THURSDAY, 20 FEBRUARY – As part of the Lobster Stock Improvement Project and Petagas River Awareness Campaign, the Marine Borneo Research Institute (IPMB) Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) organised a Petagas River Village Visit to the institute yesterday.

The visit involving 30 residents of the village were welcomed by the Director of BMRI, Prof. Dr. Saleem Mustafa.

In his welcoming speech, he said that the main objective in organising the visit was for IPMB to share their knowledge while giving opportunity for the villagers to have a closer look at the lobster and fish breeding management techniques done in UMS.

“It is also an effort to spread our knowledge in line with the government’s call on higher education to encourage knowledge transfer programmes to the community,” he stated.              

He also expressed hope that the Lobster Stock Improvement Project and Petagas River Awareness Campaign which was in collaboration with the Putatan District Office would help improve the socio-economic condition of the village as well as increase awareness on the importance of maintaining the river’s cleanliness.

Meanwhile, the head of the community project, Prof. Datin Seri Panglima Dr. Ann Anton in her talk said that 18,000 lobster seeds were released into the Petagas River since the start of the Lobster Stock Improvement Project and Petagas River Awareness Campaign in April 2013.

She urged all members of the community to collectively work together to ensure that the planned project would run smoothly.

The delegation also visited the Aquarium and Marine Museum before being taken around UMS campus.

Also present was Putatan Assistant District Officer, Hassan Mahali who represented the Putatan District Officer. – SS (FL)

 
Media and Citra Division
Chancellery Department