BBC documentary to be screened on M'sian TV for free in October

KUALA LUMPUR: The BBC's Blue Planet II documentary will be shown for free on Malaysian television in October.

Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin (pic) said the screening was made possible with cooperation from British officials and the BBC.

"I hope the documentary will inspire us to do more for the environment and for us to step out of our comfort zones on what we can do for the environment," she said in her speech during the screening at GSC Cinemas in Quill City KL here on Tuesday (Sept 10).

The screening was also attended by Britain's Prince Edward.

Also present were Selangor princess Tengku Zatashah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris and other VIPs.

There was also a special message from naturalist Sir David Attenborough for those attending the screening.

GSC, said Yeo, would be screening the documentary for a few weeks before it goes on Malaysian television.

Yeo said Tengku Zatashah had told her about the documentary, which showed the effects of plastics pollution on the ocean.

"If the content is very expensive, it would be hard to get money from Finance Ministry.

"But at the end last year, I went to Britain to visit some agencies and threw the idea to British officials whether it would be possible to screen Blue Planet II for free?

"Nine months later, it happened," she said.

Yeo also announced the setting up of a Malaysian Plastic Pact, which would bring all the stakeholders together to resolve the plastic waste crisis in Malaysia.

Among the members are Tesco Malaysia, Nestle Malaysia, Unilever, Petronas Chemical Group, Coca Cola and the Malaysian Retailers Association.