KOTA SAMARAHAN, 26th August 2021: The Nineth International Bornean Frog Race (IBFR) was flagged-off at midday of 1 September 2021, from Kuching/Kota Samarahan. It is being organised by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak with support from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Sarawak.
The IBFR (Virtual Race) was inaugurated by YB Datuk Haji Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, Minister of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Sarawak, who mentioned that the International Bornean Frog Race is a citizen’s conservation movement that receives support from governmental agencies, drawing public attention to Sarawak and Borneo’s rich biological diversity. Other strategic supporters were Bussiness Events Sarawak (Sarawak Convention Bureau) as well as a number of state and private agencies in Brunei Darussalam, Sabah, Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The chief components of the IBFR (Virtual Race) include a photographic workshop to documents amphibians anywhere on Borneo and is open to all private citizens who open an account at the dedicated Race website (www.internationalborneanfrograce.com). The Virtual Race will run for 90 days, starting 1 September 2021, and promises attractive monthly prizes for best photos, and grand prizes, to be awarded at a special ceremony at the end of the year, for outstanding photographs, as judged by a panel of international judges, as well as most number of species encountered.
Welcoming speech was given by YBhg Datuk Prof Mohd Kadim Bin Suaidi and introductory speeches were also given by Assoc Prof Dr. Mohd-Azlan Jayasilan, Director of the Institute, and Prof Dr. Indraneil Das, Convenor of the event, who mentioned that the Race is celebrated every year, on the last weekend of April, since 2012, and this was the ninth edition.
The event typically coincides with the annual ‘Save the Frogs Day’, a global event celebrated via 270 events in over 30 countries worldwide, to highlight conservation issues facing the world’s amphibians. The 2021 edition is to be held over a period of 90 days, and the event organised by the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation of the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.
The International Bornean Frog Race is copyright protected by the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. It brings to the fore the great beauty and diversity of Borneo’s amphibian fauna, and at the same time, highlighting the importance of forests and wetlands for maintaining biodiversity.
