18-05-2025
‘Be accurate when using S'wak emblem as representation, no and/or'
Great Hornbills are not found in Sarawak or Sabah, according to Teo. — Photo by Jason Teo
KUCHING (May 18): Zoologist Jason Teo claimed Affin Bank used the wrong hornbill on its Affin Kenyalang Visa Debit Card and urged the bank to consider updating the misleading illustration.
He said while the casque (upper part of the beak) is long and curved upwards, which matches the Rhinoceros Hornbill, other key features suggest the bird illustrated on the debit card is actually a Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) with a modified casque.
'This is not a call to shame Affin Bank—mistakes happen, and I believe this was an honest one. As Sarawakians, I believe we are patient and understanding people. Even in my early career, I've misidentified many birds; it's part of the learning process.
'I've been approached by many people asking me to confirm what our State Emblem truly looks like. That honestly has been disheartening for me. It feels like we've taken a few steps backwards,' said Teo in a statement yesterday.
An image of the Affin Kenyalang Visa Debit Card.
He has help from seasoned birdwatcher with 27 years of experience Tou Jing Yi on the cross-checking of facts.
Teo pointed out that Great Hornbills are not found in Sarawak or Sabah while Rhinoceros Hornbills can be found in Sarawak, Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia.
According to him, the Great Hornbill has a pale yellowish-white neck, whereas the Rhinoceros Hornbill's neck is entirely black.
He went on to say that the wing of the Great Hornbill has two conspicuous white to yellow wing bars while the Rhinoceros Hornbill is entirely black.
'While both have casques, the Rhinoceros Hornbill's casque extends more prominently out and upwards while the Great Hornbill's is flat and set further back at the head. Also, the Great Hornbill's casque is mostly yellow. In contrast, the Rhinoceros Hornbill's casque has a balanced mix of red, yellow and orange,' he said.
The Rhinoceros Hornbill, the Sarawak State Emblem. — Photo by Jason Teo
Teo said some had argued that the hornbill's casque on the debit card was long and curved upwards, which should be close enough to call it a Rhinoceros Hornbill.
'However, the designated state bird of Sarawak is specifically the Rhinoceros Hornbill, not just any hornbill. It's also important to remember that the Affin Kenyalang Visa Debit Card was designed specifically for Sarawak, yet the species illustrated on the card (the Great Hornbill) does not exist in Sarawak,' he stressed.
Citing as an example, he said it would be unacceptable if someone tried to use an image of a lion to represent the Malayan Tiger.
He said that if it mattered that the Malaysia and Sarawak flags are depicted accurately, then the same standard should apply to the Sarawak State Emblem.
'Accuracy in representing our identity matters. This is not an 'and/or' question,' he said.
'There's absolutely no shame in making a correction, it's how we learn. And finally, I hope that after reading this, people will feel more confident in recognising the Rhinoceros Hornbill, and will share this knowledge with friends and family. Let's move forward together, informed and united,' he added. Affin Bank Jason Teo lead rhinoceros hornbill State Emblem
