Starchild: Malaysian children want to save the forests for a greener tomorrow

International Forest Day will be celebrated on Tuesday. The theme for 2023 is “Forests and Health”. Forests are home to many Indigenous communities and are important as they regulate our water systems, increase rainfall and improve the quality of the water that we need to survive.

Here are the letters from Starchild readers on the topic, Forests.

Wong Cheng Yang, 9

Wong Cheng Yang, nine, thinks forests are amazing places with wildlife. “To save rainforests, we must use less paper. Saving paper will reduce the need to cut down more trees. We can also save forests by cutting down on open burning. Strict rules and regulations should be implemented for people who do open burning. We must love our forests, so that we can have a healthy planet.”

Wong Jie Ern, 7

“We must love forests because there are the home to many animals. In Malaysia, we have many rainforests. We must reuse and recycle aluminium cans, glasses and paper to reduce waste. We can use less paper to save trees from being chopped down. We must protect our forests because trees give us oxygen to survive,” writes Wong Jie Ern, seven.

Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, 8

“The rainforest is home to many wonderful animals. Without it, many animals will be homeless and at risk of extinction. We must do what we can to protect the forests we have left,” says Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, eight.

Asher Wang Qi Chuen, 5

“We can save the rainforest by practicing recycling at home. Recycling used paper means cutting down less trees. We will continue to have more trees to enjoy,” says Asher Wang Qi Chuen, five.

Chuah Seng Koon, 7

Chuah Seng Koon, seven, writes: “Forests have wild animals like lions, tigers and monkeys. I don’t visit forests often because there are many bugs and centipedes. But having said that, I would not mind going to the woods for fresh air. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from humans. At times, I wonder what would happen to wild animals without forests? Where would the animals live?”

Jayden Tan Li Sheng, 11

Jayden Tan Li Sheng, 11, writes: “Forests provide shelter for animals and plants provide essential natural resources and food for animals and humans. We depend on forests for so many things like oxygen, water, nourishment and fuel. So we should plant and protect trees.”

ITEM: Tea time is always a fun time for kids. Do you prefer savoury food like sandwiches and curry puffs, or sweet treats such as cakes, biscuits and local delicacies like pisang goreng and Nyonya desserts? Tell us why it is your preferred choice.

E-mail your contributions to [e-mail] by April 1. Please put “STARCHILD: Tea Time Treats” in the subject line of your e-mail.

Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200 dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact, and address.