Junainah officiating the “Bah! Tanam Pokok” and “Sayangi Pantai Kita” programme.
KOTA KINABALU (Feb 24): The Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) aims to plant at least 6,000 trees throughout Kota Kinabalu each year.
Mayor Dato’ Sri Dr Sabin Samitah said DBKK had planted 12,000 trees around its jurisdiction from 2022 to 2023 through various such initiatives involving all walks of life.
He stressed the importance of taking care of the environment and surrounding areas, and that the dependence on the sustainability of nature and human life is a symbiosis which should not be argued.
“It is common knowledge that a healthy life is based on a clean and fresh environment. Both the government and the state or local authorities understand the need to instill a sense of community’s love for nature, including beaches and natural assets, which is very important.
“DBKK also encourages the people of Kota Kinabalu to plant various species of trees together and participate in environmental awareness campaigns in their respective areas which will increase public awareness of the importance of maintaining the level of greenery, the quality of the landscape and the environment which contribute to the quality of life,” he said in his speech during the launch of “Bah! Tanam Pokok” and “Sayangi Pantai Kita” near Likas Bay here on Saturday,
The text of his speech was delivered by DBKK director-general Junainah Abbie.
Sabin explained that the Saturday programme, which saw around 700 people plant around 1,000 trees in the city area and clean the nearby beaches, aims to support the Greening Malaysia Programme through National 100 Million Tree Planting Campaign and to increase general awareness and love for the importance of beaches in the city of Kota Kinabalu.
He said the programmes also have the objectives of improving environmental quality and aesthetic value as a tourism attraction, and to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), namely Sustainable Cities and Communities.
“The “Bah! Tanam Pokok” and “Sayangi Pantai Kita” programmes will be simultaneously held three times a year at selected locations around Kota Kinabalu.
“We have an annual target of 6,000 trees, including 1,000 trees on launch day, as well as a coastal cleanup which focuses on the rocky embankment from the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) to the Likas Bay estuary.
“These programmes involve not only DBKK personnel and officers but also government agencies, educational institutions, and members of the public,” he said.
