SABATI plants 100 trees on Curtin Sarawak grounds

MIRI, Wednesday, 18 July 2007 – More than 200 people gathered at Curtin University of Technology Sarawak campus today to witness the planting of 50 Cinnamomun Iner and 50 Eugenia Oleana initiated by the Sarawak Ministers and Assistant Ministers’ Wife Association (SABATI).

The tree planting ceremony was officiated by the honourable guests, Yang Amat Berbahagia Datuk Amar Puan Sri Dr. Hajjah Laila Taib, President of SABATI.

Also present was Encik Ose Murang, Resident of Miri Division, Yang Berhormat Puan Rosey Binti Haji Yunus, Adun N-61 Bekenu, Yang Berbahagia Datin Sri Hajjah Dayang Morliah Datuk Haji Awan Daud, Secretary of SABATI and other exco members of SABATI.

“Today is a symbolic day and a milestone in the history of Curtin Sarawak. It is a day when we can celebrate the values by which we live at Curtin Sarawak,” said Dr. Joan Gribble, Dean of Curtin Sarawak during her welcome speech.

“Today by planting 100 trees, we show our INTEGRITY because at Curtin Sarawak we care for the environment, we show our RESPECT for the environment, we show that it is a FAIR and good thing to do to care for and respect our environment, we show our UNDERSTADING of the human impact on the physical world and we show that we must live in HARMONY with the environment in which we live for the sustainability of physical world not only for us but for future generations,” she added.

“My hope is that Arbor Day or Tree Planting Day, becomes an annual event at Curtin Sarawak so that it becomes a time when we all can plant trees so that our campus is one of beauty and greening,” she added further.

“Trees are an essence of life and our citizens should be mindful of any matters relating to the environment, cleanliness and hygiene by protecting their environment through their lifestyle and by making contributions towards its conservation,” said Yang Amat Berbahagia Datuk Amar Puan Sri Dr. Hajjah Laila Taib during her speech.

“Trees, through the process of photosynthesis, play an important role in producing oxygen and reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; they also moderate ground temperatures through their shading effect which provides a healthier environment for us to live in,” she explained further.

“They are also significant elements in landscaping and agriculture, both for their aesthetic appeal and their orchard crops and I urge everyone to see tree planting as an important to save our environment and to create a better future for our future generations,” she said.

“Organising a big clean up around the public area is not good enough because people tend to litter the area again when it’s just a normal empty road or land. But if the road is beautified with beautiful landscape, people might be more conscious about littering or messing up the place because it is already beautiful and naturally you would not want to damage anything around it,” she shared.

“I do hope that this initiative would encourage all of you to consider planting at least one tree a year in your area as part of your role to create a better environment for all of us to live in,” she added further.

Since the inception of SABATI on October 27 1981, the association has worked closely in organising charitable projects to help the less fortunate people living in Sarawak. Over the years, the association do not just organise goodwill visits to various places, different events such as Tree Planting Day, Blood Donation Drive, Fund Raising events, Heart Foundation Project and many more.

The Heart Foundation program has helped many people in Sarawak suffering from cardiac diseases who because of financial constraints could not afford to seek for treatment and undergo an operation. With the program, many lives have been saved.

Above: YABhg Datuk Amar Puan Sri Dr. Hajjah Laila Taib planting the tree.