KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia government announced that the country would celebrate World Bamboo Day for the first time. Celebrations will run from Tuesday through Sunday, said Timber Industry Board Director Jalaluddin Harun. The 6-day WBD 2012 is being launched by Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Hamzah Zainudin, who will hold a public ceremony on Wednesday in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. “It will feature a forum with topics such as bamboo as a sustainable construction material and an exhibition on bamboo products,” he told Bernama news agency. A design competition for bamboo products will also be held for students and professionals. Jalaluddin said WBD 2012 is jointly organized by MTIB, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and non-governmental organisation Global Innovation Entrepreneurship Foundation (GIEF). A memorandum of understanding will be signed by MITB, FRIM, UPM and GIEF to promote the development of the country's bamboo industry. World Bamboo Day was announced at the World Bamboo Congress in Thailand in 2009. The aim is to promote a more sustainable environmental practice related to bamboo, government officials told Bikyamasr.com. “We want to be part of celebrating bamboo as a sustainable material for building and construction and to show that we can go green through our decisions,” the official said.
