REPORT ON THE FIRST WORKSHOP FOR POLICY MAKER TASK FORCE

WORKSHOP TITLE: PUBLIC AWARENESS ON NATURE CONSERVATION FOR VILLAGE HEADS, VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE HEADS, NATIVE CHIEFS AND DISTRICT CHIEFS

VENUE: CROCKER NATURE CENTER, KENINGAU

DATE: 29 JUNE 2004

1. Background

The Policy Maker Task Force under the Public Awareness Component held a one-day workshop at Crocker Nature Center, Keningau on the 29 June 2004. Three discussions among the working committee for the workshop were held earlier on the 20 May, 25 May and 22 June 2004 respectively. Thorough discussions also held several times with the Director of UST prior to the meetings with the working committee. The workshop was organized in collaboration with Sabah Parks cum Park Management Component. The Director of Sabah Natives Affairs Office, Kota Kinabalu, Mr. Mohd. Said Hinayat, officially opened the workshop.

2. Objective

The objective of the workshops were :

1. The target groups interested in environment conservation activities and good collaboration and understanding with them, thus raising their awareness in it.
2. Interpreters of PAC members will improve their capacity
3. Positive behavior towards nature conservation is increased in and around CRP.

3. Output

From the annual plan of the operation for JFY 2004:

2-3-1: Conduct campaign activities (seminar / workshop / talk)

3-1-2: Plan and implement interpreters training

5-2 Monitor change of behavior of the people

4. Participants

Identification of the villages, which the participants were to be invited, was made by the Sabah Parks. It was agreed during the meeting on 20 May 2004 that the participants will consists of the Village Head, JKKK, District Chief and Native Chief from the upper and down stream of CRP. This would involve the participants from the district of Tenom and Keningau. Invitation was produced by the UST office and extended to the respective district offices of Tenom and Keningau for delivery. 25 participants attended the workshop out of 30 invited, which makes 83 percent attendance.

5. Speakers / Facilitators

3 speakers and 2 facilitators were involved in the workshop. All of them played their role satisfactorily and delivered their topics according to the time allocated. Their presentation were well understood by participants. The topics are also very relevant to the objectives of the workshop.

6. Logistic

The participants are from remote villages thus it is necessary to provide to and fro transportation for them. UST managed to get the assistance from the Institute Latihan Sektor Awam Negeri Sabah (INSAN) when the office agreed to lend its 25 passengers capacity bus to fetch and send the participants to and from the workshop. In this manner, JICA and UST were able to reduce the cost for transportation.

The participants were about 45 minutes late to arive at the venue. It was due to the bad road condition. In future, the timing should be adjusted accordingly to ensure better time management. The VIP to the opening ceremony arrived earlier that the participants, which should not happen in any occasion.

7. Preparation of Material and Equipment

2 banners were printed and hung at the CRP office and at the Nature Center respectively. Equipments (LCD, Computer, Printer etc. ) were provided by Sabah Parks. The officer in charge of the equipment was Puan Fatimah Simin and assisted by Puan Norliza Nawawi from Sabah Parks.

At the end of the workshop, the Director of UST cum Head of Public Awareness Component, Mr. Moktar Yassin Ajam presented all participants with certificate of attendance. The certificate was prepared by UST.

8. Side activities

UST placed exhibition materials of BBEC which were prepared and exhibited during the COP-7 conference in Kuala Lumpur early this year as side activities of the workshop. The exhibits attracted attention of the VIP invited to the opening ceremony as well as the participants. The officer in-charge of the exhibition was Puan Lina Mohd. Lin and assisted by Puan Sabiah Andamit of UST.

9. Publicity

Cik Kertijah Abdul Kadir from the secretariat of BBEC prepared press release of the workshop which was sent to the press companies on the 26 June 2004.

10. Working Committee

Chairman : Puan Fatimah Jaafar - UST

Advisors:

Mr. Koji Tagi - UST
Mr. Usui - Sabah Parks
Mr. Sakai - Sabah Parks

Members :

Puan Fatimah Simini - Sabah Parks HQ.
Puan Norlizah Nawawi - Sabah Parks HQ
Mr. Alfred - Crocker Nature Center, Keningau
Mr. Benjamin Yundang - UST
Puan Lina Mohd. Lin - UST
Ken Kartina Khamis - UST
Sabiah Andamit - UST

12. Conclusion

The workshop was meeting its first objective, which is raising awareness of the target group towards environment conservation activities and obtained good collaboration and understanding. For the second objective that is increasing their positive behavior towards nature conservation is not possible to measure at the moment. While for the third objective, which is interpreters of PAC members will improve their capacity, was also achieved for the members who are directly involve with the workshops. Through this activity, the Public Awareness Component is hoping that the target people around the CRP are getting the information on the Crocker Range Park and know it importance to conserve it. All of the speakers and facilitators presentation were effective and efficient thus the Policy Maker Task Force might consider involving them again in the next workshop.

Report prepared by:
Fatimah Jaafar
Science and Technology Unit
Dated: 6 July 2004.