THE OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF “ART FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION’ INTERNATIONAL ART EXCHANGE 

SPEECH BY CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF “ART FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION’ INTERNATIONAL ART EXCHANGE 

12 January 2019
Desa Seni International Balik Pulau

 

YB Yeoh Soon Hin
State Exco for Tourism Development, Heritage, Culture & Arts

Dr. Paul Boey Teik Soon
Honorary Chairman of Balik Pulau International Art Village
Trustee of Artopia Education Trust

Lee Khai (DJN)
Chairman of Penang State Art Gallery
Advisor of Penang Art District

Dato' Dr. Kang Chin Seng
Trustee of Artopia Education Trust

Mr. David Goh
Trustee of Artopia Education Trust

Distinguished guests

Members of the media

Ladies and gentlemen

The very essence of Vision Penang2030 which I launched last year in late August envisaged the state of Penang with improved quality of life for her people, the promotion of a green economy which every Penangite has a stake in, the people’s empowerment and investment in the built environment for Penang to become the greenest and most intelligent state in Malaysia.

Having said this, the development of art and culture is an integral aspect of Penang2030. After all, through the language of art deciphered through the means of our artists’ creativity in thinking can awaken the people’s mind and our comprehension of the various issues affecting us in everyday life.

The joint effort by Artopia Education Trust and Penang Art District in hosting the first "Art together for Wildlife Conservation" International Art exchange exhibition at this Artist Village by inviting the participation of 24 artists from five countries, including our very own young talents to work together for wildlife and environmental protection reflects the sanctity of art in action for achieving the stated objectives of our event this morning.

From my observation, what we are having and doing this morning not only serves to develop the culture of our beloved city and state but more importantly, it also blends in perfectly with the green policies of the state government by reminding members of the public to love our environment. The state government, furthermore, has always been in the forefront on environmental issues and we have always been noted for our strong conviction in doing the right thing for Mother Nature. We are, after all, the first state to offer no free plastic bags, putting a stop to the use of styrofoam in packing food, banning plastic straws and single-use plastic food and drink containers and of course, Segregation of Waste at Source for all households which had been made mandatory since 1st of June 2017.

Resorting to the use of "art" to emphasise the need for environmental protection and to advocate the importance of wildlife protection and by extension, to preserve what’s left of Mother Nature for our future generation is most commendable.

It is high time that all of us take heed of her wrath manifested in the forms of climate change, unpredictable weather patterns, tsunamis and severe drought happening across the globe that enough is enough and steps must be taken to heal the environmental abuse she had withstood all the while.

I congratulate and applaud the effort of those who have taken part in this exhibition as it simply shows that we do care for our Mother Nature.

While art is the soul of our city and state, it is equally important to allow “art" to be the tool to educate the public and contribute towards the realization of Penang2030 which I unveiled last year. Let's "art together for wildlife and our environment!"

Thank you.