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TOWARDS THE FLORA OF MALAYSIA<br />
immediate need was for Sabah and Sarawak to have an updated list. Under the Ninth Malaysian<br />
Plan, a project was prepared just to meet this need.<br />
In 2005, plans were drawn for a Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project. It was thought that the<br />
time was ripe for the project. The Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak has already been running<br />
well for about 15 years and Peninsular Malaysia since the Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak<br />
project started has been relatively neglected. Furthermore, as explained earlier, a phase approach<br />
to realise the Flora of Malaysia was a very viable option for Malaysia. Following the proposal,<br />
the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia received funding at the end of 2005 for the next five years.<br />
For Sabah and Sarawak, we reckon when the Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak project is<br />
completed, attempts will be made to start the Flora of Sabah and Sarawak project.<br />
COLLABORATIONS, CONTRIBUTORS AND RATES OF REVISION<br />
Flora projects are always collaborative involving both local and foreign experts. The<br />
experiences from both the Tree Flora of Malaya and Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak projects<br />
have shown that contributions from experts are essential to their success. Experts often produce<br />
revisions at much faster pace. At the same time, local botanists must be trained to form expertise<br />
that can continue with the work within the country. Such strategy must be used for a Flora of<br />
Malaysia. Currently, Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak and the new Flora of Peninsular Malaysia<br />
are also using such strategy. Collaborations are at different levels, at institutional level, our<br />
traditional partners include local partners such as Forest Research Centre, Sandakan, Forest<br />
Research Centre, Kuching, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti<br />
Malaysia Sarawak, Universiti Malaysia Sabah; regional herbaria include Singapore Botanic<br />
Gardens and the Royal Forest Herbarium, Bangkok; internationally the Royal Botanic Gardens<br />
Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Natural History Museum, London, National<br />
Herbarium of Netherlands, Leiden, and Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, USA. The<br />
collaborating institutes are important to support herbarium specimen loans, sourcing of<br />
literature, provide base for specimen consultations and taxonomic expertise. From these<br />
institutions, the current projects have over 25 collaborators promising to contribute to the<br />
revisions of the families.<br />
To develop and build local expertise, two essential elements must be in place; opportunities to<br />
build careers in botanical sciences and availability of training regimes for those interested.<br />
The Flora of Peninsular Malaysia project when it was mooted included these elements. We are<br />
also very fortunate that in the last few years, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia has<br />
committed to increase the number of botanists to do floristic work. In the last two years,<br />
FRIM has recruited five new botanists and took in eight contract researchers for the two<br />
projects. Together with existing staff, FRIM now has 18 botanists working on both these<br />
projects. Training of these new and aspiring botanists have become a very important element<br />
of the projects together with getting the revisions done. We are confident if the current<br />
institutional and financial supports are maintained, both the Tree Flora of Sabah and Sarawak<br />
and the Flora of Peninsular Malaysia projects will be successful and will produce not just the<br />
revisions that contributes towards a Flora of Malaysia but also ensure that Malaysia will<br />
maintain a pool of botanists trained in understanding the local flora.<br />
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