tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64091964237961483912024-03-22T08:01:04.458+08:00Pak Teh SpeaksMy chronicle of involvement in Malesian biodiversity research meant for my students and colleaguespaktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-7545779973680330802012-02-10T10:23:00.002+08:002012-02-10T10:41:49.667+08:00Matters of science students1. In the last two weeks or so the alarming reduction of the number and also percentage of science students in schools were discussed in some newspapers and meetings and as a scientist I am compelled to say a few words.<br />2. The Science Chair of National Professor Council from USM who is a mathematcian suggested special monetary allowance be given to science students and this was arrogantly dismissed by an officer from the Ministry of Education who said the Ministry has other better ways to address this issue. I remember in the 1960s the good students were given some $20-$45 per month to motivate them to study better and the majority ended up doing science.<br />3. The VC of UM suggested the teachers to relook at the ways how science is taught and he recommended more IT oriented way and also more field-based. The Deputy Minister of Education wants to look holistically. Some suggested establishing more science residential schools. Jolly good that many people are interested to talk about this and the Ministry and its agencies to discuss this. It is fact that science students will one day become doctors, opticians, pharmacists, engineers, biotechnologists, zoologists, food scientists, geneticists microbiologists, IT specialists etc etc.<br />4. I just want to say these<br />(a) Do we have scientific institutions in the states where our natural resources are held?<br />(b) Do we encourage to establish scientific institutions in our beloved country like the Botanic Gardens, Herbarium, Natural History Museums, Science Centres etc?<br />(c) Do we have excellent and dedicated science teachers in schools like those of the 1960s?<br />(d) Do we have the school and university labs well equipped to make science teaching enjoyable?<br />(e) Do we ever look at the salary scheme of the science teachers and lecturers? Do we ever assess our science curricula?<br />Otherwise you people out there can talk and talk forever. After all this is NOT a new issue at all it is as old as our Independent Nation.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-65902472643104455982012-01-23T12:20:00.002+08:002012-01-23T12:42:36.736+08:00Rain Forest for Ransom1. I would lke to share with my followers the gist of an article entitled "Rain Forest for ransom" written by Bryan Walsh that apperared in Time December 19, 2011. The article is about the rain forest in Yasuni National Park, Ecuador. This is obviously part of the world famous, the Amazonia.<br /><br />2. The Yasuni National Park is ca. 10,000 sq. km in area situated on the western fringe of the Amazon basin, it is on the eastern border of Ecuador, south-west of Colombia and north-west of Peru. It has been considered by many scientists to be the single most diverse spot on the planet. However, the oil companies have found rich deposit beneath the park's forest of ca. 900 million barrels of crude worth billions of USD.<br /><br />3. The Ecuadorian President is willing to forgo drilling and leave the National Park intact in exchange for international donations ca. USD3.6 billion over 13 years. This proposal not only will conserve the rich biodiversity but also prevent the emission of 800 million tons of carbon dioxide. This proposal appears like an environmental blackmail to some - pay the Ecuadorians or the forests and biodiversity will go.<br /><br />4. According to the Ecuadorian biologist David Romo when you go to Yasuni you will find a new species and it would take 400 years just to name all the insect species out there. There is an estimated 100,000 insects per hectare, the highest concentration on earth. According to botanist Gorky Villa, there are 655 tree species per ha and there are 28 threatened or near threatened vertebrate species there, including the whiet-bellied spider monkey and the giant river otter. It is also a bird watchers' paradise as there are ca. 600 species. The park also harbours ca. 30% of the Amazon's amphibians and reptiles.<br /><br />5. In future there will be more and more of our rain forests that are put to ransom ans more and more findings of non-biodiversity products. The Maliau Basin Conservation Area came to my mind as the basin is equally rich in forest biodiversity but the forests are sitting above a rich deposit of coal.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-55490498157047119062012-01-13T12:29:00.002+08:002012-01-13T12:56:57.966+08:00The Kota Damansara Community Forest1. Somw years ago ca. 2003 the Malaysian Nature Society and the concerned Friends of Kota Damansara took the case of Kota Damansara Forest Reserve to the state government. At that time the communities were so much concerned with the physical development occurring around their residences within 6 km of the green lung. After a long social fights the Forest Department gazetted it as a permamament forest reserve in 2010 and designated it as a community forest.<br />2. In April 2010 the Forestry Department and MNS organised a 4-day scientific expedition to this fragmented island forest and more than 80 scientists and KD residents too part. The JMG staffs came to study the geology, the PERHILITAN staffs came to observe the small mammals and the young scientists from FRIM, UM, UPM, UKM, Putrajaya Botanic Garden and MNS came to study the various aspects of flora and fauna. And this week on 11-12 January 2012 we all met at SEGi University College KD campus to discuss the findings.<br />3. En. Awg. Shaffie of Selangor Forestry Department introduced the concept of community forest and showed us the slow and steady loss of the former Sungai Buloh FR to the current 321.7 ha of Kota Damansara FR. Dato' Shaharudin Mohd. Ismail ex Deputy DG of Forestry Dept. Semenanjung Malaysia gave us an excellent historical perspectives of forest management in Selangor beginning in 1896 to the present day. Dr. H F Lim also gave us the social perspectives and fate of Temuan of Bukit Lanjan.<br />4. Ms Phon of FRIM told us that there are records of 17% of the peninsula's butteflies are found here. And this was supported by Dr. Norela Sulaiman of UKM. Dr. C Y Choong reported 48 species of odonates and Mr. Daicus Belabut of UM reported 24 species of amphibians and 8 species of reptiles and Dr. Y F Ng reported three new records of thrips for Malaysia, 2 generic records (Priesneriola & Amarothrips) and 1 specific record (Phibalothrips longiceps).<br />5. Ms. Thi of FRIM and Dr. Y S Tan of UM briefed us on the diversity of macrofungi observed and collected in Kota Damansara FR.<br />6. En. Ahmed Zainuddin of Putrajaya reported more than 129 species of angiosperms oberved here and this was supported by the assessment done by Rafidah A. Rahman of FRIM. Rafidah addede that the populations of Orchidantha fimbriata and Cyrtandra cupulata are worth studying in details. Mr. Razali Jaman of UKM reported more than 24 species of ferns. Ms Y M Chan reported two begonia species endemic to the peninsula are found here, B. holttumii and B. aequalateralis.<br />7. Mr. Henry Goh of MNS reported 67 species of birds from 16 families including some migrants and this supported by Ms. Farah Shafawati who did some mist-nettings. Prof. MMaketab of MNS & UTM read the analyses on water quality. All in all it was a very successful seminar as the KD communities and SEGi were very supportive. Let us wait for more outcomes of this in some planned actions to show-case the KD Community Forest.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-37701643394145015502012-01-10T17:37:00.001+08:002012-01-10T17:37:33.180+08:00sssspaktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-37470302599904034282011-12-26T12:09:00.003+08:002011-12-26T12:29:33.184+08:00On the new postponed pay scheme1. One afternoon I met my old classmate who had retired from government services a year after I did and complained about the new pay schemes that the PM announced postponed for a few days after the complaints from CEUPAC. He now did some odd jobs and spent more time with his grandchildren and also travel. He confessed he had a boring 30 years or so at the ministry and climbed the highest post and awarded a Datoship by a state and now the government is awarding 36 top-ranking officers a monthly pay of $50-60K.<br /><br />2. I said I sympathised with him because at the university we have no boring time and we never complained of having low pay. I said he has no PhD but we have no choice but to slog 3-4 years to obtained that degree in order to be a lecturer and not respected by the likes of him at the Ministry. He asked me what did I do at the university and I said he surely remembered what his lecturers did in the 1970s at the University of Malaya then! Anyway i summarised to him.<br /><br />3. I do teaching from Dec 1978 until yesterday, almost everyday except Friday all semester and all sessions. I was not bored as the cohorts are different. I do undergraduate and post-graduate courses. I set questions twice every semester and marked them. I supervised undergraduate students, MS and PhD students in their dissertaions. I read every line, paragraph and chapters before being examined.<br /><br />4. I do research, applied for grants sometimes I didn't get in my chosen discipline which is botany and biodiversity. I prepared research reports, these are boring!. I prepared and published papers in journals, proceedings etc. I presented my research results in seminars and symposia, discussed with friends. I read and evaluated reserach papers sent to journals and I read and evaluated theses from UKM and also other universities as external examiner.<br /><br />5. I do community services, scientific community I mean not like the convicts! I am active in the Academy of Sciences Malaysia in different capacities as Chair to Discipline Group, Chair the Expedition Task Force and attended various meetings. I am Chair and Trustee of WWF Malaysia, Pulau Banding Foundation and Trustees of Malaysian Timber Cerification Council, Orang Utan Island Foundation, Wildlife Protection Foundation. <br /><br />6. I still have time for my children and grandchildren. What are you complaining about? I asked him.....you chose the the wrong job and you missed all the spices in life. My friend kept quiet and promised to meet me again and discuss the good old time of university days. I said cheerio and see him again soon.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-60741953705619545652011-03-16T15:39:00.002+08:002011-03-16T16:06:14.448+08:00Imbak Canyon Scientific Expedition1. In late November to early December 2010 over a 100 scientists and their assistants including supporting staffs from Sabah Foundation took part in the Scientific Expedition to Imbak Canyon Conservation Area in Sabah. barely 4 months after the expedition, and especially when many reference collections were yet to be identified and analysed we met again this week to discuss the findings. The seminar was officially opened by ASM Secretary-General Academician Tan Sri Dato Seri Dr. Salleh Mohd. Noor.<br /><br />2. The geologists led by Prof. Felix Tongkul, Prof. Che Aziz and Sdra Khairul Azlan and soil scientist Dr. Baba Musta made us understand the genesis of the Imbak Canyon. Prior to the expedition we seemed not to know that there was a fault at its southern tip and also a granitic intrusion in between the sandstones and mudstones. The soils are however rich in As and Fe.<br /><br />3. Dr Mohd Kamil informed us that the river water is of class I but contains a high concentration of Cd. Prof. Abu Hassan and his PhD student Ms Nurita studied the aquatic insects and Dr. A Hamid is still to unzipped the taxonomy of the Gastromyzon fishes.<br /><br />4. The muscologist Dr. Monica Suleiman believed there were some new records for the Borneon and Sabah bryoflora. She also collected over a hundred specimens of liverworts. Mr. Shim believed there are at least tw new species from the genera Selliguea and Amphineuron (ferns). Mr. John Sugau reported the altitudinal distribution of dipterocarps and Dr. Nazip also mapped the general altitudinal distritribution of non-dipterocarps. There are some possibly new Begonia and orchids. Prof. Laily was disappointed that his lichen collections don't have secondary metabolites. However, all of us observed the beautiful regeneration of seedlings of Dryobalanops lanceolata and other timber species. The largest tree was Shorea johoriensis.<br /><br />5. There were many reports on fauna. The beetle researchers are still struggling with the identification of the various beetle taxa; Dr. Faszly and his co-workers are also struggling with stick and leaf insects, daddylonglegs, and other invertebrates. Dr. Mahathevi had settled down with her termites; Dr. Norela and her students found both the moth and butterfly fauna not that diverse, while Dr C Y Choong collected a Protosticta sp. which happens to be a new species but awaits description by another specialist in Leiden. The mammalogists thought Imbak Canyon has become a refugia for the small, medium and large mammals as the adjacent areas were somewhat disturbed.<br /><br />6. Ms. Rashidah M Rehman who successfully climbed Mt. Kuli informed us the Imbak Canyon has some ecotourism potential if packaged scientifically. It has diverse forest landscape, geomorphological landscape, rich flora and fauna including a rich ethno-culture just outside the consevartion area.<br /><br />7. The social scientists who surveyed the communities of Orang Sungai and Murut took the stage to inform us of the timber-coffins and the rich socio-culture of the various subsects of the Orang Sungai. What intriged me was the fact that some of them decided to prepare their putative coffins when they are still kicking and healthy.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-11714827946054186282011-02-27T17:25:00.002+08:002011-02-27T17:44:33.319+08:00Comments on Natural Sciences in Malaysia1. On Friday Feb. 18th 2011 Prof. Emer. Dato' Dr. Zakri A. Hamid, the Science Adviser to the Prime Minister wrote an interesting viewpoint in his regular NST column "climbing an awesome mountain of stairs". This country of ours is awefully rich in natural sciences particularly the biodiversity (flora, fauna and geology) yet we don't witness a resurgence of R & D in these natural fields of science<br /><br />2. When we were under the British, Malaya made a tremendous climb in these fields putting our neighbours particularly Indonesia and Thailand to shame as we had "the Flora of the Malay Peninsula" and 4 instalments of the Flora of Malaya (Orchids, gingers, grasses, ferns). Between 1972-89 we dished out the Tree Flora of Malaya. In addition, there are many other publications in zoology and geology, and yet we have yet to have a Museum of Natural History.<br /><br />3. The bastion of our natural history was plenty to be seen not only in our protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and also in Sabah. The potential and opportunities afforded by the Maliau Basin CA, Danum Valley CA and the Imbak Canyon CA are just too many to portray and exhibit in our museum. The various species of plants and animals to be discovered and named as new are too many. Just to quote the revision of Hanguana malayana in Peninsular Malaysia had yielded 4 new forest species once lumped under the above taxon. I was informed there are manu more Hanguana in Sarawak and Sabah waiting to to collected and named new to science.<br /><br />4. What had happened to our natural science after Independence? One obvious answer would be there was a significant research shift to applied sciences in particular biotechnology that promised monetary returns. I have yet to witness the by-products from these undertakings. In the meantime the "stamp-collecting" science suffers and our ecosystems degraded and species of plants, animals and microbes lost. The other answer would be due to our own fault, mine in particular as we had failed to address these issues more aggressively and positively to the policy makers who made the decision.<br /><br />5. All is not lost and we still have the time and energy to rectify the wrongs. However, we can't depend on the "young generation" to bring back the past glory of natural science for most of them see applied science as the 21st century agenda for science and technology. To be a taxonomist and systematists would be a blunder for the family members who financed their university education.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-88673592231903987912011-02-20T16:55:00.002+08:002011-02-20T17:16:04.070+08:00On Bukit Larut, Perak1. Established by the British in ca. 1870 Bukit Larut a.k.a. Maxwell Hills was a gem for Taiping (means ever lasting peace in Hokkien) and Perak. It was meant to be rest and recreation of the British officers who established three firsts for Taiping - First railway line from Taiping to Port Weld (Kuala Sepetang), first prison, near Bukit Jana and first tea plantation before it was moved to Cameron Highlands. And of course Taiping Botanical Garden is among the first in the country. For the visitors like me the only means to go up is to go by the old land-over which made so much noise of great pain and it costs me a mere $8<br /><br />2. After Independence the place is taken over by Taiping Municipality and what we witnessed today are pure British heritage and legacies which the authority wishes to inherit to the next generation. Going round the Tea Garden, Bukit Hijau and various stations one couldn't miss the fact that ...once it was a great R & R place. It seems to have almost everything ..... a church, a hostel,bridges, palace, rest-houses, telecom station, The Box etc. but most of all the items that interest me the flora and the plant species that were introduced there by the British and also by the Perakians.<br /><br />3. Prior to this decade it has deteriorated so much that the authorities are considering plans to bring back the past glories and the visitors to the place. I reiterated to my friends who were with me the fact that there are many species of plants named after Bukit Larut (or Bukit Maxwell) by the likes of Father Scortechini, L. Wray, G. King, Kunstler etc, either collected from this area or in the greater Larut district. To me this is pure botanical history and of great interest to the future students of botany and biodiversity.<br /><br />4. Years ago I visited the place with my scientists friends, Prof. Charlie a microbiologist, Prof. Laily a lichenologist, Prof. Ikram a natural product chemists plus a few more whom I have forgotten. We all enjoyed collecting plant samples and enjoyed the cool atmosphere. Yesterday the mist is still around and Pak Ngah told me at night the temperature goes down to even 12 C. Of course there were plenty of Usnea, Parmotrema etc.<br /><br />5. I am indeed impressed by the effort taken by Pak Ngah and his friends to begin replanting many species of gingers especially Alpinia and Etlingera, two species of Tacca, many species of ferns especially Huperzia and Cyathea, Goniothalamus macrophyllus (Annonaceae), two species of Begonia, many species of orchids in either rows or avenues or in aggregation in various landscapes. I encouraged them to do so with many more local species and by next year the place is going to look like a garden .........paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-53674679848319425652011-02-11T22:06:00.002+08:002011-02-11T22:28:51.577+08:00In the name of Orang utan1. Last month the Orang Utan Island Foundation (OUIF) was accused by a writer of a letter to the editor of the Sundaydaily as playing God. To be honest God does not like any play mates. She quoted the noble aims of the OUIF correctly - to carry out the orang utan research, education, development, conservation and rehabilitation programmes and drawing up protection policies. In 2008 the OUIF organised a two-day symposium on ex situ conservation. Researchers on orang utan from USA, Japan, Indonesia, Sabah, Sarawak and some locals spoke on various topics on orang utan's biology and conservation.<br /><br />2. The symposium augurs very well for the education awareness and R & D of orang utan not only at Bukit Merah but elsewhere in Borneo and Sumatera, especially the rehabilitation centres at Sepilok, Semenggoh, Lanjak-Entimau, Tanjung Puting and Bohorok. In the past many researchers from overseas came to these rehabilitation centres to study and helped out in in situ conservation. Numerous papers were published and millions of USD were spent to help this species from disorientation due to habitat loss and land-use changes both in the Heart of Borneo and Sumatera.<br /><br />3. As a Trustee of OUIF I personally took exception to the accusation by the writer(s) and also by the newspapers, namely Malay Mail and Kosmos. If ever the Editors wanted to report some sensational news items it would be wise to check with the accused i.e. OUIF for some kind of statements or even some denials! It looked bad on both of these newspapers, let alone printing the ugly political propaganda to suit ones masters.<br /><br />4. As a biologist or botanist and Prof. Mashhor Mansor of Universiti Sains Malaysia, an ecologist are Trustees of OUIF felt greatly insulted by the accusation that the OUIF intended to release the orang utan into the Royal Belum State park in Perak. All stake-holders especially the Perak State government, the Perak State Park Corporation, the Department of Forestry Perak etc surely felt the same for implicating them.<br /><br />5. In honesty this issue had never been discussed in the OUIF Board meeting, for all we know what we have wanted to do was to send them back where they belong, Sarawak. I believed either the reporter(s) misunderstood the statements from OUIF Chairman in his press releases or the reporter(s) purposely wanted to create an issue on this - to create a hoo-haa among the conservationists in the country. They were successful because I received many emails either asking for comments or asking me to read the cries from them.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-64959209741639849912011-02-01T22:32:00.002+08:002011-02-01T22:54:15.174+08:00The Trip to Maliau Basin1. On the 29th January WWF Malaysia signed a MoU with Sabah Foundation witnessed by the Prime Minister and other dignitaries. The MoU was attempting to address carrying capacity and human resources to manage the protected areas in Sabah. At the same time the Prime Minister was invited to witness the handing-over a cheque of RM 30 millions by the Sime Darby Foundation to the Royal Society of UK. The SDF is represented by Tun Musa Hitam and the RS by Dr. Glen Reynolds. The money was under a programme called SAFE.<br /><br />2. I will write at later time about SAFE and now I want to describe my journey from Kota Kinabalu to Maliau Basin and back. We started at about noon on Friday 28th. with Dr. Rahimatsah at the steering of the Toyota Fortuner. We passed the Lok Kawi army depot, to Tuaran and Kimanis pass. I was here at Kimanis Pass in the 1980s doing field work. We arrived at Keningau for a refill and headed east to Sook and Nabawan. We passed by the Sook Plain to Sepulut. All along it was marvelous as the road is tarred.<br /><br />3. After Sepulut we had to travel on the unfinished highway. The surface was good, except for a few areas where the surface subsided. It was the same road that we took in 2006 from Tawau to Maliau when it was under massive construction. I was told the highway was unfinished but the millions of budget was finished. We arrived at the Maliau Gate before 5 pm.<br /><br />4. At about 6 pm we started to move in as the day was getting dark. This time the road was slippery as it rained the previous two days. We observed other vehicles had problems to move straight but with Dr. Rahimatsah at the steering our vehicle went smoothly in. As we arrived at the Maliau Basin Research Station, I was really surprised as the station is completed. The facilities were superb with hostels, laboratories, chalets, dining rooms, conference rooms, seminar rooms, etc. It is the third generation field station by any standard.<br /><br />5. Hundreds of vehicles went in for the occasion and 7 or 8 helicopters brought in the VVIPs. It was so noisy that the wildlife especially the Bos javanicus disappeared into the wilderness. Anyway, all the MoUs were signed, speeches given and discussions pursued. I met several old friends including Datuk Henry Barlow, Dr. Chey & Dr. Robert Ong from Sandakan, Dr. Zainal Z Zainuddin & Datuk John Payne from Tabin, Dr. Glen Renolds from Danum Valley, Dr. Stephen Hutton, and many others.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-31735795560445346372011-01-23T10:19:00.003+08:002011-01-23T15:09:09.896+08:00On Flora and Fauna dispersal1. This semester I am once again lecturing Economic Botany to MSc students. Altogether there are 29 students who registered this 3-credit course consisting mostly Malaysians, one Indian national and three Arabs. Some of the most challenging questions that I faced year in and year out was about how plants and animals species were dispersed from one continent or country or region to another. The easiest answer was to give credits to the European colonialists who plundered the whole world five or six centuries ago in search of spices, cotton, silk, minerals and heavy and hard-wood timbers.<br /><br />2. Notable among them were the Portuguese and Spanish armadas which sailed east and west from the Iberian Peninsula under their rich and adventurous patrons in search of spices, silk and other oriental goods. At least we learnt the Portuguese sailed to the coast of Brazil, coasts of Africa via the cape of God Hope, to Goa in India, Melaka, in the Malay Peninsula, Macau in China, etc. The names like Vasco da Gama etc were on our lips. The Spanish were in South America and Central America, the Philippines etc. Magellan who was a Portuguese but sailed under the Spanish flag came to the Philippines and was killed there in the local disputes. The French, British, Belgians, Germans, Dutch etc came later to the east......and they claimed their colonies till the 20th century.<br /><br />3. I told my students the Spanish brought Achras zapota or Mersawa manila, various species of Annona or Durian belanda (why was Annona reticulata was attributed to the Dutch?), Ananas comosus to cite a few from the tropical America to our part of the World. The Chinese and possibly the Champas brought us Hibiscus rosa-sinensis that become our National Flower. The Chinese also brought maiize or corn (Zea mays) from South America to the Philippines. Various animals were introduced too either from China and the East to the West and from the New World to various continents and countries.<br /><br />4. Later I discovered that the Chinese explorers introduced the Asiatic hens to Central America, sea otters to New Zealand, Ficus religiosa to Australia, Cocos nucifera from the South Pacific to all parts of the World. Rosa laevigata was introduced from China to California, the Tajikistan ponies and pigs were introduced to many continents ......etc. Of course the British introduced camels to Australia. The Chinese too were the early settlers in many parts of South-east Asia, Australia and New Zealand, South, Central and North America ...but not to Europe. Unlike the Westerners who came to trade and spread Christianity, the earlier Chinese traders and explorers didn't want to spread Buddhism to the natives of the continents that they visited.<br /><br />5. Of course in the 15th to 20th centuries when the Chinese started to isolate themselves, the Europeans had their days and decades. The Europeans explorers learnt from the Chinese and they did with diplomacy and wars. They fought each other to control the products from the East. They introduced many plant and animal species from all parts of the continents to other continents. They globalised the flora and fauna. In the Malay Peninsula they offer protection to the warlords in exchange for tin ores and other minerals, including spices and hard and heavy timbers.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-78862999530334042802011-01-20T19:26:00.002+08:002011-01-20T19:47:28.326+08:00Hunting for Porpax and Nepenthes at Langkawi1. About a month ago friends from Langkawi emailed Prof. Che Aziz of Lestari several pictures of an amazing orchid and monkey cup from Gunung Machinchang. Subsequently Prof Che Aziz emailed me and I was so excited to view an orchid which I have never seen before and a new record of monkey cup from Langkawi. In 1981 I collected Nepenthes mirabilis from Kubang Badak paddy field, the only known nepenthes species from this archipelago.<br /><br />2. On 15th January accompanied by Prof. Che Aziz and Ku Ismadi we took the cable car and alighted at the middle station and walked up to the top station through the valleys and boggy forests. We came across stands of Vatica cinerea (Dipterocarpaceae), climbing bamboo, Dinochloa malayana, Livistona ?saribus (Palmae), an elegant Hoya, many other palms and gingers and many other trees, shrubs and herbs.<br /><br />3. We came to a place where Ku Ismadi observed and photographed Porpax elwisii (Orchidaceae) and we started our hunt for it. We did for about half-an-hour and despair started to creep in our mind, until Prof. Che Aziz took his camera to photograph a lichen, Parmotrema sp. and inside the screen there appeared the amazing green pseudobulbs of the orchid. The top of pseudobulb has radiating white lines; the 1- to 2-leaves have dried and one pinkish flower was also drying. No wonder we had tough times to locate the orchids .....the populations were drying!<br /><br />4. Then we climbed upwards a hill and came to one of the many summits and we were welcomed by stands of Nepenthes sanguinea, the new record for Langkawi. We collected some specimens and took many pictures. The hill has many more orchid species of Dendrobium. Bulbophyllum and others but most are sterile ....not the flowering time! We were delighted with our finds.<br /><br />5. The next two days I went hunting for N. mirabilis where I collected some 30 years ago at Kubang Badak. We were met with cows and buffaloes grazing there. We saw sparse vegetation and the leaves of Licuala spinosa were grazed by the buffaloes. We searched and searched and failed to find a stand of it. We asked the locals and still we could not locate it. The area has changed to orchards of bananas. mangoes and rambutans etc. According to the locals, once upon a time there were scattered populations but now they seem gone. I was frustrated as I think I have witnesses a local extinction of N. mirabilis in Langkawi. Ku Ismadi promised to look for it and deep in my mind .....it is still there.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-85330258083285872912011-01-10T20:31:00.002+08:002011-01-10T20:51:20.223+08:00On the Three Foundations1. This morning we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of Emkay Foundation. Apparently it was established on 10th January 2001 with the mission to offer helps to the less-privileged in education, health, sports & welfare, amongst others. In his press statements the Chairman reemphasised his desire to give back what he got from the community to the less privileged communities and the environment. In the last 10 years the Foundations had spent millions in education of the Orang Asli communities, established dialysis centres etc. Many donours came forward to contribute donations to the Foundation for its activities in the next phase.<br /><br />2. The other Foundation that received donations is the Bukit Merah Orang Utan Island Foundation which stated its 5-year future activities that include an extension of 100 meter tunnel to the existing one and also to reintroduce the Orang utan to the BJ Island. This is an experiments to be undertaken by the Foundation to introduce the Orang utan to the wild. The BJ Island includes a Research facility to monitor the behaviour and biology of the introduced Orang utans.<br /><br />3. Pulau Banding Foundation also received donations from well-wishers for its 5-year activities that include the promotion of Belum-Temenggor forest complex for the benefits of ecotourism in Perak. The Foundation also plan to initiate a few research projects to understand the biology and ecology of the vast tropical forests and aquatic ecosystems.<br /><br />4. The Advisor of the Pulau banding Foundation and the Chairman of Emkay Foundation and the Bukit Merah Orang utan Island Foundation promised to spend his energy and interests to ensure that the three foundations would be on an excellent footings to address what the foundations have promised to address in the next 5 years for the benefits of the less-privileged communities, Orang utans and the environment and biodiversity in the country.<br /><br />5. These visions and missions augur very well for the well-being and welfare of the targeted communities, the conservation of Orang utan and the potential of ecotourism in Upper Perak and Malaysia, in general. I wish all the best of luck for the foundations and pray that many more charity-lovers and philantropists to come forward and donate some funds for these good cause,paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-73014556934110185942011-01-02T14:10:00.002+08:002011-01-02T14:27:42.957+08:00The Year of Forest1. Last year 2010 was the year of biodiversity. The year was celebrated with many events such as symposia and seminars that discussed the biodiversity issues. The meeting at Kyoto, Copenhagen and Cancun discussed the fate of fragile biodiversity and yet there were not many optimisms expressed on the fate of dwindling biodiversity.<br /><br />2. Closer to home it was the same fate that befalls biodiversity as it was in 2009. The government and her officials paid lip-services to biodiversity as it did not promise income-generating. The officers in the ministries also didn't address biodiversity as they only followed the fancies of their bosses. It was during the time of Dato' Subuh Yaasin when he was the Sec-general of MONRE that biodiversity received some encouragements.<br /><br />3. This year is the year of the forests. While the arboreal and temperate forests have not much to celebrate, the tropical forests have much to offer and deliberate. Every month more and more tropical forests in Amazonia, Madagascar, Central Africa and Indo-Malesia suffer in the hands of tree-cutters, loggers and unsustainable developers. In Malaysia it is not much different over the last decade as more ecosystems and species are put in peril.<br /><br />4. But the year is here to stay to celebrate in what-ever form. I must say in the last decade the Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia with the assistance of all State Forestry Departments had embarked on a challenging scientific expeditions to generate biodiversity data to help them manage the remaining forests in a very sustainable manner. It is not impossible to achieve it if ones put some thoughts and sincerity and accountability in it.<br /><br />5. Yet the forests in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan are regenerating at a pace too slow for the annual coupe to allocate. That is possible as the tree-cutters and loggers didn't follow the strictest prescriptions when felling the timber trees. So much so river corridors were not observed and the effects on wildlife and seedlings including the regenerants were not monitored.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-66181096912231099652010-12-19T19:18:00.002+08:002010-12-19T19:37:36.098+08:00On the Distinguished Professors1. Last week for the first time in Malaysian educational history the Ministry of Higher Education launched and awarded the Distinguished Professors to three eminent scholars in the field of Humanities, Social Science and Medicine. In today's NST these three personalities were highlighted. Prof. Tan Sri Dr. Mohd. Kamal Hassan (UIA) is no stranger to all of us as he is ex-UKM and a Muslim scholar and philosopher as well as ex-UIA Rector. Prof. Datuk Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin is an icon at UKM, an eminent socio-anthropologist, Deputy Chairman of National Professors Council and Director of Institute of Ethnic Studies at UKM; and Prof. Dr. Looi Lai-Meng is a medical pathologist from UM and a Senior Fellow of Academy of Sciences Malaysia.<br /><br />2. It is in fact a promotion for these VK5 professors as they are now on Staff 3 and with a $300K research grant, this award augurs very well for the under-rated intellectuals. After all there are just over 1500 professors in Malaysia and only 3 are promoted to staff 3. If one think of the other civil servants in the government sectors there are dozens of staff 3 to staff 1 officers.<br /><br />3. These professors are entrusted to teach students so that they become civil servants; supervise post-graduate students so that they possess MS and PhD key criteria for their promotions; carry out research in their fields of choice though the civil servants again decide on their research grants; publish articles in peer-reviewed journals locally and internationally; and they also served the communities at large in their own ways. These are intellectual ironies and great illusions!<br /><br />4. However, when I read the NST today I sensed something different. The Minister and Ministry of Higher Education are looking for professors who don't do the basic teaching, supervising, researching and publishing anymore but they are looking for professors who are able to translate their past glories into government policies and direct and indirect community intellectual benefits (e.g. Sarong Index). And very few could fit into that. That reminds me of the awarding of research grants that promises products that benefits the foreign exchange in the shortest possible time.<br /><br />5. I wish the Distinguished Professors many congratulations and the aspiring ones good luch for 2011.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-78666596188352380722010-12-11T15:50:00.002+08:002010-12-11T16:07:56.765+08:00Imbak Canyon Scientific Expedition 20101. This year the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) jointly with Sabah Foundation (YS) organised a 11-day expedition to yet another pristine conservation area of Sabah Foundation at Imbak Canyon. With the supports of more tha 100 reseachers from various institutions such as USM, UM, UiTM, UPM, UNIMAS, UMS and UKM; PERHILITAN, Sabah Parks, Forestry Department Sabah, Sabah Wildlife Department etc etc.<br /><br />2. The activity started off with a cocktail reception at Yayasan Sabah library on the evening of 25th November, followed by signing of MoU between ASM (reprented by YBhg Dato Zaidee Laidin & Dr. Shukri) and YS (represented by YBhg Tan Sri Khalil & Dr. Waidi), launching of Maliau book and a flag-off of the expedition by YB Datuk Marsidi, the Minister of Environment and Tourism Sabah.<br /><br />3. We spent the night of 26th at Camp Tampoi and managed to watch the end events of Asian Games. On the morning of 27th the participants walked from the send-off point to Camp Kuli, the expedition base camp. The time taken by them varies from ca. 1 hr by Prof. Emer. Dato' Ikram to 4 hrs by Prof. Dato' Laily. Of course the young porters ran in with heavy luggage on their backs.<br /><br />4. From the afternoon of 27th till the evening of 5th December the participants walked the trails, observed and captured all kinds of flora and fauna. The expedition is divided into (a) Physical landscape & Geology, (b) Water quality and aquatic life, (c) Flora, (d) Fauna, (e) Tourism and (f) Local communities., aspects hoping to cover every disciplines that are significant to conservation of Imbak Canyon.<br /><br />5. Many new discoveries and plenty of new knowledge had been generated over the periods that will be discussed in February 2011, possibly at Kota Kinabalu. To recap a few reports; a total of 31 species of odonates, 27 species of freshwater fishes, many collections of mosses, ferns and higher plants were made; many collections of beetles, birds, small mammals etc were made. The geological aspects were mapped, water quality is Class 1. Don't let me preempt the findings!paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-5738659903042574522010-11-06T18:50:00.002+08:002010-11-06T19:10:17.468+08:00DNA Barcoding and Taxonomy - A comment1. Way back in 2005 botanists and zoologists representing well-known herbaria and museum met in London to discuss plans to do barcoding the specimens. This is reported by Malte C. Ebach & Craig Holdrege, Buffalo Museum of Science, USA and The Nature Institute, Ghent, New York, USA, respectively.The purpose is to find a unique piece of DNA for every described species, so future taxonomists can run large biotic surveys without the need to learn or use morphological keys.<br /><br />2. As taxonomy is always viewed by non-taxonomists as a discipline on the verge of extinction or a discipline of stamp collecting, the future of morpho-taxonomy is getting bleaker as we can't compete with the barcoders for meaningful grants anymore. As it is in Malaysia the taxonomists and the biodiversity scientists are losing to biotechnologists for good grants. The people who sit on the R & D panels viewed taxonomy can't deliver patents and sellable products.<br /><br />3. Taxonomy has always been base on solid knowledge of morphology including anatomy, palynology, ecology, very soon barcoders don't have to understand what is a stipule or an ovate leaf!. To-day the morphologists are already losing to molecular taxonomists who use say, cytochrome c oxidase subunits to differentiate families, genera or species. In Malaysia, molecular taxonomy is still at infancy state and yet we are becoming followers to those who are beginning to divide a genus like Costus to many genera and align Verbenaceae to Labiatae, for example.<br /><br />4. As discussed DNA barcoding generate information but not knowledge that are derived from observing specimens from a wide range of habitats and provenances to understand the infraspecific or intrageneric variation. A herbarium and useum like ours at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia is going to have problems acquiring DNA machines and employ barcoders not taxonomists and para-taxonomies to collect, curate and study plants and animals collections.<br /><br />5. What kind of taxonomic impediments are these?paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-47437449774669439642010-10-24T17:13:00.002+08:002010-10-24T17:30:26.092+08:00Educational Illusions1. Universities in the world including some in Malaysia are after the THES ranking; some want to be come world-class universities as the likes of Harvard, Yale, Cambridge and Oxford. Some aspire to be among the greats in Asia as the likes of Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. Some just want to be in the league ...so as to be noticed. There are many arguments on this locally, some made sense and some made non-sense.<br /><br />2. I could only speak for my university, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as I began in this university in 1974 as a tutor in biology department and retired as a professor of botany in 2004, some 40 years. I enjoyed teaching and supervising students on both levels, the undergraduates and the graduates. I cherished research in botany and later in biodiversity and published some good, some bad and some lousy papers ....these bore my name.<br /><br />3. When I looked back I began to see some illusions in our educational aspirations and systems. We made mistakes by going English and we made mistakes by going three years for an honours degree. When I taught them in Malay the graduates went on to do well in their MS and PhD degrees overseas and they came back home to be somebody ....when I taught them 4 years of botany they learned many things useful and they could communicate botany very well. And now when I taught them in English in 3 years, many of them couldn't survive the interviews for jobs, may of them failed in their MS and PhD studies overseas. What went wrong with me?<br /><br />4. Years ago I used chalks and over-head transparencies and now I use power-points; then I used to take them to field works now the university doesn't have money to pay; we used to have many more practical classes and now we cut-short our practical classes because of monetary problems. The labs have not been improved and the equipments were old and rusty. What went wrong with us? Since 1982 when we first occupied the Biology building, nothing has changed. We have not added any new labs and building ....and we aspire to be among the best in the country.<br /><br />5. I wished I am the Minister of Higher Education as I will approve 100 millions to refurbish the labs and build new building to house post-graduate and lecturers research labs. I will buy new up-to-date equipments, I will add two more SEM machine, six more PCR, 4 more DNA sequencers and I will allocated some R & D funds to professors ....when would I be the Minister?paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-18245460431684700752010-10-10T19:03:00.002+08:002010-10-10T19:22:36.016+08:00On the current local university graduates1. I was recently asked to state the differences between the local graduates and the overseas graduates. This question arisen as there are perceptions that the local graduates are less prepared to enter the Malaysian workforce. This question is difficult to answer as I myself am a local graduate in botany who teaches botany in one local university. However, I did my MSc and PhD in Plant Taxonomy at Reading, England. My eldest son is an overseas graduate in finance and accountancy and my daughter is the local graduate in biology.<br />2. What strikes first is the fact that most overseas undergraduates have a cheque book and most local undergraduates lack it. The possession of a cheque book makes one a different person as one can sign it to pay for services and other transactions. This I think makes the locals less confident in their conversation and undertakings.<br />3. Next is the power of English language. The locals proficiency in English is second-to-none and they don't read English newspapers and English novels. Those studying overseas, especially in UK, US, Canada, Australia have no choice but to read English newspapers and speak English, hence they become more proficient.<br />4. Next is the teachers or lecturers. Most local teachers and lecturers are not open, liberal, understanding, more dedicated and committed, of course with exceptions. However, most lecturers overseas are liberal and open and they are not stuck-up. In local universities the lecturers demand they be properly addressed as Dr and Professor; overseas especially in US they would rather be addressed with first name, Tom or ted etc.<br />5. The library and librarians. Overseas , most libraries have adequate number of reference books and journals. Local ones lack money to buy and subscribe to the journals, other than the popular ones. The overseas librarians are very friendly and ever-willing to help the students, the local librarians are library-workers, with some exceptions.<br />6. Lastly, the personality and personal altitude. The local students due to not being able to speak and write good English tend to be expressionless and conservative. They would mix among themselves and would be happy to wait for spoon-feeding and initiatives from their lecturers. They lack a lot of motivation to do better and improve their personality and character.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-82405379929979590682010-09-24T19:13:00.003+08:002010-09-27T22:31:11.424+08:00Scientific Expeditions and Animal New Species1. The Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia is instrumental in organising scientific expeditions in its forest reserves in the peninsula since 1999. The scientific expeditions were organised in all the states for the duration of 4-5 days due to financial and administrative constraints. Many scientists from the local institutes, universities and NGOs had participated, however, there are some sceptics who questioned the duration of the activities and what could be achieved in those short times, as opposed to the month-long expedition in those colonial times.<br /><br />2. There had been many discoveries either the finding of new records to Peninsular Malaysia or to the respective states and new species to science in the animal world and plant world. For this posting I would like to discuss the former,<br /><br />3. In Kedah, there were Theloderma licin, two new species of frog discovered from Ulu Muda; Hylarana montjerai from Gunung Jerai and a new record of Rhizophora stylosa from Pulau Pasir, Pulau Langkawi and a new record for Kedah of Costus oligophylus from Sungai Sedim. In Perak, a new Costus is also discovered. In Johor, a new species of frog, Rhacophorus norhayatii was described from Gunung Panti, a species differentiated from R. reinwardtii. From Pulau Pangkor, a new species of thrip, Thrip razanii has recently been named in honour of the present Director-General of Forestry Department.<br /><br />4. From Bukit Bauk, a putatively new species of the smallest cyprinid fish was discovered, belonging to the genus Paedocypris and recently been placed in a new family. From Cameron Highlands, a new species of bat of the genus Otomops awaits new description.<br /><br />5. There are many more cicadas, beetles and other insects, possibly ferns, mosses and angiosperms also awaits description and naming. A putative new Gnetum is discovered from Kenong, Pahang. A new record of Trichosanthes emarginata, a Sumateran species has been collected from Krau Wildlife Sanctuary.<br /><br />6. All the above clearly showed that with some extra efforts by the zoologists and botanists, many new species and new records had been discovered. These are some spin-offs from the scientific expeditions conducted in the last decade. We look forwards to a new cycle of expeditions starting next year 2011.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-64296965920552765932010-09-17T19:24:00.002+08:002010-09-17T19:41:07.541+08:00On the Hari Raya 20101. We decided to go home to Kota Bharu after all for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri knowing very well we are going to suffer from traffic jam. Traffic jam at Kuala Krai junction is synonymous with hari Raya in Kelantan. Every year those traveling from Kuala Lumpur via Gua Musang suffered from it creating unnecessary stress and burning of extra fuel.<br /><br />2. Those who decided to travel earlier i.e. Monday 7th, Tuesday 8th suffered the jam from Karak. My sister-in-law decided to go via Kuala Terengganu and so did my son. I decided to go via Gua Musang. We started on Thursday 9th about 11 am from Kuala Lumpur and arrived in Kota Bharu at ca. 6 pm. just before breaking the last fast.<br /><br />3. Throughout the Hari Raya, traffic jams in Kota Bharu and its outside the city roads were the talk of the people. It was like the annual flood, it has become the time to rejoice. many wonders when are we going to experience less traffic jams. My friends blamed the volume of the traffic, others blamed on the reckless driving, some blamed the narrow roads and while the minority blamed themselves.<br /><br />4. On the 16th we decided to travel back to Kajang, a day after my son went to watch Kelantan vs Negeri Sembilan football match at the Sultan Muhammad IV stadium. It was a fair match but that penalty was not a penalty - well we lack the electronic eye to see the reality. The Kelantanese defender tackled the NS forward outside the penalty areas but both fell inside the area, hence the silly penalty and the Red Warriors lost.<br /><br />5. We left K Bharu at about 11 am and when we arrived at Ketereh the traffic was becoming bad and my wife directed my son to go either via Kuala Terengganu or Jeli. I dictated my son to drive via Gua Musang and the jam became worst as we approached Machang. We arrived at Kajang just after 9 pm, a mere 10 hours of fuel burning. After Gua Musang the traffic became normal and driving became joyful. When are we going to have an alternative route called a Highway in Kelantan? ...I am sure the BN government is going to promise it a month before the next General Election, like they did before the 2008 election!paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-41320788663683553182010-08-31T11:19:00.002+08:002010-08-31T11:35:28.345+08:00New Wave University1. Some years ago in 1996 the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak published an interesting book entitles, "The New Wave University - A Prelude to Malaysia 2020" and it was co-edited by Profs. Ghazally Ismail and Murtedza Mohamed. It was a very interesting book to read in paralley with the "The Renaissance Man", book published by the University of Malaysia, edited by Profs Dato' Hashim Yaacob et al.<br /><br />2. Both discussed what the new waves university is all about. The first discussed about the paradigm shift universities in Malaysia should have taken to be more relevant and the second discussed about what Royal Prof. Ungku Aziz did at the oldest university as an example how to run a university.<br /><br />3. In the Foreward of the New Wave University, written by our present PM he lamented two very crucial improvements which are necessary in our education system : first, to ensure that the people are technologically literate and develop a high level of thinking skills by using new approaches to develop and implement the curriculum; and the second, to humanise the learning environment by using natural learning processes that involve social, active and collaborative approaches.<br /><br />4. With the availability of ICT and PC I think Malaysian are in good position to be technologically literate, but to think in a skillful manner to innovate and transformation our curriculum is a bit challenging for some. Many love to be on a status quo position, why don't rock the boat when we are comfortable; why transform when we are going to be over-burdened and why change for better when we are already good.<br /><br />5. To humanise the learning environment is more challenging for it requires more thoughts to making our universities and their curricula relevant to the society at large. Many faculties are inclined to transform their approaches to make more profits and to cater for the urban rich and ignoring the poor rural folks. There are disparities between the big 5 RUs and the newer and smaller universities in many aspects of R & D, good teaching, good supervising and good research.<br /><br />Happy Merdekapaktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-27010796290687211862010-08-29T12:44:00.002+08:002010-08-29T12:54:46.500+08:00Flora Malesiana International Symposium1. The Flora Malesiana International Symposium started in 1992 at Jogjakarta and since then I hardly missed it until last week in Singapore 23-28 August. I had wanted to attend and present an update of the Malaysian pteridophyte flora as requested by Prof. M, Kato. I had made my accommodation bookings and also my flight to and from Singapore.<br /><br />2. However, one bad news struck. The eye specialist diagnosed me as having myopic maculopathy and I had got to go through some immediate treatments otherwise she warned me I might go blind. I went through thorough testings and consultation until last week she injected a drug into my left eye and now I am having a big black spot in my left eye sight. Luckily my right eye is perfect that makes driving possible.<br /><br />3. I had been informed the Malaysian botanical representatives are small in number and there were not many papers presented. However, Dr. L G Saw and Dr. R Kiew of FRIM were there; Dr. Rusea Go was there; Datuk Seri C K Lim was there too.<br /><br />4. Well, I missed updating myself with the progress of Flora Malesiana and also Malesian botany. In addition, I missed the Flora Malesiana Foundation Board meeting which was scheduled for the 25th afternoon, of whih I am a long-standing member.<br /><br />5. I hoped all went well with the Singapore symposium and I just hope I will be able to complete my Malesianum Vitacearum for the next symposium which may be in non-Malesian country.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-46313777938765995842010-07-14T17:25:00.002+08:002010-07-14T17:44:07.845+08:00Biodiversity of Pulau Pangkor1. In May 2009 the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia & Forestry Department of Perak organised a 5-day scientific expedition to Pulau Pangkor, an island off Lumut. After one year and 2 months the participants gathered at Ipoh on 12-13 July to discuss the findings through a seminar. A total of 30 papers were presented covering forest management, water quality, flora and fauna.<br /><br />2. An interesting paper was presented by En. Azid Adam of Forestry Department Pahang on the inventory of Shorea lumutensis at Sungai Pinang Permananet Forest Reserve adn Pangkor Selatan Forest Reserve. His findings immediately put Pulau Pangkor on the dipterocarp map as the density of the species in the former is 0.187/ha and in the latter 1.169/ha. A total of 276 stands of more than 10 cm DBH were mapped and measured.<br /><br />3. Dr. Y F Ng informed the participants that there are two new species of thrips, one belonging to the genus Thrips and the other to the genus Siamothrips. The participant urged Dr Ng to name the latter after Pulau pangkor as it was first discovered on this island. Meanwhile Dr. C Y Choong reported the discover of the second species record for Coeliccia kimurai (Odonata) for Peninsular Malaysia.<br /><br />4. Dr. Wan Julianan et al. reported Pulau Pangkor harbours ca. 52% of the mangrove flora in spite of the fact that you didn't see much of the mangroves on the shores and estuaries of the island. As for the higher plants Dr Mohd. Nizam et al. and Mrs. Ghollasimood et al. reported the ecological dynamics of the forests. In the former surveys a total of 480 stands belonging to 113 species,78 genera and 40 families were enumerated in a plot totalling 0.5 ha. In the latter study of 5 ha plot, a total of 3315 stands belonging to 211 species, 112 genera and 50 families were enumerated, showing richness and diverse flora.<br /><br />5. The fauna were quite common with those of the mainland; 73 species of moths and butterflies, 53 species of birds, 13 species of spiders, 48 species of beetles, 13 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles were listed. However, much of the beetles, fungi and soil bacteria and actinomycetes remained unidentified to the species.<br /><br />6. Pulau Pangkor has been designated as a destination for tourists. As it is the island is well-known for its white sandy beaches and hornbills which are quite tame that the tourists could easily watch. The Department of Forestry Perak had already gazetted a 10-ha HCVF, a Virgin Jungle Reserve, constructed more than 5.8 km of jungle tracks and in the offings are possible a small Botanic Garden or a State Park to value-add biodiversity for the visitors and ecotourists.paktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6409196423796148391.post-84656421249769132072010-07-10T18:59:00.002+08:002010-07-10T19:12:09.634+08:00BioJohor1. From the 6th till 8th July I was invited to attend and present a paper at the 2nd International Conference organised by BioJohor. I understand that this event is organised once in two years; the first was organised in 2008, and the next one is promised in 2012. It was a 3-day conference and exhibitions by small and medium biotechnological business companies.<br /><br />2, The papers presented covered biodiversity, environment, biotechnology, chemistry, policy, ethics, laws etc, almost all applied science and geared towards products and business. I found myself quite lost because I had nothing to sell and nothing that I was proud to dream to sell as a product. My science has always been non-commercial biodiversity.<br /><br />3. However, what BioJohor had done should be praised for it raised many challenges to the state government the custodian of Johor bioresources, her flora and fauna and the environment. as biodiversity is a state matter. Johor should think how best and economic to pursue making some money out of her richness in biodiversity. I was informed BioJohor has been successful in producing and marketting some products from her resources such as mudballs and others.<br /><br />4. I can help but thinking other states should imitate this fanfare. In future I would like to see BioKelantan, BioTerengganu, BioPahang, BioPerlis, BioKedah and other bios come forwards to organise similar activities if not for the KL-based scientists but for the local scientists, businessmen and state dignitaries to ponder. After all, once again, I dare said biodiversity is a state matter and state green assets which could be developed for biotechnology and ecotourim products at state level<br /><br />5. I look forward for the next BioJohor in 2012 when Iskandar (or rather Iskandaria) becomes the futuristic citypaktehhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02281799938379067422noreply@blogger.com0