Highlights from the Animals for Asia Borneo 2015 International Conference

The Main Event

This year’s conference, the first of its kind to be held in Malaysia and hosted by the SSPCA broke from norm by offering an unprecedented 6 themes:

1.   Animals in the Wild (Aquatic and Terrestrial)

2.   Managing Strays, Pets and Farmed Animals

3.   Animal Care (Veterinary care)

4.   Animal Care (Rescue and Rehabilitation)

5.   Animals in Captivity

6.   Animals in Trade

With two special sessions:

1.   The future of Borneo’s Animals

2.   Managing an NGO

Borneo Futures was one of the special sessions held on Oct 8 only for registered delegates. The sessions include talks, musical performances, body art painting and a comedy sketch by Jo Kukaltas’ alter ego Puan Badariah.

With the packed schedule spread over five days, some 600 participants and 60 speakers from across the globe attended, with all of them agreeing that ‘Partnerships Breed Success’ was indeed an apt description for #afaborneo2015.

Participants paid US$350 (RM800 for Malaysian residents) for the five-day package, while a single-day package was offered at US$100 (RM200 for Malaysian residents). A special student price of US$100 (RM350) for a four-day package was also offered.

Besides the featured speakers, other highlights during the keynote sessions were Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh’s announcement that the SSPCA had been allotted a piece of land for their new animal village after four years of lobbying for it.  

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg declared his support for the SSPCA for hosting the ‘Asia for Animals 2015 Conference’ by allocating funds for it.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem conveyed via Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari that the SSPCA goes to great lengths to promote better animal welfare management, and is also the only animal NGO in Malaysia to work with the local council.

He therefore urged corporate bodies like Shell to include animal welfare in their annual corporate social responsibility budgets. Are you reading this, Shell peeps?

Kudos to SSPCA President Dona Drury Wee, Organising chairperson Rebecca D’Cruz, SSPCA Hon Sec and Executive Director/Principal Consultant of Planet Borneo Group of companies (PLACE) Gracie Geikie, PLACE Communications Director Letitia Samuel, PLACE Coordinator Alex Oomen, their respective team members and volunteers for an awesome job in ensuring this massive 5 day multi-event operated smoothly daily.

The Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)

logo/words credit: SSPCA

The SSPCA began its work in Kuching in 1959, formed by a small group of expatriate officers who were moved by the sight of the diseased dogs and sick animals that roamed the streets. It was legally registered under the Registrar of Societies as the “Kuching Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (KSPCA) on 11 September 1962.

In 1977, the Society changed its name to the Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or SSPCA. In the years that followed, dedicated volunteers and their very active cadre of Junior Members, organised awareness - raising events, rescued and re-homed stray animals, initiated a pilot neutering scheme, and organized fundraising events.

They were also instrumental in reaching an agreement with the local councils in Kuching to house and care for all the stray animals picked up by these councils. It’s an agreement which has carried through to this day, and remains the only formal arrangement between an animal welfare organization and local councils in Malaysia. 

Perhaps their most notable achievement was securing tax-deductible status for the Society. This has proved an invaluable asset to the Society in its fundraising efforts.

In 1999, through the generosity of the Sarawak State Government, the SSPCA secured a 0.6-acre piece of land at 61/2 mile Penrissen Road, Kuching on which to build its animal shelter. In the years since, this little piece of land has served as a refuge, a haven for thousands of stray, abused and abandoned animals.

Some have been fortunate enough to be given a second chance at life, others have lived out their days in the loving care of our shelter staff, and many have gone on to the ‘Great Kennel in the Sky’. As our finances improved, we expanded and improved the Shelter facilities and services to cater for the ever-increasing number of animals brought to our door. Unfortunately, this meant having to make sacrifices and utilise the exercise/play areas.

At the moment SSPCA is taking care of mostly stray and abused animals. The shelter mainly depends on donations from the public to run its operations. It has six full time staff assisted by volunteers to care for 260 animals.

The society needs almost RM30,000 every month for the shelter upkeep and to provide medical care for the animals. Besides caring for the animals, SSPCA is also working at getting a new home for them. All the animals will be given proper care and treatment before being put on the adaption program.

The shelter is now getting overcrowded with the increasing number of animals there and the growing development surrounding the area. Hence, SSPCA is looking at building an integrated purpose-built Animal Village. The Animal Village is estimated to cost RM1.8 million to build and SSPCA hopes to raise as much from all its fund raising activities to achieve this dream.

For more info and to support the SSPCA’s initiatives click here

THE ASIA FOR ANIMALS (AFA) COALITION

logo/words credit: AfA Coalition

The Asia For Animals (AfA) Coalition is composed of 16 well-known and respected animal welfare organisations that share a focus on improving the welfare of animals in Asia. AfA is committed to providing support to organisations with their campaigns to tackle some of the most pressing animal welfare concerns in the region.

The AFA International Conference is the largest, most representative Asian animal welfare platform for animal welfare experts, NGOs, activists, members of the public, private corporations and governments to consolidate and share experiences, with an eye to developing new strategies and facilitating long-term change.

Since its establishment in 2001, this biennial conference has welcomed delegates from all across the world, and been held in Manila, Hong Kong, Chennai, Bali, Chengdu, thrice (2005, 2010 and 2013) in Singapore and this year in Kuching, Sarawak.

For more information on the issues covered by AfA please click here. 

Grand Margherita Hotel, Kuching

Sarawak's first international hotel, the Grand Margherita, is strategically situated by the riverfront and commands an unrivalled view of the picturesque Sarawak River and colorful Malay villages.

Situated in the heart of the city's business, entertainment and shopping district, the hotel is 20 minutes drive from the Kuching International Airport.

The Grand Margherita Hotel is adjacent to the Sarawak Plaza Shopping Complex and the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation Building. Its sister hotel, the Riverside Majestic is located just across the road.

With tourist attractions such as the Kuching Waterfront, Chinese Museum, Tua Pek Kong Chinese Temple, Fort Margherita and Main Bazaar nearby, Grand Margherita Hotel certainly has the best location in the city for business or leisure.

 

Each of the 288 guestrooms at Grand Margherita Hotel is comfortably furnished to offer you a restful stay, while the Executive Club is ideal for the business traveler.

 

The Orchid Garden Coffee House, the Meisan Restaurant and the hotel's other restaurants; The Riverview Deck, The Rajang and Macam Macam Bistro offer a wide variety of continental and local cuisines. All are certified Halal.

The hotel has 5 fully equipped function rooms, ideal for functions ranging from seminars and exhibitions to wedding banquets and private celebrations.

Guests of the Grand Margherita Hotel enjoy a wide range of facilities and amenities :

 

* Business Centre

* Free in-room high speed wired internet access

* 24-hour Concierge

* 24-hour Room Service

* Safe deposit boxes

* Foreign currency exchange

* Laundry & dry cleaning service

* Babysitting service

* Cardio Exercise Room

* Outdoor pool

* Children’s pool

* Children’s playground

* Adjacent to Sarawak Plaza

* Shuttle service to Damai and Santubong

text and images courtesy of  Grand Margherita Hotel, Kuching