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THE country's oldest five-star resort, the Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Penang, is now fighting time to mitigate the damage from Mother Earth which has now threatened two 70-year-old Ketapang trunk trees which anchor the beachfront landscape of the resort.
Recently under the veteran director of communications, Tunku Sulaiman Tunku Abdul Rahman, some 60 volunteers comprising staffers and civil society braved the rain to strengthen the foundation of the tree from the threat of erosion.
With climate change upon the state, the resort has decided to be part of the solution by offering various alternatives, including a ‘Save our Trees’ campaign.
The trees and undergrowth near the Batu Ferringhi beachfront have suffered partial damage to their root system due to the high tidal waves and beach erosion.
Realising this, the resort has decided to embark on a conservation drive and mark its 50th anniversary since its formation as the country’s pioneering five-star property. Tunku Sulaiman said that the resort also plans to work with the local authorities and the Penang Green Council in formulating ways to save trees along the beach in Balik Pulau.
He also spoke about offering a glimpse into the colourful history of Ferringhi, which in Arabic is translated as foreigners.
“And Batu means ‘rocks’, so many rock formations were part of the beachfront early on," said Tunku Sulaiman in an interview. – The Vibes, September 5, 2023
