Awang Tengah: Discovery of 20 new frog species in Sarawak indicates healthy environment

KUCHING (Nov 17) The discovery of 20 new frog species in Sarawak serves as a clear indicator that the state’s environment is in a healthy and preserved condition, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan.

The Second Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister said he was recently briefed by Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) on the findings which was the result of collaborative research efforts involving local and international scientists.

“I was surprised to learn of the variety of frog species that were discovered as a result of the research conducted by our own locals as well as researchers from abroad.

“Based on the results of this study, we can see that there are so many different species where some featured unique shapes and there were a few species that looked like birds,” he told reporters when met after officiating the ‘Ibu Pertiwi’ monthly flag raising ceremony at Dataran Ibu Pertiwi here today.

Awang Tengah said the discovery is proof that Sarawak’s ecosystem is very suitable as habitat of the frog species, which in turn reflected the abundance of flora and fauna in the state.

“This is a strong indication that our environment is in a healthy condition. Otherwise, these frogs will not be able to survive and reproduce,” he said.

In this regard, he hoped that more research will be conducted to study the frog species as well as other plants in the state.

Also present at the ceremony were State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and his wife Datin Sri Zuraini Abdul Jabbar, Deputy Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Deputy Food Industry, Commodity, and Regional Development Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail, Deputy Natural Resources and Urban Development Minister Datuk Len Talif Salleh, and Kuching North mayor Dato Hilmy Othman.