Launching of the MNS Office in Langkawi

The office of Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)Langkawi Branch was officially opened
on Tuesday April 21, 2009. I was given the honour of officiating it in my capacity as the Vice-President of MNS. The office is located at the Frangipani Resort and Spa. The Resort is a corporate member and its owner has been a member of MNS for many years and has been kind to have allocated some space as office for the Langkawi Branch.
2. The launching ceremony, held in the Hall at the Frangipani Resort was attended by officials of LADA, the Langkawi Tourism Action Council, representatives of the hotel industry, teachers and school children, a large group of media representing the newspapers and travel journals, officials of the Frangipani Resort and officials of the MNS.
3. In his welcoming address, Mr. Anthony Wong, the host and Vice-Chairman of the Protem Committee of the MNS Langkawi Branch, highlighted the many green efforts of the Resort- among them installation of sun panels to to trap solar energy for lighting, harvesting of rain, trapping of greasy materials, using organic detergents for cleaning, serving organic food, employing people who are green at heart, associating with green organisations etc. He plans to organise a series of international Conferences related to green and environmental issues. He proposes that Langkawi be developed as the greenest island in the world.
4. In my launching speech, as the event was organised in conjunction with Earth Day, the significance of the Day was highlighted with the need for each of us to prudently use the natural resources that we have. The green effort of the Resort was cited as an example of what can be done. The campaign to Save the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve initiated by the Kedah Branch of MNS is another contribution in conserving and protecting our biodiversity. The establishment of the MNS is a personal dream come true as its formation was part of a proposal arising from the 2003 Scientific & Heritage Foundation organised by MNS. I reminded the members that a follow-up action to the proposals that were adopted at the Workshop after the Expedition, which among others include to organise training programmes for all stakeholders on green issues, the formulation of the eco-tourism master plan and the associated conservation plan for the Island, the establishment of the Education and Recreation Centre in the Gunung Machinchang Forest Reserve, the conservation of the Kuala Sg Melaka as the bird sanctuary, to upgrade the information on the natural heritage of Langkawi and to establish wildlife corridors between forest reserves. I reiterated that MNS is a society that wish to see a balanced development between physical development and conservation of green areas and its presence is to promote sustainable development.
5. Among the events organised in conjunction with the launching and Earth Day celebration were birdwatching (hornbills) in the Gunung Raya Forest Reserve and a tour of the touristic destinations on the Island.
6. I have organised this trip to comply with the request of a close friend, Dato' Kamaruddin Kachar, who was entertaining his friend, Prof. Don Smart and his wife, who were visiting Malaysia. The trip originated in Kajang on the afternoon of Saturday April 18, visited the Kuala Selangor Nature Park and Bukit Melawati and ended up the night at the Resthouse Teluk Intan. The following day we cruised up north visiting the Turtle Conservation Centre at Bota Kanan and then the Zoo and Museum in Taiping, spending the second night at the Holiday Inn Batu Feringhi Penang. On Monday April 20, we visited the Butterfly Farm in Penang and crossing the Penang Bridge, we headed for Alor Star where we visited the Rice Museum at Gunung Kriang and then to the Kuala Perlis Jetty, departing for Langkawi by the 6.00 pm ferry.
7. In Langkawi, we went on the mangrove cruise in Kilim, visiting the fish farm and watching the Brahminy Eagle in the mangrove area.
8. The trip with our friends provided us time to interact, enjoyed their companionship, cherished the sceneries and places of interest, enjoyed the food dishes that we consumed. Above all it is another journey and experience that contribute to the joys and happiness in life.

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.