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| CHRIS MEGA GANI and his masterpiece |
KUCHING, August 28: The Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch (MNSKB) is pleased to announce the winner of Santubong Nature Festival's logo designing contest.
The contest, opened to students and lecturers of Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology Borneo, was held earlier this year. About 10 participants took part in the contest and after much deliberation by the organising committee, the winner is Chris Mega ak Gani, 21, who has just graduated in graphic design.
MNSKB would like to thank Limkokwing and all students who took part in the contest for their support towards organising the Santubong Nature Festival.
The inaugural Santubong Nature Festival is scheduled to be held at Permai Rainforest Resort in Santubong on 9th and 10th November. The event is opened to MNS members and the public. Schools in Kuching and Santubong as well as local community living in Santubong are also invited to take part in the festival.
The festival is co-organised with Permai Rainforest Resort and supported by Limkokwing Borneo, a premier institute of higher learning in the country. The event is also supported by Sarawak Museum Deparmtent, Sarawak Photo Art Society, Friends of Sarawak Museums and Sarawak Heritage Society.
The objectives of Santubong Nature Festival are:
To raise public awareness of the priceless natural and historical - local and global - heritage value of the Santubong Peninsula;
To advocate for a holistic and integrated approach to development and management of the area safeguarding its unique landscape, biodiversity and historical assets;
To showcase the tourism and recreational potential of the natural and cultural values of the Santubong Peninsula; and
To stimulate reflection on responsible and sustainable further management of the peninsula and its surroundings.
Interesting activities highlighting Santubong peninsula's natural, historical and cultural heritage such as multi-sport treasure hunt, heritage & heritage walks, talks and tree planting will be held at Permai Rainforest Resort during the festival.
Lead up activities to Santubong Nature Festival such as photography contest, boat trips, talks and tours related to Santubong and the naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace will be held in Sarawak Museum between now and November. So watch out for our Facebook page for updates atwww.facebook.com/
In conjunction with the festival, MNSKB and Sarawak Photo Art Society are organising the Santubong Peninsula Landscape Photography Competition that runs from July to 31st August 2013.
This photography is open to the public and submission period is from 1st September 2013 to 7th September 2013. Entry will close on the 7th September 2013, 12 noon.
The coverage area of this competition will be any place after the Santubong Bridge, coming from Kuching direction. For registration, full rules and regulations, please visit the blog and Facebook page.
MNSKB has been carrying out many activities, particularly bird-watching, in the Santubong peninsula for many years since it was set up in 1996. These regular bird-watching activities eventually resulted in Bako Buntal Bay, that forms part of the Santubong peninsula, being inscribed on the East Asian - Australasian Flyway Site Network (EAAF) last year. Bako-Buntal Bay is the first flyway network established in Malaysia and one of the world's Important Bird Areas.
In 2002, MNSKB held a major clean-up in Mount Santubong from the foothills to the peak and volunteers collected 1.2 tonnes of rubbish.
MNSKB, as a local environmental NGO, is very concerned with the overall development and well-being of Santubong peninsula. It recognises the need to develop the area but that development should be well-planned so that development would not degrade the iconic mountain.
Land clearing for housing, tall buildings and a proposed cable car to the peak of the mountain could alter the landscape and scar Santubong's aesthetic visual value if not properly planed.
Development taking place without sensitivity to historical and archaeological considerations would also produce many irreversible problems.
It is hoped that the Santubong Nature Festival will help to address these through greater public awareness and eventually advocate for a holistic, sustainable and integrated approach to development and management of the area.
For more information, visit the festival's Facebook page or email to mnskuching@gmail.com. Or call organising chairman Mr. Vincent Wong at 013-8020005.
About Limkokwing Borneo
Limkokwing Borneo is a premier institute of higher learning and its quality education is assured at international standards. For students beyond the region, Limkokwing Borneo offers distinctive courses and subject areas reflecting the characteristics of the region and with relevance worldwide. The extensive use of advance Information Communication Technology assures quality delivery of programs. As a digital innovation hub, Limkokwing Borneo is a leader in producing graduates that meet the needs of the industry, and is part of the Limkokwing University network, which has campuses spread across three continents. Limkokwing has Malaysia's best creative programmes that give the students the widest choice of subjects and the flexibility of transferring to any of the Limkokwing campuses worldwide.
About MNS
The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) is the oldest environmental NGO in Malaysia. Its mission aims at promoting the study, appreciation, conservation and protection of Malaysia's natural heritage. It was formed in 1941. MNS Kuching Branch or MNSKB was set up in 1996. In Bahasa Malaysia, MNS is known as Persatuan Pencinta Alam Malaysia.
