HAVING a chat with botanical researcher Datuk Seri Lim Chong Keat can be real insightful, especially if it is about native plants.
With over 30 years of serious pursuit in the field of botany, the Penangite loves to share what he knows about the various flora around us.
“People need to be more aware of the native flora. They must not be ignorant but to be appreciative and proud of them, especially plants that are endemic to Penang.
“For example, do you know that some plants on Penang Hill are only found in Penang?” he said during an interview at his home in Macalister Road, Penang, recently.
Lim, who has discovered new species of palms and gingers nationwide, will be delivering a public talk titled ‘Challenges for Malaysian Botanical Research and Conser-vation’ tomorrow from 5.30pm to 7pm at Sunway University in Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya.
The 83-year-old architect and urban planner said that with the talk, he hoped the audience would be enlightened and interested in getting to know native plants.
He said he was concerned about the lack of education on botany in the country.
“The level of ignorance in botanical education is serious and a lot has to be done to improve it.
“I will be sharing positive recommendations on botanical education and also on in situ and ex situ conservation.
“In situ conservation is protecting plants in the wild while for ex situ conservation, the plant is collected and brought to the botanic gardens to be protected,” said Lim, who has discovered and named some 30 new species.
Among them was Areca tunku, a type of palm that was named after the country’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman.
He aims to name a plant after his elder brother, the late Penang chief minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu, but said this would be decided after more research had been done.
Lim, who began publishing his journal ‘Folia Malaysiana’ since 2000, has travelled throughout the country and also in other countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and India for research and to compare similar species of plants in these countries.
He has also set up a private research garden called ‘Suriana Botanic Conservation Gardens’ in Balik Pulau.
When asked on how he had started out in botanical research, Lim simply said: “I did not know enough. I had to repair my ignorance.”
He also advised those wanting to contribute to flora conservation to take the first step by going into the forest to see and appreciate the plants in the wild.
Lim, who was recently introduced as a fellow with the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, was also chairman of the Malaysian Forestry Research and Development Board from 2001 to 2004.
To register for Lim’s talk, visit sunway.edu.my/tsjc-dss/register or contact Faslika at 03-7491 8622 ext 8172 or e-mail pr@sunway.edu.my. Admission is free.
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