MTC Celebrates Malaysia Day with Tree Planting Programme

KUALA LUMPUR (16 SEPTEMBER 2022): In conjunction with the National Month and
Malaysia Day celebrations, the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) commemorated the
occasion by planting 100 trees of various local species at the Forest Research Institute
Malaysia’s (FRIM) research station in Jasin, Melaka, today.
The Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) YB Datuk Hajah Zuraida
Kamaruddin, who officiated the event, said MPIC encourages all Councils and Agencies
under the ministry to conduct similar programmes as tree-planting is an effective way to combat climate change and greening the environment.
This will also contribute to the government’s target of planting 100 million trees by 2025.
She added that the grave ramifications of climate change are a major cause of concern
that must be met with good mitigation efforts and that the planting of different species of
trees will not only restore the ecosystem but further enhance Malaysia’s rich biodiversity.
MTC Chairman Madam Hajah Norrida Yusoff said the Council’s tree-planting programme is under MTC’s CSR agenda. She said the programme under the “Giving Back to Nature”, which encompasses planting of trees, has seen the Council plant more than 500 trees of various species such as Kenanga, Merawan Siput Jantan, Janda Merana, Kasai, Cinnamon, Cermai, Bidara, Petai, Belimbing Buluh, Belimbing Madu and Eucalyptus pellita this year.
This tree-planting activity was the fourth for 2022 where the Council planted 30 different
tree species in conjunction with its 30th Anniversary this year.
MTC, which has been actively involved in CSR initiatives, especially since the onset of
the COVID-19 pandemic, has channelled its help and contributions through its “Giving
Back to Community” and “Giving Back to the Stakeholders” programmes as well which
has led to the Council being named “Best Government Council of the Year Award for
Excellence in Environmental Sustainability and CSR Initiatives” two years in a row.
MTC’s tree-planting programme was taken a notch higher when it launched a community farming programme in Batu Kikir, Negeri Sembilan, on 8 September 2022 where villagers were being engaged to plant timber trees on their idle land to help supplement the need for raw materials for panel product manufacturers in Malaysia.
MTC CEO Mr. Muhtar Suhaili said the villagers are being taught how to take care of the
saplings and will learn more about timber trees. He added that planting these trees will
also help reduce urban migration as it will create more job opportunities for the younger
generation. The villagers have ready buyers for the Eucalyptus and Albizia species that
are being planted.
The community farming programme will also be extended to villagers in Pokok Sena,
Kedah, Gemas in Negeri Sembilan and Kuantan, Pahang.
Also present at the event were Melaka State Forestry Department Director Mr. Khirun
Nizam Abdul Rahim, FRIM Director General Dr. Ismail Parlan, Malaysian Timber Industry Board Deputy Director General (Management and Operations) Mr. Saiful Bahri Salleh, MTC Board of Trustees and MTC COO Madam Noraihan Abdul Rahman.