KUCHING: Former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been described as someone deeply interested in environmental-related activities.
Sarawak Forest Department Director, Datuk Hamden Mohammad, said Abdullah, fondly known as Pak Lah, and his wife, Tun Jeanne Abdullah, who was the chairperson of the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre, have been very active in environmental programmes.
“Even though he (Pak Lah) had retired as Prime Minister at the time, he still accompanied Tun Jeanne to Sarawak.
“We once brought him deep into the interior of Sarawak to join us in observing a scientific expedition conducted by the Sarawak Forest Department.
“It was a long journey, yet he was still willing to travel to remote areas of Sarawak to witness our efforts, especially in exploring and understanding the treasures of our forests.
“From that experience, we saw that the late Tun Abdullah truly had a deep connection with the environment and our state’s forestry,” he told the press during the department’s Aidilfitri Open House at Wisma SABATI here today.
He also praised the late Abdullah’s efforts in forest restoration through the ‘Hutan Kita’ initiative – his own brainchild – which aimed to encourage the public to plant forest trees and create much-needed green spaces in urban areas.
This initiative also helped strengthen a sense of shared responsibility and connection with nature.
Abdullah passed away at the age of 85 at 7.10 pm on Monday at the National Heart Institute (IJN).
He took over as Prime Minister from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on October 31, 2003, and held the position until April 2, 2009.
