Ministry backs film on endangered pygmy elephants
Published on: Mon, Jun 23, 2025 Text Size: Liew (centre), flanked by Mohd Soffian (right) and Chong. Kota Kinabalu: Support from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (KePKAS) is crucial for the success of the upcoming film 'Agatis : A Borneo Story' (AABS) set to start filming between August and September this year. Its Minister Datuk Seri Christina Liew said her Ministry has every reason to lend a hand, given the film's potential as a wildlife tourism booster. 'We will render the necessary assistance through our agency, Sabah Wildlife Department (JHL). Firstly, it is a feature film to protect and raise awareness about the endangered Bornean Pygmy Elephants. Secondly, it would be the first ever film in Malaysia filming in close proximity to these majestic animals under supervision,' she said after a presentation on the film project by the Director of Mondo Ab Films Sdn Bhd (MABF), Jeanette Chong Tze Ling, recently. MABF is a KK-based production company in Sabah. Present was the Director of JHL Mohd Soffian Abu Bakar. Chong, a Sabahan scriptwriter, film director and producer, concurred that the Ministry's support is the key to success of AABS, a 90-minute movie featuring Agatis, a four-year-old female Pygmy Elephant and Aki, a two-year-old male Pygmy Elephant, from the Borneo Elephant Sanctuary (BES) within the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.
Advertisement 'I thank the Minister for her personal assistance. The support from the Ministry and Sabah Wildlife Department will bolster the confidence of potential funders and sponsors to come forward to contribute within their capacity. 'This film, my fourth screenplay, is intended not only to be screened in cinemas but also to make its debut at some film festivals,' she said, adding that the move will attract potential local and international filmmakers to produce films in Sabah. Briefing the Minister, the lawyer-turned film producer who is also a martial artist, said 'Agatis : A Borneo Story' is created with the collaboration of more than 50 years of combined experience in storytelling, wildlife cinematography, and high-quality film-making with very experienced and established production teams. 'This is the logline of the film. Both orphaned children - a young lost boy (Dhiren) and a baby Pygmy Elephant (Agatis) from two different worlds - found each other in the magical Borneo jungle where they bonded and became entangled in a battle to protect Agatis's species from greedy poachers,' explained Chong who has a passion for filmmaking. On her rationale behind 'Agatis : A Borneo Story', the film producer stressed that there is a pressing need to raise the level of awareness of the existence of the Bornean Pygmy Elephant, and emphasise the importance of coexistence through the film production. 'I met Jibius Dausip (the Elephant Whisperer) in 2023 to learn more about the Bornean Elephant and encountered baby Agatis for the very first time,' Chong recalled. Asked why Sandakan is given the priority for casting (choosing of actors), she attributed this to the location (Kinabatangan), saying it is ideal for the main cast and baby Bornean Pygmy Elephant to bond before filming starts, together with supervision from BES and their caretakers living in Kinabatangan. 'In July, we are going to do an open casting for the children in Sandakan. We are open to more NGO groups being involved as well as the local people in Kinabatangan.' Once we have successfully secured the funding needed, we hope to commence filming in mid-August or September, Chong added. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hype Malaysia
7 hours ago
- Hype Malaysia
The #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach Limited Edition Has Washed Ashore!
Get your wrists ready, watch aficionados! Following their blockbuster collaboration in 2023, Franck Muller and #FR2 have returned with a new timepiece: the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach Limited Edition! The model melds #FR2's playful irreverence with the sporty, vibrant design of the Vanguard Beach collection, and arrives perfectly timed to usher in the summer. Tokyo-based #FR2 is a beloved iconoclast among streetwear aficionados. Known for its provocative Fxxking Rabbits motif, the label first partnered with Franck Muller two years ago to create the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard. The limited-edition watch paired #FR2's signature graphic with an edgy, fashion-forward design, and became an instant hit among streetwear fans. This year's follow-up from Franck Muller and #FR2 features the same Fxxking Rabbits motif, of course. In lieu of a monochromatic palette, however, the new #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach Limited Edition comes decked out in vivid summer hues to evoke the carefree spirit of sun-soaked days and sea breezes – a throwback to the Franck Muller Vanguard Beach collection that was also released in 2023. The #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach Limited Edition is available in three colourways derived from the original Vanguard Beach line: Heatwave Red, Surf Blue, and Tropical Green, available in just 300 pieces each. All three references are a call to summer and all that it has to offer, with a dial that hints at the endless possibilities on hand. To create these deeply saturated cases, glass is first melted at 1,500°c and drawn into extremely fine threads, before being cooled and formed into sheets at 700°c. These sheets are then impregnated in special colour baths to attain the desired hues, before being compressed into fibreglass composite blocks. The iconic Fxxking Rabbits are the anchoring elements on these watches, naturally, and variously engaged in their pursuits under a beach umbrella, on a surfboard, and amongst lush vegetation. To complete each scene, the date window has been cleverly positioned at 2 o'clock both as a subtle callback to #FR2, and to double as the blazing sun shining overhead. For added dimension and nighttime visibility, the rabbit motif and skeletonised obelisk hands are applied with Super-Luminova, giving the dial a luminous glow in the dark. On the technical front, the #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach Limited Edition collection offers Franck Muller's familiar mix of technical sophistication with eminent wearability. The tonneau-shaped Vanguard case here has been rendered in glass fibre-composite, for a bold presence in a light yet robust package suitable for everyday wear. Each case, in turn, comes fitted with a striking nylon strap, with leather underside, featuring a hook-and-loop closure for convenience and sand-free cleanups. The straps are printed with various details – bold text that harks back to archetypal Japanese streetwear aesthetics, as well as a unique graphic that extends the watch dial's visual motif. Powering each timepiece is Franck Muller's self-winding MVT 2536-SCDT2H movement, a workhorse calibre that offers fuss-free convenience. 'Franck Muller and #FR2 are both unapologetic and daring in their respective industries, and they embody the same audacity and non-conformist attitude that make them such kindred spirits,' opines Sharon Lim, CEO of Franck Muller APAC. 'These shared values have given rise to a partnership that's made waves across both the streetwear and luxury watch industries, beginning with 2023's #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard. We are pleased to follow up on its success with the new #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach, which explores a different set of possibilities when street fashion meets haute horlogerie.' The new #FR2NCK MULLER Vanguard Beach Limited Edition is now available exclusively in the Asia Pacific region. Each of the three references is limited to just 300 pieces. Swing by Franck Muller's official website for more.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
Ministries join up to crack down on sky-high concert ticket resales as scalpers run wild
JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 10 — The Communications Ministry will hold discussions with the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) to address the growing issue of concert ticket scalping at inflated prices. Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said KPDN is currently reviewing the matter, including the possibility of introducing a Bill to tackle the matter. 'The Communications Ministry has also engaged with event organisers and ticketing companies to find the most suitable solution to this issue,' she said at a press conference for the Johor leg of the Madani MSME Digital Grant Festival 2025 in Permas Jaya today. Teo said the problem is most common at high-profile international concerts, such as G-Dragon's, where soaring demand allows scalpers to resell tickets at heavily marked-up prices. Last Friday, Teo chaired a meeting with representatives from KPDN and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to address the growing concern of ticket scalping, which is hurting the country's entertainment industry. She said the session gathered input and proposals from agencies directly involved in monitoring and enforcing concert ticket sales, while also examining examples from countries with anti-scalping laws. — Bernama
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Taiwan-based singer Gary Chaw 'still hurting' from divorce
TAIPEI: It has been three years since Taiwan-based singer Gary Chaw divorced Taiwanese fashion blogger Wu Shuling, but it seems he has not fully moved on. The 46-year-old recently shared on Xiaohongshu (Red Note) a video of himself singing his 2019 song I'm Just A Fool – a ballad in which he confronts his shortcomings and expresses his unconditional devotion. The post quickly drew attention, with many netizens praising Chaw's soulful vocals, while others shared how the performance evoked a deep sense of nostalgia. According to China Press, Chaw also left two comments about Wu under his video. The former couple, who divorced in November 2022 after 14 years of marriage, share two children – Joe, 16, and Grace, 14. "I still haven't forgotten Shuling," read one of the comments. "I'm still in pain," he wrote in another. Chaw later deleted both comments mentioning Wu. In July 2023, Chaw made a series of Instagram posts about his ex-wife and their children – including a throwback wedding photo of him and Wu. A few months later, while performing his song Zhang Wen at a concert in Taipei, Chaw altered the original lyric "There is no winning or losing" to "There is no Shuling".
