The Hutan Kita (Our Forests) – Journey through our Rainforest exhibition is being held at the Tower Terrace of the Kuala Lumpur Tower from August 24 to September 22, 2019. It is organised by the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources to enhance public awareness about the government’s efforts in preserving forests.
The exhibition is an initiative under the Our Forest Conservation Programme 2019-2020 that showcases the richness of the country’s forests as well as the efforts that have been implemented in preserving and conserving forests. It has set a national record as the largest exhibition of tropical rainforest trees with 850 species of tropical rainforest trees on display, and has gained recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records.
The government will outline eight key actions that will be implemented to enhance Malaysia’s efforts in sustainable forest management and mainstreaming biodiversity in Malaysia’s socio-economic development agenda in the era of post-2020. This includes increasing Totally Protected Areas from 13.2 per cent to 20 per cent by 2025 as set out in the National Policy on Biological Diversity. Another initiative is the five-year 100 million trees planting campaign.
Malaysia’s National Tree – Merbau tree
In conjuction with the Hutan Kita exhibition, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced the Merbau tree is Malaysia’s National Tree and believed that all Malaysians can take the Merbau as a symbol of national pride with its hardy nature. The Merbau tree (Malacca teak) was selected as a symbol of the integrity of the nation’s forest as a result of sustainable management and the conservation of the Malaysian biodiversity. The tree is also a symbol of the importance of the forest to the country’s industries and the economy.