KUCHING: As part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, X-FAB Silicon Foundries has adopted an orangutan named Jubilee at Semenggoh Wildlife Centre in support of Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) orangutan conservation efforts.
In a CSR initiative sometime in December last year, the company worked with SFC to promote awareness of the primate’s conservation and rehabilitation.
For each visitor who clicked on their Christmas page, X-FAB donated 25 sen to SFC’s wildlife conservation fund.
“We hope to extend the programme so that people would become aware of the importance of the orangutans,” said SFC corporate communications manager Isobeth Bana after receiving RM10,000 from X-FAB group chief operating officer Dr Manfred Riemer in Semenggoh Wildlife Centre yesterday.
“X-FAB believes in giving back to our society not only to the community where we operate but also to the environment. This endangered species plays crucial roles in our ecosystem. It takes 10-15 years for them to reach sexual maturity. Each female gives birth to only one baby at a time, at most every five years. This is an extremely low reproductive rate which makes them extremely vulnerable to extinction. We want to be part of this conservation effort,” said Dr Riemer.
Also present at the ceremony were X-FAB Sarawak Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Lee Boon Chun, HR director Maureen Labarge and Semenggoh Wildlife Centre park manager, Nor Emel Farnida Jaddil.
Besides its orangutan, turtle and hornbill adoption programmes, SFC is also looking into the conservation of other wildlife including rafflesia and sponsorship for reef balls.
Currently, there are more than 30 free-range orangutans living in Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.
SFC welcomes more contributions in cash or volunteer work.
The public can adopt a specific orangutan for a year by contributing RM200. For companies it is RM10,000 a year.
Proceeds from the programme will be used to fund conservation activities and rehabilitation of wildlife.
Those interested to take part in the adoption programme may contact SFC Corporate Communications at 082-629340.
