International boost for hawksbill turtle conservation in Melaka

Marine biologists fear the hawksbill turtle could become extinct in 50 years if the number of landings at the coastline continued to show a downward trend. - Filepic

MELAKA: Hawksbill turtle conservation by the Melaka government is going to Hollywood soon – with a three-year-old girl in the spotlight.

Harmoni Cinta Luke, who has been selected as the state’s ambassador of turtle conservation, is set to star in a series of videos to be distributed overseas to promote the campaign.

Harmoni is also slated to make her international debut in an upcoming Hollywood documentry series called “America’s Rising Star” after successfully auditioning for it in Kuala Lumpur last weekend.

State Agriculture, Entrepreneurship Development, Agro-Based Industry and Cooperatives Committee chairman Norhizam Hassan Baktee said the videos will be passed to the producers to be featured as part of their show.

He said the videos would highlight Kampung Pantai Kemunting Turtle Conservation Centre in Masjid Tanah here and the state’s ongoing save-the-turtle programmes.

According to the entertainment data website IMDb, “America’s Rising Star” chronicles the lives and journey of aspiring talents as they attempt to realise dreams of American stardom. It features celebrity scouts travelling the world to discover these rising stars.

Norhizam said the girl, who is from Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan, and of Australian-Malaysian parentage, will be leaving for California in July for the production of “America’s Rising Star” scheduled to premiere later this year.

“She is currently undergoing coaching on acting at a local academy,” he said.

Norhizam said he started working closely with The Shore Oceanarium here to intensify conservation efforts and the campaign was further complemented with the appointment of Harmoni as an ambassador.

“We need to initiate a stronger advocacy to protect the marine reptiles,” he said after meeting Harmoni and her parents at his office in Seri Negeri here.

Harmoni’s mother, Farhana Mitchell, 33, said the family was delighted with the opportunities that had come her way.

Norhizam said the child star would also be featured in the state’s plans to develop agro-tourism for promotion in China.

Recently, he was reported as saying that marine biologists were concerned about the drop in turtle landings at Pulau Upeh.

He had also noted that the hawksbill turtle could become extinct in 50 years if the number of landings at the coastline continued to show a downward trend.