FRIM praises efforts by media
Reports on environmental issues create awareness among public, says D-G
KUALA LUMPUR: The Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) has commended efforts by The Star to create awareness on environmental conservation among the public.
FRIM, said its director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Latif Mohmod, shouldered the mission to help the development of forest-related industries amid dwindling natural resources and was committed to conserving the remaining forests in the country.
“The local and international recognition we have received will not have been possible without support from the media. Their coverage has enabled the relevant parties to see and understand what FRIM has done,” said Dr Abdul Latif.
The institute also presented tokens of appreciation to the newspaper, which was represented by Deputy Group Chief Editor I David Yeoh, reporters Jade Chan and Natalie Heng, during a media appreciation ceremony held at the FRIM Botanic Garden, Kepong, yesterday.
Reporters from Utusan Malaysia, Sin Chew Daily, Sinar Harian, Bernama and several television stations also received similar recognition.
Dr Abdul Latif also called for the media’s continuous support, especially in its bid to get the forest, said to be the largest man-made forest in the world built on a former mining area, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Chan, who reports for StarMetro, said she enjoyed covering environment-related issues as it helped her appreciate nature better.
“We report about floods and landslides because nature is at risk. Doing that makes me more conscious about the effects on the environment,” she said.
Heng from StarTwo said the environment was an interesting subject to report on, enabling her to see the bigger picture.
“Being a reporter gives me the opportunity to empower myself and at the same time help to raise awareness about the issues I write about,” she said.