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: Students introduced to flora, fauna of Sabah ';
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KOTA KINABALU: ' Thirty Sabah's biodiveristy and how
students from five secondary diverse its flora andfaunaare. ·
schools, in ,the -state capital,'
"I hope to be able to create
Kota' Belud and Penampang awareness 'among my, friends
participated in' the inaugural and family on how important it
'Rakan Borneensis UMS 2015' , is to protect our.biodiversity. I
from March13 to 15. '
also want to work ,together with
'; TheprogramwhichintrOduced ' , the ~eachers ' in my school on
the students to the flora and fauna ' awareness campaigns to raise
of the state, was held at UMS' the awareness leveI'on the same
Institute for Tropical Biology and issue among my-schoolmates,"
, Conservation Lerilbah In·Situ.
he said.
.
The students were,from SMK
Chuah added he is interested
ArshadKotaBelud, SM All Saints in to visiting places in Sabah,
Kota Kinabalu, SM St Michael's which are rich in biodiversity like
Penampang, SMK Likas Kota Danum ValleY, Maliau Basin and
" Kinabalu and SMK Tebobon also to trek alongt,he Salt Trail
Menggatal. '
'
was to see for himself the flora
, Chuah Chong' John from SM and fauna in these places.
St Michael's Panampang said,he ' Fellow participant, Priyank~
felt very lucky to be a part of the Narendra from SM All Saints
program as he could learn about admitted that before participating
Sabah's biodiversity. in the program, she was not
' T.hestudent said he - was interested in the environment.
surprised to]earnjust how .rich
-"I was even shocked to find
\,
-
·ouUhat we would be sleeping Chancellor. Professor Datuk Dr
in camps out in the open. But , Mohd Harun Abdullah, who
all that changed when I saw just officiated the closing ceremony
how important every tiny plant, of the progr~m, said that UMS
animal and insect are to the is committed to sharing its
environment and the role they researchftndingsandknowledge
play in our eco;~ystem.
on the environment with the
"This is a life changing moment public, especially the younger
. and it is my hope that all my peers generation.
would learn to appreciate the
One way to do th;itwas through
environment and its treasures as organizing educational programs
' well as take the initiative to learn , on the-enVironment, he said,
,about our eco-system;" she said. ' ' adding that the effectiveness of
Rahmat Hidayat from SMK these programs which use the
' :Tebobon was also very happy to c911ection of species ,from the
be part of the program and said biodiversity is important in
thatthe night jungle trekking was creating public awareness and
the bestpar,t of the program as , also ensures its sustainability.
they saw many nocturnal animals
"It is also important for the
and reptiles.
,
public to know how important '
"I hope this program will be environmentalconservatiOh is '
continued'so that other students' and also to motivate the.younger
will also have the opportunity to _generation to participate in
participate," he said.
' these programs and also future ,
, '" Meanwhile, . UMS ' Vice research work," he said. _ '
"
According to Mohd Harun,
Sabah, with more than 400,000
hectares of conservation area,
.is recognizedas one of the main
biodiversity hot spots in the,
world. The state also has the
biggest conservation area in the
country. .
,,
'
He also said that the Rakan
Borneensis VMS 2015 can be the
platform to expose students to the,
'environment and how important
it is to the state.
'
,Mohd Harun was ofthe opinion
that the,program could increase
the students' awareness and
knowledge on the importance
of environmental conservation
'towards sustainability of our
nattiraltreasures.
The stUdents arso had the
opportunity to interact and work
together as a team even though
they are from other schools, he
stressed,
'
.
B
StateEducationDirectorDatu~
Jame Alip, whO was also present
at the event, 'said ·learning'
activities-and lessons that ar~i
practical and delightful like this
. programme is ,very important'
in nurturing interest in the:
' young generation to take care,
of nature's treasure that ex-ists
in Sahah.
' 'J
Jame said that efforts to
achieve a stUdent's aspiration.
involves the process of building ,
knowledge that is in line ,with '
steps taken to improve the morale:
of each and every person. ,, ' .i
"The practice of treatillgalll
.living things weIland alway&:,
' protecting tlie environmentis ani
elementthat must be practised;
by all young children/'Jam.e '
.said, addJng that the :program, '
is a meaningful one as it instills:
the lesson of environmental;
,conservation in the students.. -~ "
$
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Chairmanof UMS Boardof Directors, Tun ZakiTunAzml, presenting astudent withhis participationcertificate, witnessed by Mohd Harun
(left), Jame and UMS' Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation director, Professor Dr Charles S. Valrappan
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THE BORNEO PoST
Monday, March 16, 2015
5
UMS' Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation director Professor Dr Charles S.Valrappan, Mohd Harun, Jame and chairman of
UMS Board of Directors, Tun Zakl Tun Azml, with some of the participants.