Everybody has role to play in conserving environment — Len
KUCHING: Everybody takes responsibility for their actions on the environment or the future generations will suffer as the consequences.
Assistant Minister of Environment Datu Len Talif Saleh said this at the launch of Youth Green X- Change programme at Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Auditorium in Batu Lintang campus of Teacher Education Institute yesterday.
The programme was organised by Natural Resources and Environment Board ( NREB) in conjunction with its 20th anniversary celebration and World Earth Day yesterday.
A Youth on Sustainable Development seminar started the programme which was attended by some 200 youths from various public and private institutions of higher learning.
“You have to be responsible for your actions today or the future generation will pay for it. Very often we see people throwing rubbish into the streets or rivers because they don’t care as long as it does not affect their private space.
“On the part of the government, it has to spend so much money to clean and manage the waste,” he added.
Environmental stewardship, Len added, was everyone’s responsibility in order to ensure sustainable development.
“We belong to an educated society and have the moral obligations to protect our environment and resources. That ‘don’t care’ attitude has to go,” he said.
He said there was a simple formula to understand sustainable development and that involved 3Ps - Planet ( Earth), People (Society)
You have to be responsible for your actions today or the future generation will pay for it. Very often we see people throwing rubbish into the streets or rivers because they don’t care as long as it does not affect their private space. Datu Len Talif Saleh, Assistant Minister of Environment
and Profit ( Economic).
“The profit element is significant because there must be some kind of profit to benefit the people, help the environment and enable sustainable development.”
He said the government spent RM150 million yearly to run various agencies including the (environment) ministry.
He said that youth involvement was important because they were the agents of transformation and future leaders who played crucial role in continuing the government’s sustainable development effort.
“Youth have to shoulder the responsibility to care and protect the environment and resources so that the future generations can enjoy them.
“As such, the government wants to engage youths at different levels including decision-making and policy-making because we know that environmental issues will affect your future.”
He added that youths could lead the community to embrace sustainable practices and contribute to the sustainable development in the state.
“Use social media as efficient tool to disseminate and share accurate information and knowledge especially on environment as well as related activities to raise and promote awareness on protecting the environment,” he said.
He hopes this meaningful programme would be made an annual event to involve more agencies to benefit a wider community.
NREB controller, Peter Sawal, meanwhile said the educational programme was specially designed for youths in Sarawak to embrace sustainable practices.
“It is hoped that the knowledge and information sharing will be able to nurture more young people to contribute to the betterment of our environment,” he said.
The name ‘ Youth Green XChange’ was chosen, he said, as it reflected youth as agents of change towards particular issues such as protecting and conserving the environment.
“The ‘ X’ means a multiplying-effect where youth can share and disseminate environmental message and knowledge to people in the community around them,” he said.
“You are capable of making the change you want as the youth makes up 25 per cent of the state population and your positive actions will bring positive effects on the other 75 per cent,” he said.
The seminar featured speakers and academicians from various organisations who shared interesting topics such as the concept of sustainable development, renewable energy, water resource, solid waste management and environmental volunteerism.
The participants also enjoyed performances, games, exhibitions and quizzes.
The programme was organised in collaboration with Angkatan Zaman Mansang (Azam), World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia ( WWF Malaysia), Environment Department, Sarawak Energy Berhad, Teacher Education Institute Batu Lintang Campus and Trienekens Sdn Bhd.
It will run until October and cover three events including photography, essay-writing, short film and feature-writing competitions.
Azam chief executive officer Datu Aloysius J. Dris, WWF Malaysia head of conservation Sarawak Dr Henry Chan, and state Environmental Department director Ruslan Mohamad were among those present att he function.