Kota Bharu, 26 March 2016 

In line with its pledge to preserve the environment, AEON Co. (M) Bhd’s Hometown Forest Program recently headed East to the soon-to-be-open AEON Mall Kota Bharu in Kelantan.

Established in 1991, the tree-planting movement is a signature AEON Co. (M) Bhd’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiative held prior to the opening of its new malls. “We, at AEON, take pride in our longstanding green conservation efforts. The Hometown Forest Program is an extension of our belief that a green environment serves as the foundation for a better quality of life. We are committed to bringing an extra touch of Mother Nature wherever we go,” said Ms Nur Qamarina Chew, the Managing Director of AEON Co. (M) Bhd.

Launched today, the AEON Mall Kota Bharu’s Hometown Forest Program was officiated by YB Dato’ Haji Abdul Fattah bin Haji Mahmood, State Executive Councillor for Local Authority, Housing, Youth and Sports. The event also saw the attendance of the Chairman of AEON Co. (M) Bhd, YBhg Dato’ Abdullah bin Mohd Yusof, and Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) representative, Dr Ang Lai Hoe. Some of the 600 do-gooders who turned up to assist in the planting activity were the Royal Malaysia Police Force, Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia, AEON tenants, as well as members of the local community.

Ms Nur Qamarina Chew added, “The effects of climate change are becoming more apparent than ever-the recent heatwave is an obvious example. Conserving biodiversity is a critical step to managing the problem and AEON makes a pact to support it. While we may not be able to reverse the environmental issues overnight, we can help-one tree at a time. The trees planted today will not only provide a shaded and cooler surrounding for the mall-goers, they also serve to reduce carbon footprint.”

In total, up to 15,000 shrubs of 72 different varieties were planted within the surroundings of AEON Mall Kota Bharu. They included Kurma, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Cassia, Hibiscus and Bougainvillea. Shoppers can find 476 trees within the vicinity, out of which 293 are located in the AEON Educational Forest Area. This is a partnership between FRIM and AEON, and serves as an informative space, offering the communities the opportunity to learn more about trees and medicinal plants such as Serai, Bunga Kantan, Pandan, Mahkota Dewa and Mas Cotek.