Support for Earth Hour pouring in

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

PRESTIGIOUS hotels such as the Sheraton and The Empire Hotel and Country Club, along with prominent industry players in the Sultanate including Brunei Shell and BLNG have voiced interest and support for Brunei’s Earth Hour Campaign this year.

Deputy Director of Electrical Services Department Hj Umar Hj Mohd Tahir said that the response for the world’s largest global climate change initiative has, so far, been very encouraging.

“We have gotten a lot of response and interest from various hotels, commercial centres and big companies,” he said.

This year Brunei’s Kg Ayer Cultural and Tourism Gallery will turn off its lights to show the Sultanate’s official inaugural participation in Earth Hour. The building will turn dark from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on March 27 as testament to Brunei’s commitment to stop global warming.

The information provided by the Electrical Services Department, other companies and organisations that have participated in Earth Hour since Brunei’s first participation in 2008 include the Orchid Garden Hotel, NBT Sdn Bhd and HSBC bank.

The department’s Public Relations Officer Mohamad Abdullah added the Sultanate’s public had also been very keen to participate.

Acting Director of Electrical Services Department Hj Umar Hj Mohd Tahir (L) briefing the local media on Brunei's Earth Hour Campaign during a press conference yesterday, accompanied by Senior Officer Junidi Hj Japar (R).

“Last year, many members of the public called our (144 line), asking how they can participate in Earth Hour. It was very encouraging,” he said, adding that this reflects the population’s sense of responsibility for protecting the planet.

“Everyone lives in one world. Whatever happens elsewhere affects us as well,” he said.

Brunei is among 17 countries and regions striving to be officially recognised this year as part of the global movement against climate change. To be officially recognised, the lights of a national landmark has to be switched off voluntarily for the 60-minute event.

Initially organised in Sydney, Australia in 2007, Earth Hour is an annual global campaign, organised by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to invite homes and businesses to voluntarily turn off their lights for one hour on the last Saturday of March as an initiative to stop climate change.

Hj Umar, during the press conference, stressed that the Earth Hour’s main objective was not so much on conserving energy for the day, but to raise awareness on the importance of energy conservation.

He added that annual global energy conservation campaign was to motivate the public to partake in energy conservation activities and habits.

“We want to use this opportunity to make everyone aware of the importance of conserving energy and looking after our environment,” he said.

“What is important (is that we do not) waste energy, on not only certain days (Earth Hour) but to make this into a habit in our everyday lives,” he added.

The deputy director went on to speak of how such an event could also help increase people’s appreciation of energy.

“When we switch off the lights, we will feel some discomfort. From this we can better appreciate how important energy is to us,” he said.

“There are two causes of electricity usage. The first is true usage which is the result of housing and population increase, as well as developments in the industries,” he said.

Hj Umar said the authorities were worried about was the increase in electricity wastage and that there has been upgrading and construction of electrical supply infrastructure by the government.

Earlier news report said Brunei’s 400,000 inhabitants consume electricity similar to that of a country with a population of one million.

It was also reported that via the satellite imagery, Brunei sparked up as one of the most brightly-lit areas in the Asean region, and was comparable to heavily-industrialised Japan.

The Brunei Times

Latest by Melvin Jong:

number of view: 280