PARTNER CONTENT FOR SIME DARBY PROPERTY

Meet the green team behind ERKC

These sustainability leaders and passionate conservationists are committed to restore and enrich urban biodiversity by introducing a gateway for the public to experience and appreciate Malaysia’s natural heritage of biodiversity.

Let them tell you why the environment is so important to them!

Dato’ Azmir Merican

Group Managing Director, Sime Darby Property 
“Residential environments with rich biodiversity enhance people’s wellbeing & positively impact their lives. We incorporate biodiversity into every facet of our developments through partnerships and conscientious planning where people and nature can thrive as one.”

Ir. Mohd Sohimin Mohd Alayedin

Chief Executive Officer – Property Development, Sime Darby Property
“As a sustainable developer, we believe in providing more than just green spaces for our communities. Through active reforestation and conservation efforts, our township and parklands can be transformed into havens for endangered tree species.â€

Appollo Leong

Chief Operating Officer – Township Development, Sime Darby Property
“The ERKC was envisioned since the inception of The City of Elmina to be a catalyst in cultivating biodiversity and establishing a symbiosis between nature and communities.â€

Dr. Yasmin Rasyid

General Manager, Sustainability, Sime Darby Property
“The urban biodiversity efforts of Sime Darby Property is focused on reaching that sweet spot – where urban nature and people thrive harmoniously and are in balance.â€

Dzaeman Dzulkifli

Executive Director, Founder of TRCRC
“Personally I feel and believe that we cannot exist separately from biodiversity. We are dependent on all the services it provides thus we require a balanced approach to development and coexistence with the natural world.”

Afzaa Aziz

Conservation Project Manager, TRCRC
“Humans, plants, animals, forests and oceans – everything in our living world is interconnected. We hope the centre will be where nature connectedness and visitors’ emotional affinity toward nature can flourish and thrive.”

Read more about the team’s journey

Connecting humans and nature with the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre

The ERKC is a One-Stop-Centre for forestry research, conservation, education and recreation, located adjacent to the Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve in the City of Elmina. ERKC was formed through a collaboration between Sime Darby Property and  non-governmental organisation Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC), with the objective of connecting communities within and beyond the City of Elmina to the natural rainforest. Positioned as the “Gateway to Malaysia’s Natural Heritageâ€, the centre comprises a tree nursery dubbed the Elmina Living Collection Nursery (ELCN) which aims to produce over 100,000 native species with a focus on endangered, rare and threatened (ERT) tree species under the IUCN Red List. In the future, the ERKC plans to organise guided nature walks and nursery tours for the public and Elmina residents.

Get in touch
Photo credit: www.trcrc.org

Building a sustainable future with Sime Darby Property

For over 10 years, sustainability has been a beacon Sime Darby Property nurtured and embedded within the company’s corporate culture. As the largest property developer (by landbank) in Malaysia, we pride ourselves as a ‘Force for Good’ that continuously prioritise biodiversity conservation and implement the principles of circular economy throughout our 25 township and niche developments, with trailblazing initiatives such as the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre.

Find out more

Saving endangered flora and fauna with TRCRC

Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC) aims to protect Malaysia’s rare, threatened and endangered plant species. With a strong emphasis on taking action and working on the ground in order to tackle biodiversity loss, which TRCRC believes is one of the most pressing issues facing today’s society. These conservationists also aim to promote sustainable development and management practices through conservation and restoration initiatives.

Find out more
Photo credit: www.trcrc.org

A Partnership Between:

Facebook Twitter
SDP White (1)
Facebook Linkedin
BACK TO TOP


  • HELP International School assistant principal Daniel Paul Goldspink said that the City of Elmina offers a wealth of features that greatly enrich its students’ learning experiences, especially in sustainability, biodiversity and conservation.

    “This forest serves as an invaluable outdoor classroom, allowing students to directly connect with nature and witness its intricate ecosystems up close,” said Goldspink.

    He also added that the dedicated team at ERKC is committed to enhancing biodiversity there and has provided the students with a wealth of expertise.

    “Through guided activities and interactions with these experts, our students gain a profound understanding of the delicate balance of nature and the importance of conservation efforts.”


  • For Elmina residents, Ahmad Syahir Yahya, his wife Maisyarah Mohd Yusoff and children, Ilham Awfar, 12, Abdullah Zubayr, 10 and Abdullah Rifaaie, 8, living in the township offers them the space and connection with nature that they feel is important for growth.

    “The City of Elmina integrates well with nature and offers plenty of space especially for my kids, as they are still growing up,” said Maisyarah.

    “They get to understand and appreciate nature more as compared to if they live in the city.”

    Syahir added: “Awareness must be ingrained from childhood onwards. It is important to have awareness and the drive to protect our nature.”

    Ilham said she loves adventuring around the forest, because “you breathe in good air, and you can see a lot of trees. You learn more about things.” She added that she has made new friends, and is looking forward to becoming a volunteer.


  • For teacher Sharifah Rafiza of SMK Seafield, Subang Jaya, bringing her students to the ERKC was an eye-opening experience.

    “As non-residents of the City of Elmina, we were impressed to find that ELCN grows such rare tree species, such as the merbau and keruing,” she said, adding that they were shown how the seeds from these species were germinated and integrated back into nature.

    “I feel the connection that youths have with nature nowadays is insufficient. In all my 30 years of teaching, students tend not to value the environment as important and are more focused on their immediate surroundings, especially given the rising influence of technology and gadgets.

    “But I feel once they realise that this is a problem, they will comprehend it, especially if they are told about things like sowing these wild tree species can attract endangered animals, like the tapir, back to the region.”

    • Disclaimer: photos as published on The Star, 1 June 2022

    • Disclaimer: photos as published on The Star, 1 June 2022

    • Disclaimer: photos as published on The Star, 1 June 2022

    • Disclaimer: photos as published on The Star, 1 June 2022

    • Disclaimer: photos as published on The Star, 1 June 2022