Visit to National Botanic Gardens Shah Alam (Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam)

Maps shown during the briefing on the numerous botanic gardens in the country

The briefing by Encik Mohd Gaddafi (in red) to the delegation (on right)

Exchanging of books after the briefing

1.  Introduction:  The idea of visiting the Gardens was kindled,  following the discussion with the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, YB Dato' Ir. Hamim bin Samuri, on issues pertaining to the need to pursue Sustainable Development, particularly, on the conservation and protection of our biodiversity and environment, where, one of the strategies is the establishment of a National Natural History Museum. Subsequently, there was a report published in the New Straits Times on the National Botanic Gardens in Shah Alam and I was curious whether this Park fulfils the roles and functions of a Natural History Museum.  I rang up my brother, Tan Sri Adzmi, who lives in this capital city of Selangor and a regular visitor and user of the Gardens as he treks in the many trails in it, weekly and he offered to assist by contacting its authorities and arranging the visit. I also invited a close friend, Tan Sri Salleh Mohd Noor, an ardent environmentalist and a strong advocate of the conservation and protection of our rich natural heritage, who agreed to come along with his wife.  The date of the visit was fixed on Wednesday 16 September, 2015 and by the scheduled appointed time i.e 10am I was escorted to the meeting place at the Data Collection Centre and welcomed by the officers at the Centre headed by its Director, Encik Mohd Gaddafi bin Denis. The delegation was made up of Tan Sri Adzmi Abdul Wahab, Tan Sri Dr.Salleh Mohd Noor and Puan Sri and myself.
The briefing was followed by an exchange of books.  Tan Sri Salleh presented two of his books entitled  'BELUM Revisited' and 'Endau Rompin' to the Gardens and in return Mohd Gaddafi presented the visitors '100 Birds of National Botanic Gardens Shah Alam'.

2.  Objectives and Functions of the Gardens.  According to Mohd Gaddafi,  the Gardens, which currently covers an area of 817 ha, has a long history. It was originally established as an Agricultural Park and launched as Taman Pertanian Bukit Cherakah in April 1986.  In 1991 DYMM Sultan of Selangor renamed it as Taman Pertanian Malaysia Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam.  It was in 2011 the decision was made to call it Taman Botani Negara Shah Alam (National Botanic Gardens Shah Alam) with an intended bigger roles and functions.  As revealed on its website, the Gardens are principally an agricultural-based tourism centre with its functions covering education; conservation of selected agricultural areas of interests such as herbs, spices and fruits; scientific research, documentation and recreational.  Its many attractions project its roles as more focused in touristic and recreational activities.  Among the attractions are Animal Garden, Spices Garden, Cactus Garden, Herbal Garden, Fruit Garden and Four Seasons House. The recreational activities include the adventure challenges, packaged as Skytrek, cycling where visitors can rent bicycles and pedal in the various trails, fly fishing, trekking and swimming. The Gardens is administered by an Executive Board chaired by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry (MOA).  The technical aspects of the Gardens is overseen by an Advisory Board headed by the Director-General of MARDI.

  3.  Conducted Tour of the Gardens.  We were taken on a conducted tour of the Gardens by the Director on the tour bus, passing through the Animal Garden, the Spice Garden, the Fruits Garden and our first stop is the reservoir.  The reservoir was the old water supply source for the city.  There are cages to rear fish in the reservoir which, we were informed, are mainly the red tilapia.  The forest reserve, which presently constitute part of the Gardens, is still extensive.  However not much could be done to deter people from entering the forest and interfering in its biodiversity.  The second stop was at the Four Seasons House, which was built to emulate the seasons of the temperate countries - Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.  In September, it is the tail end of summer.  Among the plants found in the House are Japanese maple, silver birch, maple oleogami, apple, pear, cherry blossom, Ginko biloba and Japanese cypress According to Mohd Gaddafi, the Gardens continue to be popular attracting more than 400,000 visitors in 2011.  The highest number of visitors recorded was in 1994 when an agricultural show (MAHA) was organised here.    

Conducted tour of the Gardens led by Mohd Gadaffi

The entrance leading to the Reservoir in the Gardens

The Reservoir with fish cages and the forest reserve in the background

Visitors at the entrance of the Four Seasons House in the Gardens 

Group photo in the Four Seasons House (from right Tan Sri Adzmi, Puan Sri, TS Salleh)

 The Garden with flowering plants and fruit trees in the Four Seasons House

  4.  Comments and ConcludingRemarks.  The visit was nostalgic as I was also involved at the initial stage of its development  and glad that the Gardens have survived the test of time and remain a popular agro-tourism destination.  What is more important is that the biggest green lung area in Klang Valley remains as a recreational and healthy ecosystem for the people in the surrounding areas especially for those living in Shah Alam, Kuala Lumpur and Kelang.  However, from the briefing, allocation of fund and the change of name, I feel that the Federal Government plans that the Gardens have  more extensive functions and roles, commensurate with its national image, covering the exploration and studying the biodiversity of our remaining forests; conserving and protecting threatened and endangered species; undertaking research to understand deeper all facets of biodiversity and ecosystems - atmospheric, terrestrial and marine; the development and collection of literature on our tropical rainforests from all available resources; establishing collections of plant species of interest; establishing of herbarium for identification purposes; assessing and planning the utilization of the forests and their products for sustainable economic activities; and coordinating in the conservation and protection of our forests and the development of botanic gardens in the country.. In other words, playing the roles and functions of a National Natural History Museum (NNHM).  Unfortunately Natural History Museum connotes to, many of our national administrators, as an organisation that handles old and antique objects and monuments that should be under the ministry responsible for museums, rather than be placed under the Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) Ministry as it should, as its main function is to conserve and protect our natural resources on land and seas such as the fauna and flora of these ecosystems.  Currently, the Gardens are supposedly to get its technical advise from the Technical Advisory Committee, with representatives from research institutions and universities, but I was informed that the Committee has not met in the last two years.    I strongly feel that the Gardens can certainly play the role as a NNHM and located here with possibly two options.  The first option is that the current developed area covering about 170 ha continue its present activities as an integrated agro-tourism centre, administered by the MOA and the remaining area be converted to serve as NNHM and to be managed by NRE Ministry.  The second option is that the whole Gardens are transferred to NRE as a site for the much awaited and desired NNHM with the recreational facilities being made available to the people like the Kepong Forest Reserve under the Forest Research Institute (FRIM).
  The Gardens are getting considerable challenges as there are encroachments into its forest reserve, pressure to excise part of the Gardens for housing and business development.  It is critical that this green area in the heavily populated Klang Valley be retained as the livalivity  and quality of life of the residents around Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam is getting lower with green areas to population ratio is fast diminishing and the residents are facing the challenges of pollution, traffic congestions, and flash floods.  It is suggested that Friends of TBNSA be formed as activist group to ensure that the Gardens and the forest reserve with the present hactarage remain in tact as a green lung area of Klang Valley.

Written and posted on October 5, 2015