Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad made the announcement during his speech opening the Hutan Kita (Our Forests) exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Tower here.
“With its hardy nature, I believe that all Malaysians can take the Merbau as a symbol of national pride,” he said.
Meanwhile, Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar said the Merbau tree was selected as a symbol of the integrity of the nation’s forest as a result of sustainable management and the conservation of the Malaysian biodiversity.
“The Merbau tree is also a symbol of the importance of the forest to the country’s industries and the economy,” he told a press conference after the opening of the exhibition.
The Hutan Kita – Journey through our Rainforest exhibition is being held at the Tower Terrace of the Kuala Lumpur Tower from Aug 24 to Sept 22. It is organised by the Ministry of Water, Land and Natural Resources.
The exhibition is an initiative under the Our Forest Conservation Programme 2019-2020 that showcases the richness of the country’s forests as well as the efforts that have been implemented in preserving and conserving forests.
It has set a national record as the largest exhibition of tropical rainforest trees with 850 species of tropical rainforest trees on display, and has gained recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records.– BERNAMA
