Efforts underway to turn Nyabau Hill into a “green lung” by 2020

Volunteers from Petronas Carigali Sarawak Gas planting some of the 3,000 Hopea Odorata saplings.

BINTULU, August 2: Petronas Carigali Sarawak Gas (SK Gas) will work with Bintulu Development Authority (BDA) and Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu (UPM) to transform Nyabau Hill here into a green lung.

Through this collaboration, some 3,000 Hopea Odorata (Merawan Siput Jantan) saplings will be planted on a 3-hectare plot at the Nyabau Hill public park from this year until 2020.

The initiative, known as Trees4Life programme, was launched on Tuesday by Bintulu Resident Officer Jack Aman Luat at Nyabau Hill Public Park. Around 200 people, including management and staff of Petronas, BDA, UPM, Department of Environment (DOE), Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB), Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC), Sarawak Forest Department and Bintulu Resident Office attended the event.

From left to right: Dr Ong Kian Huat, director of University Agriculture Park and Development, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Bintulu Campus; Ismail Ithnin, deputy director-general, Department of Environment, Malaysia; Jack Aman Luat, Resident Officer of Bintulu; Morris Mail, senior general manager of Petronas Carigali Sarawak Gas; Rodziah Morshidi, general manager of Bintulu Development Authority and Mohd Hidzir Bakar, director of Department of Environment, Sarawak, at the launch of Trees4Life.

Speaking at the event, SK Gas head Morris Mail said environmental conservation was a key pillar of Petronas’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme and the Trees4Life programme was implemented to support that pillar.

“The Trees4Life programme will address the problem of deforestation in the city area. It is also aimed at creating awareness on environmental issues, especially on climate change, which has become one of the greatest challenges facing our world today,” he said.

“We hope the programme will enhance public awareness on environmental conservation and promote collaboration between Petronas and its stakeholders, including relevant government agencies, educational institutions and NGOs,” he added.

Petronas carries out various major environmental conservation projects in Sarawak, including the RM12 million Biodiversity, Environmental and Conservation (Beacon) project at Similajau National Park in Bintulu, the RM8 million Petronas-Sarawak Forestry eco-marine project at Sibuti, the RM10 million Piasau Nature Reserve in Miri, the RM35 million Miri Shoreline Protection project as well as the planting of 40 trees in 40 different locations by Malaysia LNG Sdn Bhd in conjunction with its 40thanniversary celebration. — DayakDaily