KUCHING, Nov 10: Nippon Foundation and Japan Malaysia Association (JMA) have pledged to plant 100,000 new trees in the Gunung Apeng National Park in Serian over the next ten years.
The foundation chairman, Tan Sri Yohei Sasakawa, said the long-term programme would see 15 to 20 student volunteers from Japan flying in four times a year to conduct afforestation and educational activities in Sarawak for ten days each time, Malay Mail reported.
He said the programme aims to restore the rainforest in Borneo and ensure the ecosystem stays intact while providing the Japanese students firsthand experience of Borneo’s history and the issues surrounding tropical rainforests, such as biodiversity through volunteer tree-planting.
“We also hope to have Malaysian students join in volunteer activities to promote exchange between Japanese and Malaysian students,” he reportedly said.
The first and second groups of students will start the tree-planting programme in February and March 2024, respectively.
JMA has been conducting tree planting activities in East Malaysia since 1995 to restore tropical forests in collaboration with the Sarawak government, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and local communities.
To date, JMA has planted over 800,000 trees in Sarawak with an investment value of approximately RM12 million.
It was also reported that Sasakawa and his team are in Malaysia for a working visit to strengthen sustainability ties between Malaysia and Japan.
During his visit to Malaysia, Sasakawa met with Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad and is expected to pay a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim later today to discuss various areas in sustainability efforts. — DayakDaily
