KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is proud of its seven wetland sites recognised internationally as Ramsar sites, says Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup.
The recognised sites include Tasek Bera in Pahang, designated in 1994; Tanjung Piai, Pulau Kukup and Sungai Pulai in Johor, designated in 2003 and Kuching Wetlands National Park in Sarawak, designated in 2005.
Arthur said Sabah has two Ramsar sites: the Lower Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands and the Kota Kinabalu Wetlands, designated in 2008 and 2016, respectively.
"Malaysia is fortunate to possess a rich and diverse wetland ecosystem covering more than 5.19 million hectares," he said in a Facebook post on Monday (Feb 2), in conjunction with World Wetlands Day.
He said that the Ramsar Convention is the world's oldest modern multilateral environmental agreement, established in 1971, and currently has 172 Contracting Parties.
"As of 2025, a total of 2,546 wetlands of international importance, known as Ramsar sites, have been designated worldwide," he said.
This year’s World Wetland Day theme is “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage.”
"The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry, as Malaysia's national focal point for the Ramsar Convention, remains fully committed to supporting the efforts of state governments to conserve wetland ecosystems, in line with the goals and targets of the National Biodiversity Policy 2022-2030," he said. – Bernama
