Kg Menengah Village Consultative Council, Ampuan Hj Momin Ampuan Salleh (R) plants a gaharu sapling during the launch of the plantation at Kg Sg Tanit, Temburong yesterday.
Picture: Courtesy of Gaharu Berjaya Resources
Rasidah HAB
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Monday, May 30, 2011
IN a span of over one year, 13,000 gaharu (agarwood) trees had been planted nationwide by Gaharu Berjaya Resources's 500 customers, moving them forward to their target of planting one million gaharu trees in seven years.
The latest addition to their list of achievement was the launching of the first gaharu plantation in Temburong yesterday.
In a phone interview with The Brunei Times Gaharu Berjaya Resources Administration Manager, Mohammad Sallehen Mohaddin said the decision to launch the plantation was to help them promote and educate the residents on the economic potential of gaharu and preserving the heritage of gaharu trees in Brunei.
Temburong have been a bit behind (in this), but we have the support from the village head to officially launch this plantation, he said.
There are other plantations in other districts, but some prefer to keep a low profile, he added.
The 0.3 hectare plantation located in Kampung Sg Tanit belongs to Hjh Rafiah Hj Momin, who already has 786 gaharu trees, and yesterday saw the plantation of 30 additional gaharu saplings.
Asked to comment on the response from the Temburong residents, Mohammad Sallehen said, the mukim and village headshave expressed interests in establishing cooperation and plantation based on gaharu (for future income).
Most of our clients are in Brunei-Muara District, but the numbers of trees planted are fewer compared to the ones in Tutong and Temburong. We have smaller number of clients in Tutong and Temburong but they plant more (trees), he said.
There are still a lot that needs to be done, Mohammad Sallehen added.
During the interview, he also spoke of the company future collaborations.
"The Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (Kupu SB) is now conducting a research on the uses of gaharu trees in Islamic medicine," he said.
Gaharu Berjaya Resources will also be signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Wasan Vocational School.
The agreements will see the inclusion of gaharu trees in the school's subjects, use of laboratories as well as opportunity for the public to plant gaharu trees.
Gaharu Berjaya Resources have expanded, involving both the public and private sectors, he added. They are actively contributing gaharu saplings to educational institutions and government agencies as well as Village Consultative Councils.
This contribution highlighted the importance of harvesting gaharu trees and raise public awareness on its rarity and value.
The plantation owner, Hjh Rafiah said when the plantation was open in 2008, it was meant for commercial planting of coconut. However, a flood caused the project to be delayed, even after the site was ready.
"Late 2010, I decided to restart the project with commercial planting of gaharu trees," she said. The seedlings were supplied by Syarikat Haizzal Yahya, a subsidiary under the Gaharu Berjaya Resources.
She expressed hope that with the official launching of the 'Muhammad Ibnu Said' gaharu plantation, more of the gaharu trees will be planted especially in Temburong.
This is not only to improve the economy, but also to prevent the trees from extinction, she added.
The launching was officiated by the advisor of Kg Menengah Village Consultative Council, Ampuan Hj Momin Ampuan Salleh.The Brunei Times
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