Tenom: Yayasan Petronas in collaboration with the Sabah Forestry Department conducted a community engagement programme involving 200 residents of four villages around the Kungkular Forest Reserve, here, recently.
The Community Engagement Programme and Awareness at Kampung Kungkular on Dec 9, was part of Yayasan Petronas’ ongoing activities under its initiative to plant one million trees throughout Malaysia by 2027.
Kungkular Forest Reserve has been identified as a site in Sabah for the initiative in partnership with the Forestry Department.
“This programme follows a series of successful implementation of tree-planting initiatives nationwide,” said Head of Petronas Sabah and Labuan Siti Ayu Abdul Wahab.
“It is our hope that through this programme, we will be able to instil awareness at the grassroots level on the importance of safeguarding our environment.”
The tree-planting efforts also entailed equipping communities with sustainable livelihood options, providing education on forest conservation and restoration practices, thereby equipping local communities to become forest stewards.
During the half-day programme, activities included a sharing on environmental stewardship and the long-term benefits of preserving natural surroundings.
It was attended by residents of Kampung Kungkular, Kampung Nanturaan, Kampung Lohot, and Kampung Sosopon.
Also present were Kemabong assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang, Sabah Forestry Department Head of Planning Sector Rosila Anthony, Tenom District Forestry Officer Harry Francis Ikok and Yayasan Petronas Head of Operations Tengku Noraida Tengku Mahmood.
The Yayasan Petronas’ tree-planting initiative is in line with the Malaysian government’s 100 Million Tree-Planting Campaign under the Malaysian Greening Programme, which seeks to preserve at least 50 per cent of the country’s forests and trees.
Under its Walk4Trees programme, which was launched in 2020, the Foundation planted over 70,000 native trees at 14 sites throughout Malaysia, including in Binsulok, Beaufort, which saw the planting of 7,000 trees.
