Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg (second left) and his wife Puan Sri Juma'ani Tuanku Bujang (right) admiring the new hybrid orchids named after them, while orchid breeder Au Yong Kien Chung (left) looks on. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
KUCHING: Two new orchid species named in honour of Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg and his wife Puan Sri Juma'ani Tuanku Bujang have been unveiled at a garden show here.
The Vanda Premier Abang Zohari and Vanda Juma'ani were created by well-known local orchid breeder Au Yong Kien Chung.
Both orchids were registered with the Royal Horticultural Society in Britain on Dec 14 last year.
Au Yong said the Vanda Juma'ani was a hybrid of Vanda Pure's Wax and Vanda Doctor Anek while Vanda Premier Abang Zohari was a cross between Vanda Kulwadee Fragrance and Vanda The Rajamohans.
"I started creating the new hybrids in 2017. It takes four to five years to see the flowers, which appeared last year," he said when met after the opening ceremony of the Borneo International Garden Expo here on Friday (Dec 17).
He created the Vanda Premier Abang Zohari as an orchid with spots, reflecting the Premier's firmness in making decisions.
"For Vanda Juma'ani, I chose a pink orchid to reflect femininity and softness.
"Both these orchids were created to honour the contributions of the Premier and his wife," Au Yong added.
Meanwhile, Abang Johari said the horticulture industry in Sarawak should be developed in line with the state's focus on economic prosperity, social inclusivity and environmental sustainability.
"I hope the expo can brainstorm what we should do to develop horticulture as a commodity to benefit our economy.
"We also need new ideas for us to beautify our cities with local plants and flowers," he said when opening the expo.
Organised by Borneo Convention Centre Kuching and Orchidwoods Company, the three-day event is the first international garden expo in Sarawak with exhibitors from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and China.
