Kuching, Tuesday, 6 April 2010 - Pullman Kuching launched its first Earth Guest Discovery Package in collaboration with Sarawak Forestry Corporation. Datu Haji Len Talif Salleh, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Planning and Resource Management, Director of Forests, MD/CEO, SARAWAK FORESTRY Corporation Sdn Bhd was the guest of honour to grace the ceremony held in the hotel by an ice breaking ceremony together with Fabrice Mini, General Manager of Pullman Kuching.

As part of Pullman Kuching’s commitment to actively participate in the Corporate Social Responsibility, the hotel took the initiative to advance the vision to their guests.

A special package is created to encourage the hotels in-house guests to participate in the Heart2Heart with orangutan programme without much hassle as everything will be arranged directly through Pullman Kuching which includes registration, transportation and four choices of picnic lunches that are all readily available for their guests at the Earth Guets Discovery Package with the same rate if the public booked directly through Sarawak Forestry without any additional add on charges.

Launching the event, Len Talif said that Sarawak Forestry is in full support of 'green agenda' as it gel well with the conservation objectives of SARAWAK FORESTRY, especially where wildlife such as orangutan is the main beneficiaries.

Adding to that, he said "This would definitely boost our promotional effort in creating public awareness and participation in conservation activities. By experiencing with their own hands and seeing it with their own eyes, we believe it will build passion and commitment among the public to help us in protecting and conserving the wildlife.”

Len Talif also highlighted on population of orangutan saying that "Population monitoring being conducted since the 1990s shows encouraging findings, the total population of the orangutan in Sarawak is estimated to be approximately 2,500 individuals and they are found in Lanjak Entimau Widlife Santuary, Batang Ai National Parks and Ulu Sebuyau National Park. These three totally protected areas with a total area of 250,000 hectares are all located within the Sri Aman Administrative Division".

To date, he recollected that  a total of 19 baby orangutans were born at these two Centres – 15 at Semenggoh, while the other 4 at Matang Wildlife Centre. In fact, he also announced that there is a latest addition to the expanding orangutan community at Semenggoh last month -  a baby orangutan born in the wild by Minah making up a total of 25 individuals at the Centre.

Len Talif also emphasised on the needs for businesses to explore new territories and teaming up to create innovative program such as the Heart of Heart with Orangutan as it is about voluntary partnership that gives participants chance to learn about conservation in action, not just mere 'look and see'.

Len Talif said that it is important to "touch the heart of people from all walks of life, that conservation in its true essence starts from the heart".
In Fabrice’s welcome speech, he said, ‘Pullman Kuching is pleased to be the first hotel in Sarawak to offer such a wonderful programme that allows hotel guests to truly experience the effort by Sarawak government in helping the orangutan and we look forward for travellers from around the world to join the programme directly through our website’.

The Heart2Heart with Orangutan programme is a unique conservation initiative run by SARAWAK FORESTRY. It is a one day program which allows participants to actively participate in orangutan rehabilitation at Matang Wildlife Centre and Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.

Upon arrival at Matang Wildlife Centre, participants will be briefed on the conservation program in a ‘Get to Know’ session before proceeding for a guided tour of the Wildlife Centre. Tasks and areas of responsibilities/duties including cage cleaning; food preparation for orangutans, orangutan enrichment program, assisting in related research, and education will be assigned to each participant.

Participants will have a chance to learn from a dedicated team of experts from SARAWAK FORESTRY about the challenges of orangutan rehabilitation and related works at the centre. Through Heart2Heart with orangutan program, Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn Bhd aims to showcase the orangutan conservation efforts in Sarawak to the global community and to raise awareness on the importance of conserving orangutan from the brink of extinction.

At the end of the program, all participants will be given a certificate of participation to acknowledge their contributions in Sarawak’s orangutan rehabilitation program.