Kuala Lumpur, 19 November 2017 – The Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC), in an effort to promote academic excellence and inculcate a love for forest, presented the Freezailah Forest Sustainably Award to Lim Mee Ching, a final year student from the Faculty of Science and Natural Resources of University Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
The academic Award was presented to Lim Mee Ching by MTCC Chairman, Datuk Himmat Singh, at the UMS 19th Convocation ceremony. Lim received a Certificate of Achievement and RM2,000 cash prize.
First presented in 2016, the Freezailah Forest Sustainability Award aims to recognise outstanding students from the forestry-related field of study who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating overall academic excellence and scholarship in their final year project thesis. The Award was established in honour of MTCC’s founding Chairman, Dato’ Dr Freezailah Che Yeom, who had led the institution for 17 years.
MTCC CEO, Yong Teng Koon said, “This is the second year we are collaborating with UMS to recognise and reward young talent demonstrating outstanding academic achievement in forestry-related studies. Through this Award, we hope to raise the awareness of the students on the importance of sustainable forest management in Malaysia and the role of the Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) in championing this pursuit.”
“Promoting sustainable forestry through the implementation of the MTCS is the core of MTCC’s work. MTCC accords great importance to collaborating with UMS to inspire more young people to embark on a career in forestry and forestry-related industries,” Yong elaborated.
The recipient of the Freezailah Forest Sustainability Award is selected based on the undergraduate’s overall academic performance as well as final year projects that focus on fields related to Sustainable Forest Management, Forest Certification, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Impact Assessment, Forest Plantation Management, Chain-of-Custody Certification, or Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products Utilization.
Commenting on the Award win, Lim said, “We cannot wait until our vital forest reserves are depleted to start conservation works. It has to begin now, and it is everyone’s duty to protect our forests. The MTCC Award serves as an encouragement for young people to play a more active role in promoting sustainable forestry. Additionally, it also influences my interest to consider a career in a forest-related industry.”
“MTCC hopes that the Award will inspire more students to take up forestry-related courses and spur them to take on greater responsibility in promoting sustainable forest management in Malaysia. Additionally, timber being Malaysia’s third largest export-oriented commodity, we hope that these students will be inspired to work in the forestry sector upon graduation and make a positive impact on the environment and society,” Yong concluded.