The Launch of Panti Bird Sanctuary, Kota Tinggi, Johor Darul Ta'zim

The Panti Bird Sanctuary is the cumulative results of many years of work between MNS Johor and the Johor Forestry Department. MNS Johor has needled successive Johor Forestry Department's directors starting with Dr. Abdul Rahman Abdul Rahim in 2007 and later with Haji Zulkefli Mokhtar in 2008 and now with Haji Yahaya Mohamood. Only with Haji Yahaya did we see something positive starting with the sponsorship of the printing of the Panti's Coffee Table book titled "On Feathered Wings: The Birds of Panti" by Mr. Vincent Chow, which is to be launched together with the Sanctuary's launch.

The first date chosen for the launch was January 18, 2010 but it was not agreeable to the Chief Minister, Dato' Abdul Ghani Othman. Then the date chosen was March 13, changed to March 14 and later back to March 13. I was not happy with the March 13 date as the date was chosen as the Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the Parents-Teachers Association (PIBG) for Sek. Men. Keb. Taman Desa Skudai (SMKTDS), where I am the President or Yang DiPertua (YDP).

Suddenly, Tuanku (the Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar) indicated he wants to launch the Sanctuary after his return from India on 17 March. Well, with Tuanku's intent, lots of people have to work hard to make sure that things would be pleasing to Tuanku. The most possible launch's date would be some time in the end of March or early April.

Now with Vincent's report about the presence of the military exercises by the Malaysian, Australian and British armies using live bullets on March 13, then some more work would be needed to make sure that the Sanctuary is closed to any military exercises in the future. The Johor Forestry Department has to discuss with the Malaysian Army to find new ground for their exercises.



Suddenly, on the 30 July, when I called Haji Yahaya to ask him about Johor Forestry reforestation plan, I was informed that Tuanku would be launching the event on 9 August, as part of his Kembara Mahkota program.


The event went well with at least 40 participants from MNS Johor and four participants from MNS HQ including Maye Yap and Wee Chin. Tuanku stopped at MNS booth and both Vincent and I got ourselves in the Sin Chew Daily (unfortunately, both of us cannot read Mandarin).