KOTA KINABALU: The State-level National Environment Day (HASN) celebration is crucial in raising environmental awareness on critical issues.
These include pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss.
It also aims to educate the community on their responsibility towards the environment, and to encourage involvement in conservation activities, including participation from students, NGOs, and the public and private sectors.
New Director of DOE Sabah, Nor Rashidah Mohd Ghazali, conveyed these objectives during a courtesy call on Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew at her office.
Deputy Director of the Sabah Environment Protection Department (EPD), Daisy Aloysius, Senior Principal Assistant Director Amir Hamzah Musa, and Senior Assistant Director Chai Hsieh Nee, were also present.
Liew has been invited to officiate at the HASN on November 8 at the Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre Ramsar.
The celebration is jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS), Sabah EPD and DOE Sabah, with the cooperation of the Sabah Wetland Conservation Society.
“We (KePKAS) are happy to support the State-level National Environment Day.
“It is good that the organisers are getting schoolchildren, university students, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the local community to participate actively in the programme,” said Liew.
It will feature a mangrove walk and replanting, an upcycling e-waste exhibition, and a household e-waste collection programme, among other activities.
She will also present prizes to winners of the primary school drawing competition, secondary school infographic competition, public photography competition, and upcycling e-waste competition for higher education institutions.
Liew will also take the opportunity to hand over eco-bags to representatives of local authorities from throughout Sabah.
Nor Rashidah said HASN is a rebranding and enhancement of Malaysia Environment Week (MASM), which has been celebrated annually from October 21 to 27 since 1991 in conjunction with Malaysia Environment Day. – Wu Vuide
