National Environment Week 2001

Intensify all efforts at preserving the environment - Chief Minister

The Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi Abdul Taib Mahmud, sounded a clarion call when he urged citizens of Sarawak to pull out all the stops at keeping the environment clean. Datuk Patinggi Taib was launching the National Environment Week 2001 at the Waterfront Square in Kuching on Monday, 20 October.

Appreciation… Datuk Patinggi Taib awarding local authorities for their consistent effort in environmental preservation. From left are Datuk David Teng, Tan Sri Jabu, Dato’ Seri Law and other VIPs

Datuk Patinggi Taib dwelt at length on the issue of urbanisation and said that “serious attention must be given on the issue of urbanisation as it will be the biggest contributor to environmental pollution in the future. The issue has also become increasingly important as 50% of the State’s population is now living in urban areas. This means that the cities and towns will need to expand to cope with such rapid growth.”

He further added that “there will be a higher density of houses, factories and people. All these will only lead to greater impact on our environment. The volume of waste in Kuching has increased to 250,000 metric tonnes a year and this is one instance which reflects clearly the magnitude of environmental problems that can accompany the process of urbanisation.”

Datuk Patinggi Taib suggested that one way to lessen adverse environmental impact is to ensure that urban areas are properly developed and adopts sustainable waste management policies.

He went on to say that “there should also be a meeting among all towns and industries’ planners to study waste management implications on industrial and population growth.”

At the same time, Datuk Patinggi Taib also called upon the younger generation to inculcate good habits to love and preserve the environment in which they are going to grow up in the future. He said efforts to enhance awareness and conservation of the environment among the society should be intensified.

He said the government agencies must learn from the experience of the developing countries in monitoring the environment, especially the rivers, which is a national heritage. “The government’s efforts to conserve the environment would come to nothing if the people do not throw in their weight and do their part together,” he concluded.

Various programmes have been drawn up by the other states in Malaysia to mark the National Environment Week 2001.

Later the Chief Minister released a few hundred balloons into the air which also marked the launching of river cleanliness campaigns in Kuching, Sibu and Miri.

The theme for this year’s Environment Week is “Don’t Pollute the Rivers, They are our Pulse of Life.” Dato’Seri Law Hieng Ding, the Minister of Science, Technology and Environ-ment also spoke at the launching. Also present to witness the occasion are the Assistant Minister of Science, Technology and Environ-ment, Dato’ Haji Zainal bin Dahlan; Datuk Amar Puan Sri Hajjah Laila Taib; the Deputy Chief Minister, Tan Sri Alfred Jabu; former Minister of Environment and Public Health, Datuk James Wong Kim Min and his Assistant, Datuk David Teng Lung Chi; heads of departments, community leaders, students and members of the public.