About the Public Programme
The Project also has a public programme component that due to a dearth of grants during the COVID-19 pandemic, is funded in kind by Rimbun Dahan private arts centre, Hin Bus Depot community art space, Factual TV Sdn Bhd and members of the public in Malaysia, Singapore, United States of America, United Kingdom, Ireland and Switzerland.
The hybrid public programme showcased 12 months of reporting in the middle of a pandemic lockdown and the tail-end of Typhoon Rai.
The public programme was held online and nearby the capital city of Kuala Lumpur (19th March – 2nd April 2022 in conjunction with International Day of Forests), and also in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia in George Town, Penang (4th-26th June 2022 in conjunction with World Environment Day and World Rainforests Day).
The March/April programme was online and on-site with guided walks to private arboretums, documentary premieres “Backyard Rainforests” and “Lak Wak Tu Neng” (Tracking Love) and online Q&As on the Central Forest Spine and hornbills, and the photo exhibition. The June public programme in Penang was on-site featuring the photo exhibition, the feature articles, documentaries, and weekend activities consisting of a series of talks on the Central Forest Spine and birdlife, sale of non-timber products by the Orang Asli of Kampung Chuweh, and colouring contests for children and adults.
Factual TV also took the opportunity to screen the documentaries in a Cloud Theatre from 19th-22nd of March to fundraise for the indigenous people: the Klewang Tree Nursery in Royal Belum State Park, the MNS Hornbill Conservation Project, and the indigenous photographers.