9 April 2019 (Tuesday) – The Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources (KATS), Dr Xavier Jayakumar, visited Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Research Station in Bidor (SPF Bidor), Perak on 6 April.

Abd Latif (left) and Ang speaking during the visit.	Xavier (seated, middle) posing for a group pix with Foreign Ambassadors as well as representatives from KATS, FRIM, FDPM and JPNPk.

The Minister was accompanied by his wife Sheila Devaraj, KATS Secretary General Datuk Zurinah Pawanteh; the Biodiversity Management and Forestry Under Secretary, Dato’ Wan Mazlan Wan Mahmood; and other KATS officers. They were welcomed by FRIM’s Director General (DG) Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod, Deputy DG (Operations) Dr Khali Aziz Hamzah and SPF Bidor Coordinator Dr Ang Lai Hoe.

The visit was also attended by several Foreign Ambassadors in Malaysia namely Maria Castillo Fernandez (European Union Ambassador); Cristiano Maggipinto (Italian Ambassador); Frederic Laplanche (French Ambassador); Pascal Gregoire (Belgian Ambassador); Karin Mossenlechner (Netherlands Ambassador); and Constantin Volodea Nistor (Romanian Ambassador).

The objective of the visitwas to see the successful reforestation of ex-mining area with the planting of various tree species using selected techniques developed by FRIM.

Ang showing the trees planted in SPF Bidor.

Also present, Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia (FDPM) DG Dato’ Nor Akhirrudin Mahmud, FDPM Deputy DG Datuk Borhanudin Arshad, Perak Forestry Department (JPNPk) Director Dato’ Mohamed Zin Yusop, FRIM Administration Director Liza Ismail, FRIM Human Resources Director Mohd Asmawee Ismail, FRIM Forest Plantation Programme Head Dr Wan Rasidah W.A. Kadir and SPF Bidor Manager Dr Ho Wai Mun.