‘Sun bear as VM2026 mascot a win for conservation’

Safe space: A sun bear relaxing on a wooden platform at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre. The centre rescues and rehabilitates sun bears while educating the public about their role in the ecosystem.

KOTA KINABALU: Nobody is prouder to see the Malayan sun bear being chosen as the official mascot for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) than conservationist Dr Wong Siew Te, who has spent decades fighting to protect the species.

As the founder of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) – the only facility of its kind in the world – he hopes this will spark greater awareness of and support for the world’s smallest and least known bear species.