05Sep

Students learn about sustainable use of resources at environmental camp

KOTA KINABALU: A total of 35 secondary school students attended an environmental camp at the Shallom Valley Park in Inanam near here. The Friends of Rivers and Oceans Camp (FROC) 2017 saw the students aged between 13 and 17 years learn about ocean conservation and related issues. The students from Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Papar, Tuaran and Kota Belud were taught about the sustainable use of resources. Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation lecturer Kelvin Kueh then taught them how frogs play important roles in the ecosystem and water source. “Every ecosystem has different frogs and toads and by looking at the species present, we can know whether the area is clean or not,” he said.
After that, the students were taught about the ocean, corals and marine ecosystem by UMS lecturer from the Borneo Marine Research Institute, Dr Zarinah Waheed. They then joined in a beach clean-up, together with volunteers from Raleigh Sabah. The camp continued with students learning ways to test for water quality and learned how to make bio-enzyme solution, bokashi and mudballs. Participants also had the opportunity to hear about the environment from this year’s harvest queen or Unduk Ngadau, Kerinah Mah. She told them about her role as the ambassador of culture, tourism and the environment and urged them to make the environment a priority in their everyday lives. The camp was organised by Little Feet Initiative, a group formed after the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative’s Borneo Eco Warriors workshop last July in Kota Kinabalu. The UMS EcoCampus Center supported the camp while other collaborators included Partners of Community Organizations in Sabah Trust and Raleigh Sabah Society. Source: The Star
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05Sep

Trash Hero Borneo is asking for help to clean up Sabah beaches

KOTA KINABALU: A non-governmental organisation is taking baby steps in encouraging participation from the public to look after the environment around them, in particular the beaches here. Trash Hero Borneo co-founder Monica Chin said she has been actively involved in helping to keep the beaches clean since joining the Trash Hero organisation in Krabi, Thailand, three years ago. Recently, Trash Hero Borneo has been focusing their attention on the beaches at Tanjung Lipat and Tanjung Aru. “Our city beach is full of trash and on average we collect around 200kg of rubbish per week. “If our beach is full of trash, those lying and stuck in the seabed could be double or triple (that amount) and it will have a very bad effect to marine life especially the coral reef,” she said, adding that anyone can join in their weekly activity. Chin, a scuba diver who hails from Kota Belud, said there was a good response from the locals in her hometown but public here had yet to be receptive to the idea of picking up rubbish with their own hands. She added currently there were 35 dedicated volunteers aged between 7 and 55 joining the activity. “Tourists, who jog at Tanjung Lipat, are keener to join when they see us cleaning the place. “We hope our action can create more attention and people will learn to love our ocean and nature,” Chin said, adding she was optimistic that more people would join this cause. The organisation also holds talks at schools and villages on conservation topics. Coming up next will be a Kudat coastal clean-up on Sept 16. You can also follow the Trash Hero Borneo Facebook page the find out the next clean-up location. Source: New Straits Times
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05Sep

Sabah looking at making pangolins a completely protected species

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Wildlife Department is looking at upgrading the status of Pangolin to a completely protected species. The department is in the midst of preparing a paper on the matter to upgrade the status of the mammalian from Schedule 2 to Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997. State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said he had ordered the department which falls under his ministry, to undertake the matter as soon as possible. “They have always been planning to do this but now enough is enough. While it is impossible for a complete stop of pangolin or wildlife trade, but what is important is that we sends a strong message to all citizens on the need for all of us to work together in protecting them,” he said. Masidi said this when asked about the recent case of an attempt to smuggle in RM103 million worth of pangolin scales weighing 8,000 kilogrammes via Sepanggar Port here. In Sabah, Schedule 2 of the Enactment permits the hunting of the listed animals with a permit. Masidi hoped that the stronger legislation via the status upgrading will help cut off illegal wildlife trade. On the scales confiscated on July 29, Sabah Customs Department believes the scales were sourced from some 16,000 pangolins. Asked whether the state government is pursuing to verify where they came from, Masidi said it is up to the Wildlife Department but there is obviously ‘a need to do so’. State Tourism, Culture and Environment deputy minister Datuk Pang Yuk Ming had previously stated that Sabah was likely to be a transshipment point in this case, as there was ‘no way a pangolin population of that size can come from Sabah’. Customs director-general Datuk T. Subromaniam at a function here yesterday, said investigations involving the 43-year-old suspect in the pangolin scales case are almost complete and he is expected to be charged in court soon. Source: New Straits Times
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05Sep

KK gears up to host national-level Malaysia Day celebration

KOTA KINABALU: With Merdeka celebrations over, the city is now shifting gears and making preparations to host national-level Malaysia Day festivities on Sept 16. Over 10,000 participants are expected to join the celebration at the district Sports Complex at Likas here, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself scheduled to launch the event. Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Amar Johari Abang Openg is also expected to attend. Full details of the celebration, themed “Negaraku Sehati Sejiwa”, have not been released, but organisers have promised a range of special performances. Beside the 1,500 participants set to showcase their talents during the celebration, thousands of civil servants, non-governmental organisation members and volunteers will also be part of the event. The main committee co-chairs of this year’s Malaysia Day celebration are Sabah leaders Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak; and State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun. “We do not want people to say that this (year’s Malaysia Day celebration) is just a repeat of (previous) programmes. “Malaysia Day is aimed at renewing our spirit of unity, and reminding us of what matters (most to us) as Malaysians,” Masidi stated previously. More information on the celebration will be unveiled after the main committee meets one more time before a press conference next Friday, he added. Source: New Straits Times
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05Sep

Malaysians celebrate Merdeka on Mt Kinabalu

KOTA KINABALU: The people of Sabah have their own unique ways of making their Merdeka Day celebrations special. At about 6am today, a group of volunteers from various backgrounds reached the summit of Mount Kinabalu. They were part of the “Klimb Kinabalu Fight Against Cancer” event, which is organised by the National Cancer Council Malaysia (MAKNA) to raise funds for cancer patients. One of the participants, Dr Timothy Cheng Tsin Jien, 29, said they celebrated Merdeka by flying the Jalur Gemilang at the mountain’s peak, 4,095 metres above sea level. “It was an amazing feeling to be there on Merdeka day. “Our international participants (from China, Indonesia and Thailand) were also wishing us too,” said the medical doctor, who has reached the peak for the third time. Meanwhile, at Tunku Abdul Rahman Park here, diving instructor Emmanuele Girelli, 38, said he celebrated Merdeka with five patriotic Malaysians. “The Malaysian divers managed to ‘fly’ Jalur gemilang while underwater. “It is a good way to promote the country because such a good picture will usually be posted in social media,” said the Italian. At the city centre, a family of five from Putatan were seen donning custom-made Jalur Gemilang costumes during the state-level Merdeka day celebration here today. Mariam Tasleem, 36, said this was the second time she and her family attended the parade in the costumes. “This is one of the ways my husband, who is a policeman, and I instill the spirit patriotism in our children. “They are also excited to wear these costumes and come here to see the parade,” she said, adding they spent few hundred ringgit to make the costumes. Source: New Straits Times
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