KUCHING – For the third consecutive year, Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus (Swinburne Sarawak) is proud to host Kuching’s biggest conservation awareness run, Run for the Wild,  happening this 17 December.

The event is jointly organised by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Malaysia and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre and will see 280 runners participating in the 5KM and 10KM runs, as well as the 1.5KM fun walk in support of orang-utans, sharks and rays. It will also feature other activities such as conservation awareness talk, face and henna painting, Zumba sessions and a colouring contest for primary school students.

Swinburne Sarawak has a long history of collaborating with WCS Malaysia on the annual Run for the Wild and Ride for the Wild events, providing the venue and volunteers from among the university’s student clubs such as the Green Club, Running Club, Cycling Club, Football Club, Debaters’ Club, and Student Leadership and Volunteers Programme.  

For the student volunteers, being part of the event provides them the opportunity to do their part in promoting conservation efforts to the younger generation.

Second-year robotics and mechatronics engineering student, lead marshal and 10KMpacer Marco Lai Chung Yi initially did not have much knowledge about conservation issues but being involved in a meaningful event such as this gave him a new sense of purpose.

“As a volunteer, my involvement does not only expose me to issues that are happening in Malaysia and around the world, but also indirectly helps to highlight the importance of conservation by raising funds and awareness in society,” said Lai.

Lai encourages people to volunteer and understand the bigger picture and purpose of volunteerism, particularly in wildlife conservation, adding that one of the most important elements to consider when volunteering is the sustainability of the world that we live in.

Meanwhile, first-year civil engineering student Eunice Loo Xuan Tong opined that small acts when multiplied by millions can transform the world. Loo believes that being a volunteer isn’t about working for applause, but instead doing it for a cause that one believes in.

“We are blessed with two hands to serve and a heart to love. The only way to ensure the continuity of humankind is by conserving Mother Earth. I really enjoy being a volunteer because I gain more knowledge and at the same time, share and achieve common goals with other volunteers,” remarked Loo who said being a volunteer has added colour to her life.

Postgraduate research student Nur Diyana Musa always tries to take some time off to volunteer in similar conservation events because it gives her a great sense of satisfaction. She believes that the younger generation has strong opinionated minds and a lot of energy which can be put into good use in volunteering for conservation events.

“It’s a bit cliché but conservation is important as we only have one Earth that we live in. Let’s try our best to safeguard this sanctuary of ours until the end of time,” said Nur.

Swinburne Sarawak’s Senior Lecturer and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Language and Communication and advisor of Swinburne Green Club Christina Yin commented that it’s heartening to witness so many Swinburne students volunteer for the conservation cause.

“We hope that more young people, not just Swinburne students, will actively change their lives to live more sustainably. Being developed shouldn’t mean that we show off our progress by increasing our carbon footprint or by surrounding ourselves with new gadgets and fashionable clothes and accessories. We should live sustainably and make sure that there’s a sustainable, healthy future for our children and the nature and wildlife around them,” said Yin.

Although registration for the runs and walk has closed, members of the public may still join in for the Virtual Run which is taking place throughout December, and may also sign their children up to take part in the Wildlife Conservation Colouring Contest on 17 December. For more information on these events, visit http://www.runforthewildmalaysia.com/

Last year, Swinburne Sarawak’s former Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Professor Janet Gregory signed a pledge at the Ride for the Wild 2016 event to support the conservation of orang-utans, sharks and rays. Other organisations involved are Sarawak Energy Berhad, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Royal Malaysian Police, Hilton Kuching, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Borneo Adventure and Permai Rainforest Resort.

For more information about Swinburne Sarawak, email Marcella Gider at mgider@swinburne.edu.my  or visit the university’s website (www.swinburne.edu.my), Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter page (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).