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Daily Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Express
Sungai, Talantang and Tinagas Festival
Published on: Wednesday, June 11, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jun 11, 2025 By: Clarence Dol Text Size: Dounis presenting a certificate to one of the Tokoh award recipients, Haji Din Solinggong, while witnessed by Tinus and Jaminus. RANAU: The Second Edition of the Sungai, Talantang and Tinagas (Sutati) Ethnic Festival held in Ulu Sugut Ranau has become a successful platform that promotes peace and unity among the people of various backgrounds here. Chairman of Kundasang Community Development Leader (PPM), Dounis Sani, said organising such ethnic festivals is in line with the aspirations of the State Government. Advertisement He said the GRS government is committed to strengthening the role of ethnic associations in preserving language, tradition and culture as the heritage of the younger generation. He urged the people in Kundasang to continue to practice the spirit of harmony. Dounis said the advantage of having a representative who also holds the position of Deputy Chief Minister and Full Minister provides great benefits in terms of the ability to channel allocations. 'This not only facilitates the organisation of such programmes, but also opens up more development opportunities for Kundasang,' he said. He was representing Deputy Chief Minister II, who is also Kundasang Assemblyman, Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam. Various interesting activities were held throughout the festival, including cultural performances, exhibitions, traditional sports, water activities, Sugandoi Sutati competitions, Sutati Concerts and the Sutati 'Masaan' night event that colored the atmosphere throughout the programme. This edition also introduced a new element through Sutati 'Masaan', which was a performance by ethnic girls in the Unduk Ngadau style that highlighted the uniqueness and beauty of traditional culture. For the first time, the organisers also introduced the Sutati Tokoh Award to recognise individual contributions in preserving their respective ethnic cultures. This award was given to Haji Din Solinggong @ Lubin (Tinagas ethnic group), Jimin Kidot (Talantang ethnic group) and Ghani Tahir (Orang Sungai ethnic group). * 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
The Star
2 days ago
- Science
- The Star
Recognised for work on elephants
Nurzhafarina showing the skeleton of an elephant that died in Kinabatangan, now on display at UMS Tropical Biology and Conservation Institute gallery in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. — Bernama FOR over two decades, Dr Nurzhafarina Othman's life has been inextricably linked with the Bornean elephant, particularly in Sabah's Lower Kinabatangan. What began in 2003 as a conservation biology degree at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) evolved into a profound mission to understand and conserve South-East Asia's largest land mammal. Now a senior lecturer at UMS Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Nurzhafarina dedicates her life to studying every aspect of these gentle giants, whose future faces increasing threats. Her unwavering commitment to elephant conservation, especially through her leadership as founder and director of non-profit Seratu Aatai, recently garnered global recognition. In April, Nurzhafarina was honoured with the prestigious Whitley Award, widely known as the 'Green Oscar', as testament to her impactful work. Speaking to Bernama, she shared the unique and powerful bond that formed between her and the elephants during her fieldwork. These encounters revealed their sensitive, affectionate and intelligent nature, challenging common misconceptions. 'There's a feeling that we chose each other. It's as if I was meant to be part of their story,' she mused, recalling how her initial academic pursuit transformed into a deeper calling. Nurzhafarina recounts never experiencing aggression from the pachyderms. Instead, her presence was met with calm, as if they recognised her role as a protector, not an intruder. 'The elephants gave me their time,' she said, detailing how she came to know 50 individual females by sight, even naming them, over four years. The Sabah-based lecturer from Kedah emphasised that elephants don't 'attack' or 'invade'; rather, humans have encroached into their territories. This fundamental truth fuels her lifelong mission: to foster harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants. Founded in 2018, Seratu Aatai, which means 'united in heart' in the Sungai language, actively works with local communities through education and outreach. It aims to promote empathy and awareness for elephants and all wildlife. Seratu Aatai remains the only conservation group in Sabah solely dedicated to protecting the Bornean elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) in Lower Kinabatangan, a rich biodiverse region also home to the orang utan, sun bear and proboscis monkey. Witnessing the elephants' struggle to navigate their fragmented natural habitats surrounded by human activity was a pivotal moment for her. It ignited her resolve to be a voice for these creatures, bridging the gap between human development and animal preservation. Receiving the Whitley Award 2025 was an emotional experience. Presented by the UK-based Whitley Fund for Nature (WFN), the award is highly competitive and globally recognised. On April 30, she accepted the £50,000 (RM287,000) award from WFN patron Princess Anne at the Royal Geographical Society in London, England. This award validates her efforts to protect the estimated 300 remaining Bornean elephants in eastern Sabah. It also acknowledges her innovative approach of engaging the palm oil industry in Lower Kinabatangan to adopt elephant- friendly practices and establish safe corridors for the world's smallest elephant species. 'This award comes with great responsibility,' said Nurzhafarina expressing gratitude for the platform it provided to highlight the elephants' plight and affirm the work of those in the field. For her, conservation is a heartfelt expression of gratitude for the opportunity to protect these endangered species. While acknowledging the challenges of uniting all parties, she hopes local communities will join her in this mission, believing Kinabatangan can symbolise human-wildlife harmony. 'Sabah and Borneo are renowned for their natural wealth. So we must find a balance between development and environmental conservation,' she added.
The Sun
27-04-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
PBAPP completes all water works in Penang, begins phased restoration
BUTTERWORTH: All 23 water works projects in Penang, including the pipe connection for the Sungai Perai River Crossing Pipeline (SP-RCP) project that began at 10 pm on Friday, were fully completed at 1.48 pm today. Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said water supply would be gradually restored to affected consumers soon. 'Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) teams are currently conducting system tests and pipe air-release processes before treated water from Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant can be fully distributed to users. 'We hope to achieve 88 per cent recovery rate, especially in Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS), and parts of Northeast and Southwest districts by tonight, with 100 per cent supply restoration by 10 am tomorrow (Monday),' he said. Chow was speaking to reporters after inspecting repair works at Kampung Teluk here today, accompanied by PBAPP chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan. On the connection of two 1.35-metre diameter pipes for the SP-RCP project, Chow acknowledged minor delays due to weather conditions. 'The contractor faced challenges as the works were located right by Sungai Prai, and the high tide phenomenon over the past two days complicated operations. However, works were finally completed this afternoon despite delays,' he said. Chow advised consumers who have regained supply to use water prudently to ensure smooth recovery, while urging patience for those still awaiting restoration. As of 11.30 am today, PBAPP reported that 162,000 affected accounts under the Scheduled Water Supply Interruption (SWSI) had been restored. Restoration progress showed Seberang Perai Utara at 100 per cent, Seberang Perai Tengah (88 per cent), Northeast district (84 per cent), SPS (38 per cent) and Southwest district at 10 per cent recovery. The SWSI from 10 pm on Friday until tomorrow affects 341,708 accounts across five Penang districts, following 23 upgrade projects worth RM25 million to improve water supply for 465,000 consumers under the Sungai Dua water treatment plant.
