Launching of Rainforest Discovery Centre

Launching of
The Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
At Sepilok
By The Right Honourable Prime Minister,
Datuk Seri Panglima Abdullah Hj. Ahmad Badawi
On 10th August 2007
Bird’s eye view of the launching area
“What would the world be, once bereft of wet and wildness? Let them be left. O
let them be left, wildness and wet; Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.”
– Gerard Manley Hopkins - 1881
Introduction
007 yet again witnessed the department soaring to its heights, in projecting its raison d’être of environmental
husbandry, when the official opening of the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in conjunction with the
36th World Forestry Day was graced by the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Abdullah
Haji Ahmad Badawi, on the 10th of August.
Accompanying the Prime Minister was his wife, Yang Amat Berbahagia, Datin Seri Panglima Jeanne
Abdullah. The official ceremony was also attended by the Right Honourable Chief Minister, Datuk Seri
Panglima Musa Haji Aman, his wife, Yang Amat Berbahagia, Datin Seri Panglima Faridah Haji Tussin, the
Federal Minister of Natural Resources & Environment, Dato’ Seri Azmi Khalid and the Menteri Besar of
Kedah Darul Aman, Dato’ Seri Mahadzir Khalid.
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Director of Forestry welcomes the arrival of
Federal Minister of Natural Resources & Environment,
Dato’ Seri Azmi Khalid
Arrival of the Prime Minister of Malaysia and his
wife accompanied by the Director Forestry
Launching of Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
Programme
The programme for the opening ceremony is illustrated in Table 1.
Table 1: Programme On The Opening Ceremony Of The RDC By The Right Honourable Prime Minister
Time
7.00 am - 7.45 am
Programme
Arrival of Organising Committee & Director of Forestry, Staff of Sabah Forestry Department, Invited Guests, The
Honourable State Secretary/Ministers/Deputy Ministers
8.30 am
Arrival of The Right Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia and The Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sabah
8.40 am
Opening Prayer
8.45 am
Welcoming address by Datuk Sam Mannan, Director of Sabah Forestry Department
9.00 am
Speech by The Right Honourable Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman
9.15 am
Speech by The Right Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Panglima Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi
9.25 am
Launching Ceremony
9.30 am
Presentation of Souvenirs
9.35 am
Performances
9.50 am
Tour of the Rainforest Discovery Centre
11.00 am
Lunch
11.30 am
Programme Ends
VVIPs at the launching platform
Prime Minister giving his speech
Chief Minister giving his speech
Speeches
The day started with the opening and welcoming
speech by the Director of Forestry, Datuk Sam Mannan,
in which, he emphasised on the importance of being
relevant to the value system set by society and not to be
out of touch.
Amongst other matters, the Director belabored the
point that, the SFM programme of the department, is
in syn and compatible with the policy set by society, in
particular, what is relevant to “Islam Hadhari”.
For instance, Principle 9 of “Islam Hadhari”, which
emphasises “the safeguard of Natural Resources and
the Environment”, is totally in conformity with SFM.
The Director also touched on the paramount
requirement of political support and political will, without
which, SFM has no chance of being implemented. The
importance of “Rule of Law” as opposed to “Mob Rule”
in the management of the nation’s forest resources, was
also mentioned.
The Chief Minister, in his speech, expounded on
the State Government’s determination to make SFM a
reality, to eventually cover all forest reserves in Sabah.
He also thanked various organisations such as: WWF
Malaysia, The Alexander Abraham Foundation, The
Sabah Society, PACOS and other organisations and
NGOs, amongst others, for their continuous support on
the government’s effort in attaining good environmental
governance.
The last speech was by the Prime Minister that
preceded the opening of the RDC in which he reiterated
the Federal Government’s widely known policy of
implementing
SFM
in
Malaysia.
The Prime Minister
also stressed that the
old system of timber land
allocation, without taking
due
consideration
of
sustainability, must now end
as it is shown to have been
phased out in Sabah.
Director of Forestry giving his speech
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Annual Report 2007
The Rainforest Discovery Centre Building
The Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
The RDC is actually a development program that started under the 8th Malaysia Plan, in which, RM 6.7million were originally
spent. Under the 9th Malaysia Plan, RM 4.5 million have been allocated, totalling in an investment of RM 11.20 million.
The primary objective of having such a centre, comprising of: a visitor’s centre and exhibition hall, a public gallery, the plant
discovery garden, the rainforest discovery trail and 3 towers and a canopy walkway of 870 m connecting 2 towers is: to create public
awareness and appreciation of conserving forests for environmental services and Sustainable Forest Management.
This is facilitated through many programmes at the RDC such as:*
educational activities and interactions,
*
nature based recreation
*
ex-situ conservation
The Plant Discovery Garden features special displays on native
orchids, arid plants, aquatic plants, economic crops, and tropical
American plants, amongst others.
The Rainforest Discovery Trail provides easy access into the forest.
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The Canopy walkway provides additional
opportunities for nature education and bird-watching.
Launching of Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
Datuk Seri Panglima Abdullah Hj. Ahmad Badawi & Datin Seri
Panglima Jeanne Abdullah pulling down a ‘cache’ containing
Pengiran seeds to signify the launching of the RDC
Prime Minister receives a souvenir
from the Director of Forestry
The Slipper Orchid souvenir for Y.A. Bhg.
Datin Seri Panglima Jeanne Abdullah
The opening was attended by over 1000 invitees, guests
and departmental staff including: WWF, The Sabah
Society, PACOS, LEAP, Inc., an NGO based in the United
States, SFMLA Licencees, scientific organisations, Tour
operators etc. amongst others.
The Launching
A specially composed song called “Voice of the Forest”
was sung by the “Sepilok Rangers” and guided by Amir
Yussof, a well known song writer and composer, during
the ceremony.
Perhaps the most spectacular event of the opening
was when the Prime Minister and his wife, symbolically
officiated the launching by pulling down a “cache”
containing Pengiran seeds, that rotated down to the floor
of the launching platform from its roof, symbolising the
regeneration of the forest and the dawn of a new crop of
trees, for future generations to come.
Invited guests
The Sepilok Rangers with Amir Yussof
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Launching of Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
Unveiling of the RDC Opening plaque
Prime Minister cutting a ribbon to
officiate the opening of the RDC building
The Forestry Department is deeply indebted to the Prime Minister and his wife, for taking time from their very
busy schedule, to share their moments, and to rejoice with the Forestry Department, in their pride and joy, that is the
opening of the Rainforest Discovery Centre.
The Forestry Department considers itself deeply honoured and most gratified by this visit, especially so, when
just a year ago, the Prime Minister similarly accepted an invitation by the department, to witness SFM in practise at
Deramakot Forest Reserve, on the 8th of June 2006.
The Prime Minister’s passion for the environment continues to be a motivation for the department and the second
visit has boosted the department’s morale even more, in wanting to excel and to achieve good forest governance.
The Prime Minister testing out the
Acacia mangium garden furniture
Datin Seri Panglima admiring the
“Wolf” flower
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Aquatic plants at the Discovery Garden
Launching of Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC)
The Fruit of Prophets (Ficus Carica) from India
The RDC bridge leading to the trail
Buggy ride enroute through the
Discovery Trail
Never has the department in its nearly 100 years of existence, been honoured and encouraged in the manner that it
has, by the Right Honourable Prime Minister.
It is therefore befitting that this great endowment from the Prime Minister, be reciprocated by the department in
doing its very best and only its best, as Abraham Lincoln aptly described in the quotation hereafter:
“I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the
end brings me out all right, what’s said against me won’t amount to anything. If the end brings me
out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.”
We will do our best, Prime Minister.
Memorandum of Understanding signing between The Kedah State
Government and The Forestry Department on rubber planting
Sharing a light moment with the FD team involved in the preparations
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Birds of the Sepilok Forest
© Andy Chock
Black-backed Kingfisher
(Ceyx erithacus)
Black-and-crimson Pitta
(Pitta ussheri), also known as the
Black-headed Pitta
© Gary Albert
© Cede Prudente
Red-naped Trogon
(Harpactes kasumba)