IPOH: The recent floods that hit the country recently show how real the danger of climate change is, says Perak’s Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.

       He said it was the responsibility of all Malaysians to do their part to protect nature and to mitigate the damaging effects of climate change.

       The Perak Sultan said it was vital for the people to work together as it was for our survival and continued prosperity.

       “The recent floods have demonstrated clearly, yet again, how real the dangers posed by climate change have become.

       “While responding generously to those affected, we must also be bold in our renewed efforts to address the underlying causes,” Sultan Nazrin said in his royal address, which was conveyed virtually during WWF Malaysia’s 50th anniversary celebration on Thursday (Jan 13).

       “Organisations such as WWF Malaysia will continue to be at the forefront of these efforts for the next 50 years and beyond as we confront the challenges that await us,” he said, adding that conservation was a crucial element to Malaysia’s development.

       “Malaysia has a grave responsibility to protect these effectively. We must rise to this challenge, for ourselves and for the global population.

       “Restoring our planet’s health requires all of our efforts, from the government, to the private sector, to the public as well,” he added.

       Sultan Nazrin lauded WWF Malaysia’s role in helping the country rise to environmental challenges over the past 50 years.

       “It is a strong voice for nature in Malaysia, speaking out both for its protection and for the restoration of areas that have been lost.

       “WWF Malaysia has provided advice and information on conservation matters to the government and has advocated tirelessly for the conservation of biodiversity,” he said.

       “These inputs have contributed to the establishment of protected areas from the large forest

       complexes within the Central Forest Spine, including the Belum forest complex in Perak, to

       large marine protected areas in Sabah.

       “Together with its staff, its supporters and the environmental community more broadly, WWF has helped to protect more than 1.3 million ha of forests and seas from the threat of conversion,” he said.