WWF-Malaysia inks MoU with UMT for collaborative research

KUCHING: WWF-Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu ( UMT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) on Jan 10.

The event held at UMT campus formally sealed their commitment for long-term collaboration and research on the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable environment management in Malaysia.

Whilethereisalreadyanongoing partnership notably involving research, awareness and capacity building for the conservation of the Setiu Wetlands as well as marine turtles and ecosystems, the signing of the MoU will further strengthen the partnership and pave the way for greater collaboration and mutually beneficial opportunities.

“We hope that with this MoU will enable stronger positive ties between WWF-Malaysia and UMT in the long run.

“Priority sites with high conservation value such as the Setiu Wetlands holds a wealth of diversity.

“Therefore, research and science- based data can provide a strong base in contributing towards greater protection of this rich biodiversity,” said WWFMalaysia chief executive officer Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma in a press statement.

UMT vice-chancellor Prof. Dato’ Dr Nor Aieni Mokhtar added that such initiatives play a crucial role in providing sound scientific data to support community efforts as well.

“A collaboration such as this will add great value to existing outreach, awareness and education programmes involving both the local communities and civil societies alike.”

Also present to witness the ceremony was the Terengganu deputy state secretary (development) Rosman Roslan who is also the director of the state’s Economic Planning Unit.

Specifically for Setiu Wetlands, it is hoped that the MoU and the scientific expedition proceedings will provide weight in getting the wetland gazetted as a state park besides helping towards a more integrated and sustainable management of the wetlands.

Apart from Setiu Wetlands, there is great prospect to build on and further enhance the existing collaboration between UMT and WWF-Malaysia on marine and threatened species conservation including turtle conservation under the strategic partnership of the MoU.

This would be critical especially for Terengganu as the state has the highest population of turtles in Peninsular Malaysia, with average landing and turtle nests between 2,000 and 2,500 per year (since 10 years ago).