YB Data' Seri Ong Ka Ting
Menteri Perumahan Dan Kerajaan Tempatan

YB Tan Sri Isa Samad
Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan
YB Timbalan- Timbalan Menteri Dan Setiausaha-Setiausaha Parlimen

Y.Bhg. Tan Sri Samsuddin Osman

Ketua Setiausaha Negara

Y.Bhg. Datuk Hj. Mohd. Shaid Bin Mohd Taufek

Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur

Y.Bhg. Datuk Lokman Hakim B. Mohd Jasan
Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Perumahan Dan Kerajaan Tempatan

Y.Bhg. Oato' Hj. lsmael Ngah,
Ketua pengarah Jabatan Lanskap Negara

Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Comissioners

Tan Sri-Tan Sri, Dato'Dato',

Tuan-tuan & puan-puan, hadirin yang dihormati

Assalamualaikum Warahmatuliahi Wabarakatuh.

1. Terlebih dahulu saya ingin mengucapkan berbanyak-banyak terima kasih kepada Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan dan Jabatan Lanskap Negara, yang telah sudi menjemput saya untuk merasmikan Festival Antarabangsa Lanskap dan Taman Malaysia (LAMAN 2004) pada hari ini. Saya amat gembira kerana dapat bersama tuan-tuan dan puan-
puan semua, di dalam persekitaran indah, permai dan nyaman di Taman Tasik Perdana ini disamping melancarkan LAMAN 2004 yang merupakan suatu inisiatif penting dalam proses mencapai aspirasi negara.

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan,

2. Di dalam usaha kita untuk merealisasikan wawasan negara untuk muncul sebagai sebuah negara maju menjelang tahun 2020, kita juga sedar bahawa kemajuan sesebuah tamadun itu tidak semata-mata bergantung kepada kejayaannya dari segi ekonomi dan kewangan. Kemajuan sesebuah bangsa juga dinilai berdasarkan budayanya, nilai seninya, amalannya dan cara hidup bangsa tersebut. Sesebuah bangsa yang maju secara fizikal sahaja, sering disebut sebagai bangsa yang tidak ada 'soul' atau kerohanian, jika bangsa tersebut tidak mempunyai nilai budaya dan kesenian yang tinggi.

3. Dalam sejarah pun, tamaddun-tamaddun yang teragung seperti tamadun Rom, tamadun Mesir purba dan tamadun Yunani, kesemuanya terkenal kerana bukan sahaja maju dari segi kekayaan dan kekuatan tentera, tetapi masyarakatnya juga hidup dalam keadaan yang teratur dan di dalam persekitaran yang indah. Pengkaji sejarah banyak membuat penemuan yang menceritakan tentang persekitaran di bandar-bandar tamaddun purba ini yang penuh dengan taman-taman yang dihias cantik dengan bunga-bungaan, pokok pokok rendang, pohon-pohon buah- buahan, serta aliran air yang menenangkan.

4. Hari ini di Malaysia, kita meletakkan kepentingan yang tinggi terhadap pembangunan masyarakat secara menyeluruh. Dalam kita mengejar kemajuan ekonomi dan pembangunan fizikal, kita juga inginkan rakyat Malaysia untuk mengukuhkan nilai budaya mereka serta apresiasi mereka terhadap seni. Kita inginkan rakyat Malaysia untuk menghargai kecantikan alam semulajadi dan kita inginkan rakyat Malaysia terus berusaha untuk memelihara keindahan alam dalam pada mereka memburu kemajuan.

5. Menyedari pentingnya pembangunan digandingkan dengan penghargaan terhadap ni!ai-nilai kecantikan dan konsep mesra alam, Kerajaan telah menetapkan 3 Mac setiap tahun sebagai Hari Landskap Negara. Ini adalah bagi menggalakkan seluruh rakyat Malaysia, khususnya akitek dan pemaju perumahan serta pemilik-pemilik kediaman, untuk berusaha kearah memantapkan lanskap kawasan masing-masing. Harapan Kerajaan adalah agar tersemai di kalangan rakyat Malaysia sikap inginkan persekitaran yang indah. Jika sikap ini dijadikan cara hidup bagi rakyat Malaysia, bukan sahaja persekitaran kita menjadi lebih indah dan nyaman, tetapi bangsa kita akan terkenal sebagai sebuah bangsa yang benar-benar bertamaddun.

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan, ladies and gentlemen,

6. Malaysia has always been a nation that prided itself on its rich natural heritage, a heritage that boasts a myriad of flora and fauna that is truly breathtaking. I am glad that this ceremony today is held here in the Perdana Lake Gardens, a historical natural park that has been well landscaped and maintained. This lake Garden is just one of a host of landscaped parks and gardens in and around Kuala Lumpur that has been well preserved, in spite of the burgeoning development that has been experienced in the area over the last few decades.

7. I suppose one might say that the existence of these parks and gardens stands as testimony to the Government's deep commitment to the preservation of the environment and to the cause of sustainable development. Malaysia has always been not just a believer but also a champion of sustainable development. This is most evident in many ways, but perhaps the strongest proof of our commitment lies in the 1989 Langkawi Declaration On The Environment. Malaysia played an instrumental role in the realization of this declaration, in which Heads of Government of Commonwealth countries representing a quarter of the world population, declared their commitment to incorporate environmental concerns into economic planning and policies.

8. Contrary to the accusations that have often been hurled against us, Malaysia believes that development must not be at the cost of our natural heritage. The government has ensured that 'green lungs' in the Klang Valley and in other cities across Malaysia are never affected by development, and we have ensured that parks and gardens are made available in all towns and residential areas. We have vigorously protected our forests and jungles and we have asked all Malaysians to embrace nature and to place importance on the aesthetic aspect of their homes, gardens and surroundings.

9. It was with 1his determination to give importance to the beautification of surroundings that we have established the National Landscape Department under the auspices of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government. Malaysia has even declared march 3rd the National Landscape Day, and launched the 'Plant a tree' campaign a campaign for each Malaysian to plant at least 1 tree in his or her lifetime- so that around 20 million trees can eventually be planted by the time we attain developed nation status in the year 2020.

10. Such is our commitment to nature and the environment, and we are hopeful of more initiatives to ensure that Malaysia's development will come hand in hand with a high regard for the environment and a strong appreciation for art and beauty. Today, this International Garden and Landscape Festival takes us one step further.

11. This is a golden opportunity for Malaysians to sample the wide variety of designs and motifs that are available for their landscaping projects. In I addition to this, and perhaps more importantly, this is a new area of tremendous potential for Malaysian SMEs to explore. Because of the richness of nature that is found all around the country, Malaysia is in a unique position to become the leading producers of landscaping and gardening products and services. Who better to advise the world on landscaping than people who live in a veritable tropical paradise?

12. I dare say that the Minister of Housing and Local Government was not too ambitious when he said the LAMAN Festival has the potential to become a major international event, similar to London's Chelsea Flower Show and Holland's Fluoride. It can happen and it should happen. Already, visitors are very impressed with the landscaping efforts that have been undertaken in Malaysia. The beauty of the landscape of our administrative capital in particular often astounds visitors to Putrajaya. They were not disappointed by what they saw, for indeed Putrajaya is a breathtaking Garden City as it is reported to be.

13. We should therefore see the potential in landscaping as an area in which our people can excel. We know about flowers and plants and trees, and we know all about water features and rocks and stones. We even know about Feng Shui, energy flows and Zen and all sorts of other new-age beliefs that often encourage the incorporation of nature and beauty in homes, offices and gardens. These are important elements that can make us experts in the production of landscaping materials and products, and in marketing our services as experts in landscaping and gardening.

14. The possibilities are endless. Especially now in this age of globalization, Malaysians should seize the opportunity to conduct their businesses beyond our shores. We should try and market our products and services internationally, and this is one area where we have a distinct advantage. As I have mentioned, we are in a unique position to provide expertise in the area of landscaping and gardening. I am certain that in cities all around the world that have evolved to become congested and dense concrete jungles, there are opportunities for fv1alaysians to sell their ideas, products and services for landscaping and gardening.

15. I hope Malaysian entrepreneurs take this opportunity to study this craft thoroughly and determine the best way to thrive in this sector. I am certain that the National Landscape Department can playa pivotal role in guiding interested Malaysian companies in the right direction so that they can maximize this opportunity. Hopefully, we can, in the foreseeable future, be recognized as the regional or even global centre of good landscaping and gardening.

Ladies and gentlemen,

16. I do hope that this Festival will also inculcate in Malaysians a higher consciousness of the importance of maintaining well-kept, tidy and beautiful surroundings. I hope the younger generation in particular, who visit this festival, will also see the incredible beauty that can be harnessed from nature if we correctly and responsibly apply our own creativity and artistry. The resulting fusion of the beauty of nature and the talents of man will always be something splendid to behold.

17. Ultimately our vision is to have a generation of tv1alaysians who place importance on art and beauty and the preservation of nature and the environment in the midst of their pursuit of economic prosperity, development and growth. If we can achieve this, then we will have truly succeeded in establishing a people of world-class mentality in a nation that boasts world-class facilities. Indeed, we will have succeeded in creating a civilization.

Ladies and gentlemen,

18. We should all always bear in our minds that keeping our country beautiful, protecting nature and preserving the environment are the collective responsibility of each and every one of us. The government will always play its part, but every individual must also do their bit. Landscaping and gardening are among the little things we can all do and I am glad that more and more Malaysians are taking heed of this call to beautify their surroundings. Furthermore, with this Festival taking place here in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, our seriousness in promoting good landscaping and gardening cannot be questioned.

19. I would like to congratulate the National Landscape Department and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government for successfully convening this festival. And on behalf of the Government of Malaysia. 11 would like to thank all parties involved in ensuring that this festival is a success. I do hope that this festival will meet its desired objectives and that it is just the beginning of many more good and commendable initiatives towards making Malaysia beautiful. And so it is with great pleasure that I declare the Internationa1 Landscape and Garden Festival officially opened.

Thank you.