29 November 2018 (Thursday) – Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Director General (DG) Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod, has been unanimously re-elected to the Chair of the Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institutions (APAFRI) Executive Committee for another term from 2018 to 2021.

Abd Latif delivering his speech.	Attendees of the APAFRI General Assembly posing for a group photograph.

APAFRI announced the decision at its Eighth General Assembly held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, today. The FRIM DG was first elected as the Chair during the APAFRI’s Fifth General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur in 2009 and again in Guangzhou, China (2012) during the sixth assembly. Abd Latif is the first Chairman to be elected for the third time.

Speaking at the assembly, Abd Latif has reaffirmed FRIM’s commitment to continue hosting the Secretariat. FRIM Forest Products Division Director Dr Gan Kee Seng who has served the APAFRI Secretariat since 2015, will be retained as the APAFRI Executive Secretary to oversee the operations of the Secretariat. Also present was APAFRI past Chairman Dr Park Jung Hwan from Korea.

From left: Abd Latif, Gan and Park at the meeting.	Abd Latif (left) presenting a certificate of appreciation to Park.

APAFRI is an independent non-profit association of 69 institutional members from 25 countries including the South East Asia countries, China, Japan, Korea and Australia, with an active interest in forestry research, conservation, management and other forestry-related issues in Asia Pacific.