Port leads efforts to replant trees in Gelang Patah

Neelsen (fourth from right) during a mangrove tree planting programme in Tanjong Adang, Gelang Patah in 2019. — Filepic

PORT of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) will continue to reach out to local communities to help protect mangrove ecosystems in Gelang Patah where it operates.

PTP chief executive officer Marco Neelsen said this was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to ensure long-term environmental sustainability.

He said that apart from local communities, the port would also work closely with relevant authorities and non-governmental organisations.

“Protecting the environment needs concerted and continuous efforts from all of us,” he added.

PTP’s mangrove replanting programme started in 2010, and to date, some 16,000 trees had been planted in Tanjong Adang.

“Our last replanting activities were in 2019. We could not continue last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic and movement control order,” said Neelsen.

He said the mangrove replanting involved PTP’s employees, local villagers, the Johor Port Authority, state Forestry Department and Kelab Alami.

He noted it was important to work with experts as mangroves required special expertise in replanting.

“We also need to educate local villagers about the importance of protecting mangrove ecosystems.’’

He said the company had placed two dumpsters — one each in Kampung Ladang and Kampung Pendas in Gelang Patah — for villagers to dispose of their domestic waste properly instead of burning it in their backyard or throwing it into waterways.

He added that PTP was happy to note that others from nearby villages had been using the dumpsters to dispose of their waste.

“Hopefully, we can resume our mangrove replanting programme once the Covid-19 situation improves,” said Neelsen.