By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 18: Sarawak and Singapore have agreed to establish a new form of cooperation that focuses on environmental education among the younger generation, particularly through exchange programmes for primary and secondary school students.
According to the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS), Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said that the matter was discussed with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong during their meeting on Thursday (Oct 16).
He said the proposal arose because Singapore does not have natural forest areas, which has resulted in many young people in the republic never seeing wildlife in person.
“On Friday morning, I was with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, and he suggested that we have a close relationship to provide a way for the younger generation to get to know the forest and its natural habitat.
“We know that Singapore does not have forests, and many young people there have never seen wildlife up close. So, he and I agreed that primary and secondary school students from Singapore would come to Sarawak through a student exchange programme to learn about nature,” he said at the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) annual dinner here on Friday (Oct 17).
According to the Sarawak Premier, the move will not only strengthen awareness and knowledge about the environment among students but also provide an opportunity for SFC to share expertise and information with teachers and students from Singapore.
He said the initiative was not only for Singaporean students but also involved expatriate students in the republic.
The Premier also took the opportunity to propose that Singapore grant more landing rights to Sarawak via AirBorneo to facilitate the implementation of the programme.
The Sarawak Premier is confident that the initiative can serve as an example for other regional cooperation in the field of environmental education and sustainable tourism, in line with Sarawak’s commitment to green development and environmental sustainability.
Also present during the ceremony were Sarawak Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh and SFC general manager Abang Arabi Abang Aimran. — DayakDaily
