A TRIPARTITE AGREEMENT ON RESEARCH

SIGNING.... Picture shows Tun Jeanne Abdullah, Chairperson of Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre, Professor Shigeyuki Baba of the international society for mangrove eccosystem and Professor Hirosuke Oku of the tropical biosphere research centre, University of Ryukyus (Riukyu) Japan signing the MOU witnessed by Dr. Yee Moh Chai representing the Chief Minister, and former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

By : REBECCA CHONG

AN AGREEMENT between the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) and Tropical Biosphere Research Centre (TBRC) from the University of the Ryukus, Japan, was signed on the 6th of November 2012, in Magellan Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu.

Datuk Dr. Yee Moh Chai, Deputy Chief Minister attended the signing ceremony on behalf of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman. SFD was represented by its director, Datuk Sam Mannan, whereas TBRC was represented by Professor Hirosuke Oku.

Also present to witness the signing ceremony were Professor Shigeyuki Baba of the international society for mangrove ecosystem, and the Advisor of Malaysia Landscape, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also the Malaysia’s 5th Prime Minister.

The agreement is intended to facilitate scientific research, education and cultural exchanges and contribute to the mutual benefit and development of the two organizations.

Under the agreement both parties will  have the opportunity to exchange staff members, scientific materials, publications and information, as well as to host joint seminars and  conferences and to conduct joint research and other scientific projects.

The Sabah Forest Department was created  in 1914 to administer the vast forested land of North Borneo then under Chartered Company rule.  Today the department has administrative jurisdiction over some 3.6 million hectares of forest reserves in various parts of Sabah. According to official estimate about 50% of Sabah’s total landmass is under the jurisdiction of the SFD, which is one of the departments under the Chief Minister's Department. Appropriately, the SFD director was once known as the Conservator of Forests.

Established in 1994, the TBRC from the University of the Ryukus is a merger of the Tropical Agriculture Research Centre, the Sesoko Island Coral Reef Research Center and the Center of Molecular Biosciences.The TBRC aims to promote broad-based research activities on the ecology and diversity of tropical and sub-tropical ecosystem, and the effects and influences of different types of environmental factors. (Insight Sabah)