‘Thank you’ for gazetting Piasau Camp

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Maketab (second left) together with Musa and Ting in this recent photo receiving preserved carcass of Faridah the partner of Jimmy (hornbill) who was killed by a poacher on Sept 26, 2013.

MIRI: Nature enthusiasts worldwide have every reason to rejoice now that Piasau Camp has been gazetted as a nature reserve effective April 3.

Assistant Minister of Environment, Datu Len Talif Salleh announced the gazeting on Monday in Kuching.

This paves way for conservation efforts and greater appreciation of the rich flora and fauna at the historical camp, which is now famous for its hornbills, a totally protected species in Sarawak.

Sarawak Forestry Honorary Ranger, Musa Musbah, who was among those entrusted to conduct studies on the camp especially its hornbills, were among those happy with the government’s decision to gazette the camp a nature reserve.

“Of course I am very, very happy. If I die now I can rest better… (laughing). I would be resting peace. Thank you to the Sarawak government and relevant bodies and other people in and outside Miri who supported us,” said Musa when contacted yesterday.

Musa, chairman of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Miri Chapter and deputy chairman of Piasau Camp Miri Nature Park Society (PCMNPS) was among those who actively initiated campaigns to protect hornbills at the camp.

Other active campaigners, Datuk Sebastian Ting (president of PCMNPS) and Professor Dr Maketab Mohamed (MNS National president) were also very thankful that the camp has been gazetted.

Maketab also said a big ‘thank you’ to Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Miri Branch especially Musa Musbah and Joyce Sivalingam  who together with local stakeholders such as (Sebastian) Ting, Karambir Singh, worked hard to get the Piasau Camp converted into a public park. He said MNS would assist in whatever ways possible to make the nature reserve a success.

Ting said the gazetting was indeed an excellent news for the people of Miri and all those who have helped in one way or another in what he called the journey to request the Sarawak government, Shell and Petronas to preserve the historical Piasau Camp as a nature park.

“This is a wonderful and memorable legacy for the people of Miri and for that matter, the people of Sarawak. Our future generations will greatly benefit from this historical event.

The Head of State Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud is scheduled to perform the earth breaking ceremony of the newly gazetted camp on May 10.

Piasau Camp, besides having hornbills and other protected animals and plants, is synonymous with Miri’s oil and gas industry and having matured forest which acts as the green lung for Miri City and buffer zone against any tidal wave.