BANJARMASIN (TabirKota) – Regent of Barito Kuala, Noormiliyani AS receives the 2022 Bekantan (Proboscis Monkey) Award on Monday (March 28).
The award, which is signed by Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, is handed over by Governor of South Kalimantan, Sahbirin Noor, at the Rectorate Hall of Lambung Mangkurat University in Banjarmasin.
The award is given to coincide with the commemoration of the 2022 Bekantan (Proboscis Monkey) Day, which is organized by the Indonesian Proboscis Monkey Friends (SBI) Foundation.
Proboscis monkey, one of the endemic animals of Borneo, has Latin name Nasalis larvatus, and is mascot of South Kalimantan.
Also present at this event is Rector of Lambung Mangkurat University, Prof. Sutarto Hadi.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Environment and Forestry, Alue Dohong, watched the award presentation online.
Chairperson of SBI Foundation, Amalia Rezeki says, Bekantan Day was first introduced in 2015, and is commemorated every March 28.
“The Bekantan Day cannot be separated from the role of Mrs. Noormiliyani, Prof. Sutarto Hadi, and Head of South Kalimantan BKSDA (Conservation and Natural Resources Center) at that time”, Amalia explains.
“Those three figures are actually behind the birth of Bekantan Day”, she continues.
Bekantan Award, says Amalia again, is a form of appreciation from SBI Foundation to figures and institutions that have contributed to the proboscis monkey conservation efforts.
In his remarks, Governor Sahbirin Noor says Noormiliyani AS has a big role in the development of Curiak Islet in Barito Kuala, as a proboscis monkey conservation area.
“South Kalimantan Provincial Government fully supports this. We hope that what she has done can be an inspiration to others,” says the man who is familiarly called Paman (Uncle) Birin.
Meanwhile, Noormiliyani AS says, the award she received is actually the result of the hard work of various parties.
“Since 2015, we have been indeed making various efforts related to the mission of preserving proboscis monkeys”, she says, after receiving Bekantan Award.
Noormiliyani believes that proboscis monkey population, which is an endemic animal in South Kalimantan, can be continuously increased through collaboration between central and local governments, and support from non-governmental organizations, and the role of private sector and communities.(sah)
