Tag - Environment

KOTA KINABALU: Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun has urged the younger generation in the state to follow the steps and efforts of Miss Earth Sabah 2012 contestants in conserving and preserving the environment. He said it was important as the issue now was not just on environment awareness alone but a collective action from all levels of the community. “It is hoped that the finalists will express their commitment and play a proactive role in addressing the environment issues,” he said, adding that Miss Earth Sabah 2012 is a platform where the finalists could get the chance to gain environmental knowledge and would keep the lessons that they learn for a lifetime, while sharing this knowledge with their families and friends. He also expressed his gratitude to the organising committee of Miss Earth Sabah, including Mandy Nandu, for organising various environmental green activities throughout the pageant week. He said he highly supported such activities, especially the No Plastic Bag Challenge which would spur initiative and creativity to a higher level to save our planet and us. “The drive to stop the unnecessary use of plastics is very challenging but what the finalists do can be a starting point for a plastic-free lifestyle among the public. “What motivates me is to see how the finalists and society in general are eager to claim personal responsibility and take action. “I believe that these finalists are role models and ambassadors to lead our community, and the younger generation of today need to be more proactive in protecting the environment. “They can therefore be a part of the solution in making such a big difference to our environment,” he said. Masidi’s speech was read by Environment Protection Department deputy director Dr Jammy Gabriel during the Miss Earth Sabah 2012  press conference at Pacific Sutera here yesterday. Meanwhile, MNE Production director Mandy Nandu said Miss Earth Sabah 2012 aimed to educate the young girls in Sabah to help create awareness for themselves, their families and the community to be more serious in saving and protecting the environment. “With its slogan ‘Beauties Nurturing Nature’, this event plays its main objective in promoting environmental awareness,” she said. “To date, our representatives from Sabah have made us proud in two consecutive years, 2009 and 2010, by winning most of the major titles at national level and have also represented Malaysia at international level. “Last year, our representative won the first runner-up title at national level. This has always been our dream to see more Sabahan girls achieve high accomplishments and introduce Sabah to the rest of the world. Not only that, we hope they will continue their role in helping raise awareness on the importance of keeping our environment green,” said Nandu. Nandu said Miss Earth Sabah emphasizes strongly on environmental protections. “Participants are not only required to attend various environmental activities but are also given the opportunity to practise and voice out their green thoughts and ideas, showcasing and promoting various tourist destinations in Sabah.” The Miss Earth Sabah 2012 grand final is on June 16 at Grand Ballroom, Magellen Sutera Resort. Tickets are sold at RM200, RM300 and RM500 per person. There will be some exciting lucky draws to be won, sponsored by Cebu Pacific Airlines. The winner of Miss Earth Sabah 2012 will receive a cash prize of RM5,000, and a three-day-two-night travel on Star Cruises Libra for two from Penang-Phuket-Krabi-Penang. The first runner-up will receive a cash prize of RM3,000, and a two-day-one-night travel on Star Cruise Pisces for two from Hong Kong, while the second runner-up will receive a cash prize of RM2,000, and a three-day-two-night stay at Maxims Hotel Resorts World Manila for two persons with dinner vouchers and exclusive balcony tickets to watch “The King and I” at Broadway Theatre,  Manila. The third runner-up will receive cash prize of RM1,000, and a three-day-two-night stay at the Remington Hotel Resorts World Manila for two, with dinner vouchers and exclusive balcony tickets to watch “The King and I” at Broadway Theatre in Manila. All  winners will receive products from the sponsors. The winner of Miss Earth Sabah 2012 will represent the state at the national level competition in Ipoh, Perak in July. Source : Borneo Post

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Wetlands Conservation Society (SWCS) will be celebrating World Environment Day (WED) on June 7 at Kota Kinabalu Wetlands. SWCS president Zainie Abdul Aucasa said this year’s celebration would be launched by Tourism, Culture and Environment state assistant minister Datuk Ellron Alfred Angin. Commemorated every year on June 5, he said WED was one of the principal platform utilised by the United Nations to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and enhance political attention and action, through its environment programmes. “In our efforts towards a Green Economy and sustainable development,  SWCS has initiated a  public  signature   campaign  in support of the KK Wetlands with the slogan ‘Our Wetlands for Now and the Future Generations’. “We are particularly concerned with proposed high-rise condominium developments in close proximity to the Wetlands which would have a detrimental impact on its sustainability,” he said in a statement. Zainie said the signatures would be submitted to the relevant authorities at the local and state government levels so that objections on any unsustainable infrastructure or condominium development “that will affect Kota Kinabalu Wetlands will be given due consideration by the authorities”. He said this campaign was, among others, aimed at increasing public awareness on the importance of wetlands conservation and SWCS’ efforts to obtain Ramsar Site status for the Wetlands. Through this signature drive, SWCS hopes to create awareness among the people of Kota Kinabalu City on the importance of wetlands and their ecological functions to society in various ways, added Zainie. He said SWCS is striving to conserve the 24-hectare mangrove forests at the Wetlands as a sanctuary for more than 90 species of birds and aquatic animals and maintain its rich biodiversity of flora and fauna as a heritage for the younger generations. Zainie said there were six wetlands designated as Ramsar Sites in Malaysia including the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands, Sabah. He said SWCS will continue with its efforts to obtain Ramsar Site status for the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands and being within the boundary of the city “the value of a wetland lies in the benefits it provides to the environment and people of Sabah, something which is not easily measured”. — Bernama Source : Borneo Post

Kota Kinabalu : The Sabah Forestry Department will formulate a 10-year forest management plan for the Gunung Rara forest reserve, located on Sabah's east coast. In a statement to announce the department's assuming the direct management of the 51,245ha reserve, the department said it was part of an effort to place the area under Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) based on the Natural Forest Management (NFM) regime. The first meeting of the project's management committee for the area, chaired by department director Datuk Sam Mannan, was held in Sandakan recently. "The management committee of the Gunung Rara SFM project will be headed by the department's deputy director (development) Fidelis Edwin Bajau, with Sabah Foundation as a key member in the committee. "This area is also part of the larger 261,264ha of United Nations Development Programme-Global Environment Facility (UNDP-GEF) project on 'Biodiversity Conservation in Multiple-Use Forest Landscapes in Sabah', and is a crucial wildlife corridor of global significance linking the world-renowned Danum Valley and the Maliau Basin Conservation Areas." The department added that appropriate forest management practices would be drawn up for the area to create a connectivity which was crucial for the viability of the wildlife corridor at the landscape level. Source : New Straits Times