PUTRAJAYA, Feb 2 — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) is calling for the management of existing Ramsar sites in the country to be strengthened, while the state governments need to intensify efforts to nominate potential wetland areas as new Ramsar sites.
NRES, in a statement in conjunction with World Wetlands Day 2024 today, said that it has the responsibility as the national focal point of the Ramsar Convention in the country, as well as being committed to supporting efforts to conserve and preserve wetland ecosystems.
“Wetland ecosystems, such as rivers, lakes, peatlands, mangrove swamps, estuaries, lagoons, coral reefs, fish ponds, rice fields, dams and salt pans, play an important role in terms of food and drink security.
“They also serve as the source of medicines, natural flood mitigation systems, flora and fauna habitats and (for) recreation, to create an atmosphere of harmony between humans and nature.
“The ministry also calls for cooperation from various parties to conserve and preserve this very valuable wetland ecosystem, for the sake of present and future generations,” it said.
A Ramsar site refers to a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, which was adopted in Ramsar, Iran on Febraury 2, 1971.
Malaysia joined the Ramsar Convention on March 10, 1995, and as of now seven wetland areas in Malaysia have been recognised as Ramsar Sites, namely Tasek Bera, Pahang in 1994; Tanjung Piai, Pulau Kukup and Sungai Pulai, Johor (2003); Kuching Wetlands National Park, Sarawak (2005); and Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands and Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, Sabah in 2008 and 2017 respectively.
World Wetlands Day is celebrated annually on February 2, to raise global awareness, increase appreciation and empower the conservation and preservation of wetland ecosystems.
For this year, the theme, “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing” has been chosen to emphasise the importance of wetland ecosystems to the well-being of human life. — Bernama