Latest news with #RhinocerosHornbill
Borneo Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Affin Bank's hornbill blunder a serious misrepresentation of Sarawak's identity, says Pending rep
Yong pointed out that the Great Hornbill is not native to Sarawak and cited local zoologist Jason Teo, who confirmed the bird depicted is indeed the wrong species. – Photo by Roystein Emmor KUCHING (May 21): Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong insisted she was not making a mountain out of a molehill over Affin Bank's depiction of the wrong hornbill on its Kenyalang Card, calling it a serious misrepresentation of Sarawak's identity. Speaking during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today, she criticised the bank for featuring the Great Hornbill instead of the Rhinoceros Hornbill – Sarawak's official state bird – on a card launched by the Premier and marketed exclusively for Sarawakians. 'This is not a trivial issue – it distorts Sarawak's heritage and is an insult to our people,' she said. Yong pointed out that the Great Hornbill is not native to Sarawak and cited local zoologist Jason Teo, who confirmed the bird depicted is indeed the wrong species. She further revealed that the image used was not custom-designed, but lifted from a stock photo website without any Sarawakian input or cultural consideration. 'Affin Bank claiming it as a 'creative tribute' is misleading and disrespectful,' she said. Adding on, Yong criticised the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders for staying silent, saying their lack of response reflects a disconnect from Sarawakian values. She also took aim at Kuching South Mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng for making personal attacks rather than addressing the core issue. In view of this, she urged the Sarawak government to use its 31.25 per cent stake in Affin Bank to withdraw the current card and redesign it with the correct hornbill. 'They have made profits, so don't tell us there is no budget to fix this,' she said. Having said that, Yong expressed sympathy for the Sarawak Tourism Board, saying the misstep undermines years of work to promote Sarawak's identity. She also criticised Tourism Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim for dismissing the matter, calling his remarks 'damaging and tone-deaf'. 'I wouldn't have raised this issue if the card hadn't been marketed as a symbol of Sarawak pride – but it was,' she said, warning that leaving the error uncorrected could confuse future generations about the state's iconic bird. Yong concluded by calling for immediate correction and a formal apology, adding that the dignity of Sarawak's identity must be upheld without compromise. Afffin Bank DUN hornbill kenyalang violet yong
Malaysiakini
20-05-2025
- General
- Malaysiakini
For Sarawakians, the right hornbill matters
COMMENT | In Sarawak, the hornbill isn't just a bird - it's an emblem of the soul. It soars in their myths, crowns their state crest, and gives the land of the Dayaks their moniker: Bumi Kenyalang - Land of the Hornbills. So when Affin Bank Berhad rolled out its new Kenyalang Card, claiming it was a tribute to Sarawak's identity, one would assume they knew what bird they were featuring. They didn't. Instead of the Rhinoceros Hornbill (Buceros rhinoceros), which is the official state bird of Sarawak, the card showcases the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) - a non-native species. That's not just a design error. That's a failure of cultural due diligence.
Borneo Post
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Abd Karim: Criticism over Affin Bank hornbill gaffe blown out of proportion
Abdul Karim speaks to reporters when met at the DUN Complex. — Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad KUCHING (May 19) Criticism over the 'wrong' hornbill species used on the Affin Bank's Kenyalang Card is a non-issue blown out of proportion, said Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. He said the depiction of the hornbill on the card should not be turned into a controversy, adding that the focus should be on the positive intention behind the design. 'That should not have been made into an issue, because there are so many varieties of the hornbill. The intention was to have a hornbill as part of the card's design and I think what they have done is something good,' he told reporters at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here today. He thus dismissed the distinction as insignificant, arguing that people should not be narrow-minded, and questioned whether it must specifically be 'this hornbill or that hornbill'. He also opined there was no need to change the logo or design, as the symbolic association with Sarawak remained intact. 'Does the mascot need to look exactly like a real hornbill? The moment someone sees it, it's recognisable as a '(burung) kenyalang', which is synonymous with Sarawak. 'Personally, I view this as an overreaction—making a mountain out of a molehill. Whether the hornbill horn (casque) is going up or going down, that's not an issue. When you see the bird, you know it's a hornbill. So, what's the issue there? 'I believe Affin has good intentions. Why create all these very petty issues and turn them into something big? There are many other issues that can be raised, such as issues that matter to the people—not issues related to a bank card and the hornbill,' he said. He further compared the situation to the many types of common birds, such as the 'burung pipit', which is a local term for small sparrow-like birds, pointing out that just as there were various species of these, the same applied to hornbills. Apart from that, it was his understanding the card was only issued in Sarawak and meant to reflect the state, saying the government saw no pressing need for any correction or apology from Affin Bank. Abdul Karim was responding to recent remarks made by Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong, who had criticised Affin Bank for using the image of the Great Hornbill on a card meant to represent Sarawak. Yong described it as a 'cultural misrepresentation', noting that the Great Hornbill was not native to the state and differed from the Rhinoceros Hornbill, or 'Burung Kenyalang', which is Sarawak's state bird. Abdul Karim Affin Bank Kenyalang Card lead
Borneo Post
18-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
‘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
Borneo Post
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
‘Not our kenyalang': Affin Bank slammed for mistaking Sarawak's iconic hornbill
Yong highlights the difference between the hornbill species during the dinner. KUCHING (May 16): The Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sarawak organising secretary Violet Yong has called on Affin Bank to issue a correction and public apology for using the wrong hornbill species on a bank card designed to represent Sarawak, calling it a 'cultural misrepresentation'. Speaking during a DAP Sarawak fundraising dinner here on Thursday, Yong said that the hornbill depicted is the 'Great Hornbill' – a species not native to Sarawak. 'The Hornbill shown on the card is called the Great Hornbill which can only be found in West Malaysia, India, China, Thailand, and Vietnam, among others. 'It is not the Rhinoceros Hornbill or locally known as 'Burung Kenyalang', the state bird of Sarawak and how can Affin Bank use a wrong identity to represent Sarawak?. 'The Sarawak state hornbill has a black neck, while the one on the card has a white neck, confirming it is the wrong species,' she said. Given that the Sarawak government holds a 31.25 per cent stake in Affin Bank, Yong expressed disappointment that such a mistake occurred. 'This should not have happened as the card is meant to represent Sarawak and none of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) leaders pointed this out. 'If this card is our pride, Affin should use the correct hornbill species for it as I believe that the card's graphic designer is not a Sarawakian,' she emphasised. Yong urged the bank to recall the card and replace it with the correct image of the Rhinoceros Hornbill, while also issuing a formal apology to the people of Sarawak. As of press time, Affin Bank has yet to issue a public response on the matter. The event, themed 'Rocket Night', drew over 1,000 attendees and was graced by DAP Malaysia chairman Gobind Singh Deo, who is also Digital Minister cum Damansara MP. Its publicity secretary cum Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii, meanwhile, delivered his speech via live video conference while abroad. Present were DAP Sarawak chairman cum Stampin MP and Padungan assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen; vice chairman cum Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol; assistant publicity secretary Michael Kong, DAP Johor secretary Andrew Chen; and event organising chairman Sim Kiat Leng. Affin Bank dap hornbill kenyalang violet yong
