Saturday, September 9, 2023, Setiu, Terengganu - Amanah Lestari Alam (ALAM), a foundation led by Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB), demonstrated its commitment to environmental conservation by organizing a mangrove planting program today. The event brought together over 100 dedicated participants, including BPMB employees and volunteers from Kelab Belia Prihatin Malaysia (Belia Prihatin).

The program aimed to rehabilitate and safeguard the mangrove area at Taman Negeri Setiu Wetlands in Setiu, Terengganu, through the planting of 500 mangrove saplings. ALAM's initiative serves as a call to action for environmental conservation and underscores the urgency of rehabilitating Malaysia's mangrove forests. It also aligns with the Government's "100 million tree-planting by 2025" campaign, part of its "Penghijauan Malaysia" agenda launched in 2021.

ALAM has set a goal of planting 2,000 mangrove saplings in four locations across Peninsular Malaysia this year. To date, ALAM has successfully planted 1,300 saplings in various locations, and foresee overachieving their initial target set at the beginning of this program. Previous mangrove planting programs were held at Taman Alam Kuala Selangor, Selangor, on February 26, 2023, and at Pusat Penyelidikan Kecil Hutan Paya Laut in Nibong Tebal, Penang, on May 27, 2023. The foundation's commitment continues with its fourth and final program scheduled for November 2023 in Johor Bahru. ALAM actively engages in various environmental preservation initiatives, fostering awareness, public education, and a culture of environmental stewardship in partnership with communities, public entities, and the private sector.

BPMB's Chief Human Resource Officer, Puan Sainursalwa Sani, emphasized the significance of this program, stating, "We are deeply committed to environmental stewardship and contributing to our nation's development. This program exemplifies our dedication as it aligns perfectly with BPMB's CSR pillar of environmental responsibility and our overarching purpose of delivering impact capital for national development. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of volunteerism among our employees, and this initiative solidifies our commitment. It brings us immense pride to serve as a talent hub, where we foster connections and relationships while making a meaningful impact on our environment and local communities.” ALAM’s Trustee, Dr Harikrishna Kulaveerasingam, highlighted that the public needs to be aware of the importance of mangroves in the overall biodiversity. He said, “Studies have shown that mangroves play an important role as a natural barrier against coastline erosion, and mangroves also trap four times more carbon than normal forests. Given the enormous benefits of cultivating mangroves, proper administration and conservation are necessary to ensure its continued existence. We welcome all corporate and government collaborations to address the need to conserve and rehabilitate the wetlands”.

Belia Prihatin’s President, Encik Luqman Hakim Md Zim, added, "We hope everyone plays their role in protecting mangroves, including the youth. Mangrove forests help to ensure Malaysia’s continued healthy biodiversity, by creating a new habitat for wildlife, helping to reduce the impact of climate change and providing a sustainable and long-term seafood supply.

ABOUT BANK PEMBANGUNAN MALAYSIA BERHAD

Celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2023, Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad (BPMB) finances strategic sectors for national development. Owned by Minister of Finance (Incorporated), BPMB is rated ‘AAA’ by both RAM Rating Services Berhad and Malaysia Rating Corporation Berhad. It is regulated and supervised by Bank Negara Malaysia under the Development Financial Institution Act 2002. Equipped with its impact assessment framework, MIND (Measuring Impact on National Development), BPMB is well positioned to serve its purpose of delivering impact capital for national development.

ABOUT AMANAH LESTARI ALAM (ALAM)

Amanah Lestari Alam (ALAM) is a national initiative mooted by the Ministry of Finance Malaysia and spearheaded by Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad, with a vision to transform Malaysians’ mindset and behaviours on the environment. Derived from the 12th Malaysia Plan, ALAM aims to create awareness, educate and instil whistleblowing culture by collaborating with communities, public and private sectors. ALAM also advocates policy for improved governance and bridging the policymakers with stakeholders. ALAM targets three specific segments, i.e. Primary school students, Youths and Adults – aimed at helping to address the relationship Malaysians have with the country’s present natural capital and future generations. ALAM’s focus is centred on seven UN SDGs; SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 17 (Partnership for The Goals).

ABOUT KELAB BELIA PRIHATIN

Kelab Belia Prihatin Malaysia (Belia Prihatin) is a youth collective registered under the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and an official member of YOUNGO - the children and youth wing of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) representing Malaysian youth.