Penning a chapter: The management and employees of YSD donor companies – SD Guthrie Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad, and Sime Darby Property Berhad – along with project and corporate partners, and government representatives marking a united front in environmental stewardship.
Yayasan Sime Darby calls for collaborative efforts in environmental conservation
YAYASAN Sime Darby (YSD) recently concluded its month-long World Environment Day 2024 celebrations at SD Guthrie Berhad Auditorium in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Under the theme “Our Land, Our Future”, the event highlighted YSD’s commitment to driving environmental conservation through community engagement, emphasising the critical need for the ongoing protection of Malaysia’s Central Forest Spine (CFS), also known as Peninsular Malaysia’s Green Lung.
The organisation’s World Environment Day 2024 finale featured the exclusive screening of the YSD WildRoots docuseries, which spotlights YSD’s ongoing commitment to environmental protection.
The event was attended by YSD’s management team and employees of donor companies – SD Guthrie Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad and Sime Darby Property Berhad – along with project and corporate partners and government representatives, marking a unified front in environmental stewardship.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad lauded YSD’s initiatives with its project partners.
“The WildRoots docuseries truly encapsulates the government and many other stakeholders’ work and commitment to saving the CFS, inviting Malaysians from every segment of society to contribute to preserving our environmental heritage,” he said.
YSD chairman Tunku Imran Tuanku Ja’afar emphasised the vital role of the CFS in Malaysia’s biodiversity, describing it as a home to critical species such as the Malayan tiger and numerous species of hornbills.
“Aside from our collaborative work on the ground in the CFS on human-wildlife coexistence management, anti-poaching efforts and planting of trees (including endangered, rare and threatened species), YSD focuses on advocacy and spreading important knowledge on saving the environment with innovative initiatives,” he said.
“With the screening of the WildRoots docuseries, our conservation about sustainable practices and community development for environment conservation continues.”
Following the screening, a panel discussion was held to discuss the long-term challenges and strategic approaches to conserving the CFS, featuring insights from conservation experts including Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia forest management division senior director Datuk Ahmad Fadzil Abdul Majid, Terengganu State Parks Management Council chief assistant director Shahriz Ahmad Laili, Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre executive director Dr Dzaeman Dzulkifli and Persatuan Pelindung Harimau Malaysia president Lara Ariffin.
The event concluded with a sharing session on the importance of hornbill species and their protection within the CFS landscape by hornbill conservation group Gaia’s environmental awareness and education director Sanjitpaal Singh.
Ongoing initiatives
YSD’s activities, aimed at raising public awareness and involvement kicked off with the launch of the YSD WildRoots docuseries, followed by the introduction of the Trunk Tales board game by Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants, which educates on elephant conservation and human-elephant coexistence.
Post-event, the organisation’s efforts continue with initiatives with SD Guthrie Berhad and Sime Darby Property Berhad, under the YSD Eco Citizen employee volunteering programme, to encourage community participation in environment conservation and education.
Conserving the CFS together
Malaysia’s CFS is a critical ecological corridor that spans across 5.3 million hectares over eight states – Kedah, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Johor, Terengganu and Kelantan – providing habitat to endangered flora and fauna species.
YSD’s conservation strategies in this key area focus on improving ecological connectivity and activating community-led conservation and anti-poaching efforts.
To date, nearly RM27mil has been directed towards these initiatives, as part of YSD’s broader RM206mil investment in environmental protection since 2009.
YSD works with eight project partners – TRCRC, Rimau, Nature Based Solutions, Gaia, Perak State Parks Corporation, Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands and SD Guthrie Berhad – to bolster these efforts in four states along the CFS.
YSD invites the public to engage in ongoing conservation efforts by volunteering with its project partners in various initiatives promoting reforestation, environment conservation and education.
For more information, visit www.yayasansimedarby.com
