8 April 2019 (Monday) – Children and parents from Children’s Asthma Club of Selangor and Federal Territory participated in ‘Let’s Go Green’ tree planting programme, organised by Lung Foundation of Malaysia (LFM) with support from Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) on 6 April at the FRIM main campus in Kepong.

The event was graced by Deputy Health Minister YB Dr Lee Boon Chye and also attended by LFM Chairman Dato’ Dr Zainudin Md Zin and FRIM Director General, Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod.

Lee planted a meranti kepong (Shorea ovalis) tree to mark the significance of the occasion. The aim was to raise public awareness on the importance of conserving the environment, plants and forests which produce fresh and clean air for our health and general well-being. Apart from promoting efforts to green and conserve our environment for future generations, it was one of the many activities conducted by LFM to enhance public awareness on asthma.

Sixty participants including medical students from Lincoln University College joined the programme, held in conjunction with the International Day of Forests (IDF) celebration. They planted 20 trees of five species (Shorea sumatrana, S. glauca, Neobalanocarpus heimii, Hopea sp. and Intsia palembanica).

LFM is a non-profit organisation committed towards the improvement of the standard of care and treatment for patients with lung disease. Established in 2006, LFM offers support and assistance to patients suffering from chronic lung diseases as well as educates the public on various lung diseases. LFM chose FRIM as it is the perfect place for tree planting. Located some 16 km north of Kuala Lumpur, it is one of the last remaining important green lungs in the Klang Valley. Spanning 544 hectares, it is home to over 15 million plants of over 2,000 flora species.

FRIM is very much involved in reforestation and rehabilitation of degraded sites all over the country. In fact, the FRIM campus in Kepong is a model for successful reforestation efforts, which started back in the 1920s. Today, FRIM is the world’s oldest and largest man-made tropical rainforest. FRIM has been gazetted as Natural Heritage Site in 2009 and National Heritage, in 2012; and is working towards obtaining the UNESCO World Heritage Site status.

Also present, LFM Trustees Datuk Dr Aziah Ahmad Mahayiddin, Assoc. Prof. Dr Jessie Anne De Bruyne and Assoc. Prof. Dr Pang Yong Kek; Datin Norhayati Shaari, wife of Zainudin; FRIM Corporate Communication Head Toh An Nee and FRIM Researcher Sadali Sahat.