KUALA LUMPUR: The successful release of the Malayan Tiger ‘Yong Choh’ back into its natural habitat at Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu, after undergoing rehabilitation reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring the country’s economic progress aligns with environmental sustainability.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh said that a country’s wealth is not only measured by what it can produce but also by the treasures it can preserve for the future.
“The effectiveness of these conservation efforts can also be seen through successes in the field, including the return of the Malayan Tiger, Yong Choh, to its natural habitat, and the construction of a canopy bridge by the Langur Project Penang to help wildlife cross roads safely.
“This success proves that conservation is not just a policy and allocation on paper, but a real effort that saves wildlife, protects biodiversity, and drives community participation,” he said.
He said the increase in the ecological fiscal transfer (EFT) fund to RM270mil in Budget 2027 will also strengthen conservation efforts at the state level, in addition to boosting the economy and community-based ecotourism.
“When nature is preserved, the people not only benefit from it but also become the strength that defends it,” he said, Bernama preported.
Syed Ibrahim said that the sustainability agenda also opens up opportunities for new economic value sources and more resilient national financial management.
“The true wealth of natural resources is not just in what we extract from the earth, but in the value we can create without sacrificing its future,” he added.
