The world’s natural resources are rapidly depleting, causing alarming levels of harm to our planet amid a burgeoning population. To ensure a sustainable future, immediate action is needed. Every year on 5 June, the United Nations celebrate World Environment Day (WED) to heighten global awareness on environmental issues.
In conjunction with the celebration in June this year, Sunway Property took great strides in promoting liveability and environmentally-friendly practices. The purposeful celebration featured WED initiatives across its flagship townships of Sunway Resort City, Sunway City Ipoh and Sunway Iskandar in Malaysia.
At Sunway Resort City, a 6-km Discovery Walk attracted more than 300 people. The event, flagged off at Sunway South Quay and ended at Sunway Lagoon Club, saw participants using their five senses: taste, smell, sight, hearing and touch, to complete fun challenges related to green practices.
“Sunway Property is keen to integrate sustainability not only in their development and townships but also to inculcate it into the daily lives of communities,” says Sarena Cheah, Managing Director of Property Development Division for Malaysia and Singapore, Sunway Group. “Coming together is the only way we can collectively engineer a better tomorrow, where we no longer need to protect the environment, but living harmoniously with nature becomes a state of being.”
The property arm also pledged RM60,000 to Malaysian Environmental NGOs (MENGO) and Eco Knights this year to support their environmental initiatives.
Up north in Sunway City Ipoh (SCI), more than 200 free eco bags were distributed from its Property Gallery to counter plastic shopping bags. At Lost World of Tambun, SCI, environment related challenges and quizzes were organised to drive the need for action and create awareness on protection and conservation of the forest, wildlife and planet.
Within the same month, Sunway Property Penang organised a 2-in-1 event which included “Be a Green Hero” booth-activities and a recycled collage arts competition for students prior to the event day. There were Zumba dancing, healthy cooking demonstration and a cyclist group who joined in the event to support the Penang state government’s vision in making Penang a sustainable and liveable city that is clean, green, safe and healthy.
The event was graced by YB Phee Boon Poh, Penang State Exco for Welfare, Caring Society and Environment, YB Sim Chee Keong, Ahli Parlimen Bukit Mertajam, YB Dato’ Maimunah Mohd Sharif, President of Seberang Perai Municipal Council and Mr Tan Wee Bee, Deputy Managing Director of Sunway Property.
In the Southern region, the United States Ambassador to Malaysia His Excellency (H.E.) Joseph Yun cycled all the way from Putrajaya to attend the WED celebration at Emerald Lake Sunway, adjacent to the Iskandar Gallery. The U.S Embassy initiated the ride to raise environmental awareness, encourage a healthy lifestyle, promote green technology and support bicycle-friendly policies.
On behalf of Sunway Iskandar, H.E. Joseph Yun and Sunway Group Corporate Advisor Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam adopted 75,000 edible fruit trees to be planted along Emerald Lake, and released over 1,500 fishes into the lake.
To foster a safer, happier and more caring society, Sunway Group continues to carry out a host of community projects through one of its Corporate Social Responsibility key pillars, C.A.R.E. (Community Aid, Reach-out and Enrichment) projects, aimed at creating a far-reaching impact on the community and the nation.
Sunway actively espouses the importance of green initiatives. For instance, its flagship township, Sunway Resort City (SRC), is recognised as Malaysia’s first integrated green township by Green Building Index.
Other successful green initiatives include the construction of a water treatment system within SRC as part of the Group’s sustainability and water conservation initiative, a Styrofoam-free initiative in Sunway-owned cafeterias within Sunway Resort City to minimise health and environmental impact caused by Styrofoam, and a recycling programme among Sunway staff to cultivate a recycling culture.