Bagan datuk: The responsibility to care for the environment does not solely rest with the Department of Environment (DOE) but is a shared obligation among all citizens, asserted Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Ahmad Zahid highlighted the importance of instilling environmental awareness across all demographic groups, emphasizing that it is not just the responsibility of students but also of adults.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid stated, “Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility, not just students but us adults too cannot escape that responsibility. Don’t blame the environment if (nature) is no longer friendly to us, all incidents, the destruction of nature are caused by us.” These remarks were made during the Perak State Level National Environment Day (HASN) Celebration 2025.
The event saw the presence of state Science, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Teh Kok Lim and Perak DOE director Datuk Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh. Ahmad Zahid, who also serves as the chairman of the National Disaster Management Committee, commended Perak’s dedication to environmental sustainability. The efforts involve schools, mosques, government agencies, and industry partners.
Ahmad Zahid noted the participation of over 71 schools in Perak in an e-waste collection competition, amassing a total of 38 metric tonnes. Additionally, mosques across the state contributed by collecting 11 tonnes of e-waste. The HASN 2025 celebration, themed ‘Environment, Shared Responsibility,’ introduced renowned artist Datuk Ahmad Azhar Othman, or Awie, as an environmental ambassador to promote the theme in Perak.
HASN is an annual event rooted in the Langkawi Declaration on the Environment from October 1989, stemming from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) statement to ‘actively promote environmental education programmes to increase public awareness and support.’ Initially celebrated as Malaysian Environment Week (MASM) starting in 1991, it was rebranded to HASN in 2016 and is observed on October 21 each year. For this year, the Bagan Datuk district was selected as the venue for the celebration.