KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 – Malaysia is one of the largest exporter of orchids to Asian and European countries, with the value of export amounting to RM700 million a year, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said. The deputy prime minister said as a country with diversified orchid species, it would be a big loss if the industry was not given appropriate attention.
As such, he called for a research using latest and high technology to be done in a bid to further improve the local orchid industry so that it would emerge as the main contributor in the flower and ornamental plant industry. “The orchid industry has a value amounting to millions of ringgit and Malaysia is a country with not only diversified, but also unique and exclusive, orchid species.
“In fact, the ornamental plant is also favoured by flower enthusiasts across the world and the demand for orchid is increasing every year,” he said when opening the Orchid and Bonsai Exhibition 2014 and the Perdana Botanical Garden’s Canopy here Friday night. The exhibition is being held at the Perdana Botanical Garden Kuala Lumpur from May 23 until June 1.
Muhyiddin said prior to this, orchid enthusiasts had to go into jungles to find the flower, especially the unique and exclusive ones, but with the latest technology, even wild orchids could be preserved and reproduced on a larger scale for commercialisation purposes.
On bonsai, the deputy prime minister said the quality of the unique plant in Malaysia had been deemed to be at par with the international quality and many bonsai enthusiasts were willing to turn their passions into business as the price of a bonsai tree could reach thousands of ringgit.
Commenting on the exhibition, which was an initiative taken by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Muhyiddin said it was in line with the main strategy of the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 under the ‘We Are The Host’ programme to lure 15 million tourists to Kuala Lumpur with potential revenue of RM24.9 billion.
“I was informed that the rare species of orchids are also being showcased at the exhibition, besides the Wrightia Religiosa bonsai tree worth RM180,000,” he said. He said the exhibition would not only lure the people to nature, but would also encourage them to visit public gardens for recreational activity and social interaction.
Muhyiddin said the government had always encouraged local authorities to carry out such programmes to become a Beautiful Garden Nation by 2020. He said the government was not only committed to provide basic facilities, but also to emphasize on efforts to give quality and high-tech infrastructure for the people.
“The government has always ensure balance and harmony in every physical development by emphasizing on balanced landscape and environmental aspect, which is among the main element of sustainable development,” he said. Continuous efforts done under Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley Programme could make Kuala Lumpur as among the world’s 20 most liveable cities by 2020, he added.
– BERNAMA
