Coast Resort.

6. The opening of this Centre adds another in the network of environmental education to pursue further the awareness among the population. However, the critical issue before us is the fast warming of the globe. It is urgent that we play our role in stopping this threat otherwise NATURE has its own way of dealing with it.