Adenan (fifth right) is seen with (from left) May-Tobin, Harrison, Hurowitz, Ranum, Mujah, Upreshal, Sudarsono, Sapuan, Lulie and Sajeli.
KUCHING: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem received a courtesy call from a delegation of overseas and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) at his office in Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
Led by Glenn Hurotwitz, a senior fellow of the Washington-based Centre for International Policy, the delegation participated in a frank discussion with the Chief Minister, who kept true to his promise of being open to discussions with NGOs.
A wide range of issues regarding deforestation, sustainable development, forest and wildlife conservation, peatland, Native Customary Rights (NCR) land development and development of hydro dams were discussed during the meeting.
Adenan receives a memento from Zulfikar during the courtesy call.
The delegation also comprised Rainforest Foundation Norway Policy and Campaign Department head Nils Hermann Ranum, Friends of the Orangutans director Upreshal Singh, local environmentalist and lawyer Harrison Ngau, Calen May-Tobin from the Union of Concerned Scientists, and local activist Nicholas Mujah.
Also present were Minister of Resource Planning and Environment permanent secretary Datu Sudarsono Osman, Land and Survey Department director Datu Sajeli Kipli, Sarawak Forest Department director Sapuan Ahmad and Tropical Peat Research Laboratory Unit director Dr Lulie Melling.
Meanwhile, Adenan also received a courtesy call from newly-appointed State Immigration Department director Datuk Mohd Zulfikar Ahmad, who was accompanied by senior immigration officials.