The responsibility of taking care of the environment needs to be shouldered together and not solely by the government.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew has called for cooperation between the industry, local communities, various government agencies, and related parties to be strengthened for environmental sustainability.
“I also request the cooperation of the industry to jointly take care of the rivers,” said Liew during the World Environment Day celebration on June 5, organised by the Environmental Protection Department and KKIP Sdn Bhd in Sungai Telipok.
The celebration this year focuses on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience, said Liew in her speech read by the Tourism Ministry’s Principal Assistant Secretary, Murad Abdul Rashid.
She said the government has implemented the state environmental policy to ensure that development planning is carried out in a sustainable manner that involves cooperation from various ministries, departments, and governmental and non-governmental organisations.
“In addition, coastal management plans have been implemented by the Environmental Protection Department and related agencies to ensure that development in coastal areas is carried out in a sustainable manner.
“The environmental self-regulation (ESR) was also introduced to increase cooperation and collaboration with the stakeholders.
“Various environmental awareness programmes were introduced to target various groups, such as the flagship environmentally friendly school programme (SERASI),” said Liew.
The Environmental Protection Department and KKIP have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on December 15, 2022, to jointly manage the environment in the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park and implement awareness programmes and various training sessions.
“There is solid commitment and collaboration that is getting stronger to improve environmental management in the industrial sector in Sabah,” she said.
Among the matters involved in this MoU are the implementation of self-compliance with the environmental conditions agreement and reduction declaration to ensure that the environment is always preserved, she added.
In line with the celebration, she noted that 210 pandan coconut saplings courtesy of the Malaysian Cocoa Board, and Sakura trees were planted along Sungai Telipok by 46 governmental and non-governmental organisations.
A drawing competition themed on the protection of rivers was organised, and she hoped that children’s participation can increase knowledge and awareness about the responsibility and actions needed to protect the environment.
