1,000kg of Milk Powder Donated to Feed Bornean Elephants

KOTA KINABALU: The cost to feed the orphan Bornean elephants at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre has been eased with donation of 1,000kg of milk powder. Following the increasing trend of orphaned Bornean elephants by being taken in by the Sabah Wildlife Department into the care centre, the biggest challenge faced by the government agency is to provide best husbandry care for the babies. These baby elephants were rescued throughout the elephant habitat across the state by the Wildlife Rescue Unit. Currently these orphans are being cared for in the Elephant Care Unit, Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) through the Wildlife Rescue Unit (WRU) also has been working hard to reach out to the corporate bodies for possible collaboration in assisting the department to fund for daily care and feeding of the babies. “Last year, WRU in association with the Rotarian Action Group for Endangered Species (RAGES) has been investigating the best milk powder food option for the endangered orphan Bornean elephants.  A few products were tested during the trials. After the trials, it was decided that the Unit is going to use Fonterra milk as the main product to feed the baby elephants,” said Dr Diana Ramirez, acting manager of WRU. The first shipment came last year with initial donation by BCT-Japan towards the cost of purchasing 1.2 tons of milk powder from Fonterra New Zealand. And after seven months, Fonterra and RAGES continued their support towards the plight of Bornean elephants through the second shipment of one tonne of milk formula directly from New Zealand. The milk powder arrived at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport on July 25 and sent to Sepilok. This will help to feed the orphaned elephants for the next six months and saving the department up to RM100,000 on the feed cost. All were made possible by continuous support of South East Asia RAGES’ Project Director, Debbie Mair. “We at RAGES-SE Asia are committed to preserving and investing in the conservation of the endangered Bornean elephants and at the same time through the collaboration to boost eco-tourism and boost economic growth,” said Debbie.   Source: TheBorneoPost
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Forests Outside of Protected Areas Critical For Orangutan

KOTA KINABALU: The Lower Kinabatangan has lost almost a third of its orangutan population in the last 16 years, following continued loss of forests outside of protected areas and further fragmentation of their habitat that is home to other wildlife, including the Borneo pygmy elephant and the proboscis monkey. These forests outside protected areas – including privately owned and state lands – are largely composed of swamp areas that are increasingly becoming threatened in Borneo and which have poor or no economic value for oil palm due to daily or seasonal flooding events. Long-term monitoring has revealed that the decline of orangutans has not stopped in the Lower Kinabatangan, despite this being identified as a high priority area for the primate in Sabah’s Orangutan Action Plan. It is critical to both address the future of these forests outside of protected areas and to recreate contiguous forest corridors. The future is bleak for the Bornean orangutan, which last year moved to IUCN’s Critically Endangered category with numbers dropping from 4,000 individuals in the 1960s to 1,125 in 2001 to less than 800 today in the Lower Kinabatangan. A study published this month in Scientific Reports indicates Sabah’s overall orangutan population has dropped by 20 per cent since the last comprehensive survey in the early 2000s, which had placed their number at 11,000 individuals. Borneo Futures co-founder Dr Marc Ancrenaz said habitat fragmentation in Lower Kinabatangan remains a major issue with 11,000 hectares of forests outside protected areas lost in under a decade up to 2014, and over 20,000 hectares on alienated and state lands at risk of being converted for agriculture, primarily oil palm, further fragmenting the orangutan population and accelerating its decline. Elaborating the value of forests outside of protected areas for biodiversity, Ancrenaz said a habitat suitability model developed for 13 mammal species in the Lower Kinabatangan revealed that 91 per cent of these non-protected forests were a good home for orangutan. “Despite their degraded status in the Lower Kinabatangan, these are high conservation value forests and are key to supporting wildlife but further fragmentation would jeopardize the viability of animal populations. “We need to recreate a contiguous forest corridor of about 52,000 hectares in the floodplain. One way of starting the process would be to address the future of forests that are not part of the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary and forest reserves,” he said. However, acquiring privately owned lands and habitat restoration are both costly in a landscape that is about 82 per cent covered with oil palm, a crop that is important to Sabah’s economy and a trade imperative for Malaysia. “The orangutan population in Lower Kinabatangan needs to be reconnected if Sabah wants to ensure its long-term viability. In a study on orangutans throughout Borneo, it was discovered that forest patches inhabited by this primate are the smallest in Sabah compared to other states and  in Borneo and the distance between patches is the longest. “This latest information shows that efforts must be made to secure habitats in forests outside the current protected areas to ensure that the population of orangutans in this region does not further drop,” said Ancrenaz, who has spent almost 20 years in the Lower Kinabatangan. Hunting, poaching and over exploitation of forests were historical threats that kick started the decline of the species. However, the species is facing new risks today, such as habitat fragmentation, emerging diseases and conflicts with domestic animals or snares that are set up to catch wild boars but also catch orangutans when they walk on the ground. Ancrenaz had recently undertaken a case study named “Addressing the Impact of Large-Scale Oil Palm Plantations on Orangutan Conservation in Borneo: A Spatial, Legal and Political Economy Analysis” for the Environment and Development project with Ridge to Reef co-director Holly Jonas and Living Landscape Alliance founder and co-director Dr Nicola K. Abram. The study was funded by Arcus Foundation. The case study produced an analysis of the geographical overlap between primate’s Bornean habitat and areas demarcated for large scale oil palm development, as well as the extent to which their habitat lies within existing protected areas in Sabah, Sarawak and Indonesia’s Kalimantan. An analysis was also done on how legal frameworks and political economies interact with the oil palm industry and orangutan conservation in Borneo.   Source: TheBorneoPost
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Tuaran Project Relaunched to Cash In On Booming Tourism

Tuaran: The Solaris Tuaran Market Place project along the Tuaran-Kota Belud route was relaunched here, Saturday, to cash in on the State's booming tourism industry. Its developer Subansa Sdn Bhd Managing Director Assalam Datuk Sulaiman Omar said the project comprises 106 units of two-storey commercial shoplots just outside Tuaran town. He took up the opportunity to develop the project when the previous developer decided to opt out. Assalam said he foresees huge potential and high prospects that will not only benefit investors but also the local economy. "Our goal is to create a commercial development which will be completed in two years with a blend of tourism elements that are destined to be the next big thing for Sabah's booming tourism industry, one of the largest contributors to the State's revenue. "The aggressive commitment by the State Government for the tourism sector makes our project more appealing as Solaris Tuaran Market Place would be the first and only commercial development in the market that includes the tour bus pit stop to cater the tour operators. "It aims to give fellow travellers and customers a brand new unforgettable experience by injecting functionality of western style rest stop into traditional shop offices. Of course, blending all this with our local cultures," he said at the relaunch by the Head of State's consort, Toh Puan Norlidah binti Tan Sri R.M. Jasni. Also present were State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor cum Sulaman assemblyman, Tuaran District Assistant Officer Abdullah Sani Daud, Tuaran Council Executive Officer Sadan bin Hussain and other officials. Assalam said some tour operators have agreed to bring in tourists to Solaris on a regular basis as there will be a market place for them to enjoy and buy variety of local products. "A farmer's market will also be incorporated within the development to create opportunities for local farmers in the district. We plan it to be operational daily to encourage the promotion of our local farmer products for both local and foreign consumers. "We are also in the midst of talks with some retail brands to bring factory outlets stores to Solaris as well as bringing in local food and beverage players which have shown keen interest in setting up their outlets in the development project," he said. Assalam said they aim to turn the project into the people's choice when comes to shopping and leisure, especially to the people of Tuaran and the surrounding areas. - Hayati Dzulkifli Source: Daily Express
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Kadazandusun Curriculum Good Start for the Language

By Lorena Binisol EVELYN Annol from Penampang did a pilot Kadazan class for school children back in 1994, which started as a tuition class in Donggongon. When Tan Sri Bernard Dompok heard about it, he requested that she arrange for a similar class in another place. Four of his children were in her class. She noticed the younger generation was not fluent in speaking their mother tongue at the time. She decided to take it on herself to preserve the language by conducting tuitions before it disappears as time passed. She conducted her tuition for two years, and at the same time, Bernard brought the matter to Parliament. It was approved by Parliament and Evelyn was called to be involved in developing further on the curriculum. "Tan Sri spoke to me of his intention to pursue the matter in parliament which was approved. The Head of the Academic sector then asked me to present my Kadazandusun curriculum. That was in 1995. Evelyn started teaching in 1985. She was fully involved in teaching and implementing the Kadazandusun language in schools to tertiary level since 1994. At present she is a lecturer in Kadazandusun language in Degree programme in IPGK Kent (Teacher's Training Kent Institute). She is also pursuing her PHD studies. She stressed that "Kadazandusun" curriculum is a language and has nothing to do with race as in "Kadazan" and "Dusun". It was the first ever meeting of the Education Ministry on a curriculum for teaching of the language and Evelyn felt proud of the effort by her and Dompok. She said the first curriculum design was for primary students. The teaching started with Year Four students. The pilot schools started on February 17, 1997. She was relying on her training as a teacher to develop a curriculum for teaching the language. "Being a teacher, I told myself that I must safeguard my mother tongue before it was totally forgotten. She opined that the standard of Kadazandusun language is moving forward. She was actively involved in setting the curriculum from primary to secondary schools up to tertiary level. For a degree course in the language it takes five and a half years to complete. Her first batch of students undergoing the Degree course comprised 18 individuals. It would take five-and-a-half years to complete. They started the first intake in January 2014. She credited her boss Datuk Mary Theresa Kinajil, who was the director of Kent Teacher's Training Campus, for playing a crucial role in ensuring the language of the ethnic is part of the curriculum. "She (Mary) was the person encouraging me to carry on with the mission. Hence, the first batch of students taking the Degree course became reality. "They are graduating by the end of this year. It has been a milestone in reaching this stage. Taking five-and-a-half years to complete is not an easy task," she opined. She attributed Dompok for the intention to make the language known by ensuring it became part of the curriculum taught in school. Today, it is on par with other language subjects such as Arabic and Chinese. She said Dompok's contribution to the community was something to be proud of and said local people should acknowledge him for championing the cause for the good of the local community. When Dompok came back from his duty in Vatican, recently, he met up with Evelyn and the first batch of trainees. "Tan Sri was very pleased to note that our effort some 20 years ago was taking off very well. The first batch of trainees are the products of our little conversation in 1994 which Tan Sri pursued and has now become a reality," said Evelyn. When asked about the Kadazan dictionary developed by KSS (Kadazan Sabah Society) and how it could help, Evelyn said dictionaries are good as reference and guidance. She revealed that there have been many other dictionaries developed for other languages of the local ethnic groups such as Murut and others. "I was very much involved in developing and researching the other local languages assisting those researchers to develop the dictionary. It has been really great imparting, assisting and sharing my knowledge with them. "We in IPG (Teacher's Training Institute) collect and buy any types of Dusunic dictionary. But all these are only good as a supporting reference. We are using the standard Kadazandusun language which is used in schools in the textbooks." Asked her opinion on how to popularise the language to attract the younger generation, she suggested that language camps be organised where only Kadazandusun is used throughout the programme. Another thing would be modernisation of songs in Kadazandusun language and holding Kadazandusun speaking month activities to entice the younger people, she opined. She is aware that some people have interest to teach the language and had conducted classes. She said when others have the passion to teach the language it is a positive thing. "I am happy when some people are passionate about teaching the language. I know Juliana (Jimis), she is a friend. I can see her enthusiasm in reviving this language. It is heartening to know that she put in some effort and I guess many people are becoming aware of the language now," she quipped. Source: Daily Express
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Sabah Lines Up Exciting Merdeka programmes

Kota Kinabalu: An array of exciting programmes has been lined up for the National Month this year. State National Day organising chairman cum Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the launching of the State-level National Month and Jalur Gemilang campaign will be done by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman at the City Hall compound on Aug 1. "However, activities for the National Month started since mid-July with the State-level Negaraku Speech Competition," he said during a media luncheon, here, Thursday. Hajiji said the theme for this year's National Day is Negaraku Sehati Sejiwa (My Country, One Heart, One Soul) which takes unity as the prime mover to strengthen national integration among the multiracial communities in Malaysia. "The concept is designed based on harmony in diversity to enhance patriotism. Apart from that, it can further boost the spirit of togetherness, understanding and respect among the people." Among the highlights for the celebration is the "Negaraku Malaysia, Sabah Tanah Airku" by the State Archives Department at Suria Sabah, from Aug 24-31. There will also be busking performances starting on July 30 at Gaya Street before the buskers perform in Putatan on Aug 1, Segama Waterfront (Aug 12), Kampung Air (Aug 19) and Centre Point (Aug 31). The annual programme by the Information Department, Kembara Merdeka Negaraku will also be launched on Aug 1. The programme will be conducted in each district in the State. Apart from that, the State Information Department is also organising several competitions which offer attractive cash prizes. Among the competitions is a photography contest where the first placed winner will grab RM1,000 and RM1,500 will be offered to the winner of the poster competition. Entries for both contests must showcase the patriotism spirit as well as to promote the celebration of National Month. More information can be obtained through the State Information Department's official Facebook page, under the name "Jabatan Penerangan Sabah." Also present during the media luncheon were Assistant Local Government and Housing Ministers Datuk Joachim Gunsalam and Datuk Zakaria Edris and State Information Director Suwadi Guliling. - Ricardo Unto   Source: TheBorneoPost
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