Malaysian Actress tours Imbak Canyon Conservation Area

Photo: imbakcanyon-borneo.com.my

IMBAK (Sandakan): Malaysian actress Maya Karin toured the Imbak Canyon Conservation Area (ICCA) in the heart of Sabah recently, trekking deep into the rainforest, and came out impressed by the experience.

“It is simply a treasure of Malaysia,” she said of the ICCA, a 30,000-hectare area of virgin dipterocarp forest that houses the iconic Imbak Waterfall.

“It’s a beautiful forest, a beautiful part of the world,” she said.

Maya arrived at the Tampoi Research Station, the focal point for exploring the ICCA, on Feb. 21 after more than seven hours’ drive from Kota Kinabalu.

She trekked to the Imbak Waterfall the next day, traversing through the pristine rainforest, accompanied by ICCA rangers as well as Yayasan Sabah Group officials.

Maya, who was there at the invitation of the Yayasan Sabah-Petronas Imbak Canyon Conservation Collaboration, later hiked to Kuli Waterfalls where she explored the surrounding forest before making her way out on Feb 25.

She also spoke of her experience with nature which involved among others, trekking in Peru and Nepal, and vowed to help create awareness on the importance of safeguarding the environment.

“I’m fascinated by nature. I love nature whether they are forests or beaches or mountains or animals; I love the whole range of things,” the actress, television host and singer said.

“As much as I can, since I am a person who now has a voice, I try and do what I can to highlight and create awareness that Malaysia is so very blessed with.

“I would not want to be in a situation, say, in 30 years from now where I would say ‘We used to have great things 20, 30 years ago when I was young. Sorry kids, we have nothing left for you.’ I would not want that to happen,” said Maya.

The ICCA is located within the Yayasan Sabah Group’s conservation areas.

Petronas is Yayasan Sabah Group’s partner for the Imbak Canyon Conservation Collaboration – a joint effort to conserve, promote and manage the ICCA as a protected area, train the local community in biodiversity conservation as well as provide relevant facilities for the community.

On the collaboration to conserve the ICCA, Maya said: “It’s great. I applaud everybody who is involved … all parties, private and government agencies, individuals, volunteers, rangers. God bless all of them for the effort.”

Source: New Sabah Times