FRIM DG re-elected as APAFRI Chairman
All attendees of the APAFRI General Assembly in Guangzhou, China.
31 August 2012 (Friday): The Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Director General (DG), Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod, has been re-elected to the Chair of the Asia Pacific Association of Forestry Research Institutions (APAFRI) Executive Committee for another term from 2012 to 2015.
APAFRI announced the decision during its Sixth General Assembly held in Guangzhou, China today. The FRIM DG was first elected as the Chair during the APAFRI’s Fifth General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur on 4 October 2009 for a three-year term.
Speaking at the assembly, Abd Latif has reaffirmed FRIM’s commitment to continue hosting the Secretariat. He also announced that Dr Sim Heok-Choh, a senior researcher of FRIM who has served the APAFRI Secretariat since 2002, will be retained as the APAFRI Executive Secretary to oversee the operations of the Secretariat.
Abd Latif (standing, far left) delivering his speech. On his right (in yellow) is Sim.
“I am honoured to be re-elected. I believe this is yet another testament to the strong support given to FRIM by the Association members throughout these years,” he said.
Abd Latif chairing the APAFRI General Assembly on 31 August 2012.
He added that: ‘The string of international scientific awards won by FRIM has helped to raise the profile of Malaysia and APAFRI among research centers and organisations globally, and we look forward to play a greater role in the development of forestry research for the sustainable management of forest in the Asia Pacific Region’.
APAFRI is an independent non-profit association of 66 institutional members from 25 countries including the South East Asia countries, China, Japan, Korea and Australia, with an active interest in forestry research, conservation, management and other forestry-related matters in the Asia Pacific.
Abd Latif (right) receiving a token of appreciation presented by Sri Lankan Forest Department representative, K.P. Ariyadasa (left), on behalf of the past Chairman of APAFRI from Sri Lanka.
Its objective is to promote collaborative exchange among institutions to enhance and increase the forestry research and conservation capacity in the Asia Pacific. The Association serves as a catalyst, a facilitator, and an information hub for research and conservation activities in the Asia Pacific.
APAFRI was set up in 1995 as a result of the Meeting of the Heads of Forest Research Organisations in the Asia Pacific in Bogor, Indonesia. The Secretariat has been based in the FRIM main campus in Kepong since 2001.
