Neurogine partners Seratu Aatai to save Bornean Elephants
Saving the Bornean Elephants is a shared responsibility and cornerstone of biodiversity conservation efforts in Sabah
August 12, 2024
Kota Kinabalu – Neurogine Sdn Bhd, an innovator in financial technology and services, today announced a significant partnership with Pertubuhan Pemuliharaan Biodiversity Seratu Aatai Sabah (Seratu Aatai) to protect Bornean elephants (Elephas maximus borneensis) and preserve Sabah’s rich biodiversity.
Chen: This effort is important to us and realises our commitment to a sustainable future for all.
According Neurogine Chief Executive Officer Owen Chen Chee Onn, “We are the first corporate partner supporting Seratu Aatai in their efforts to protect the endangered Bornean elephant, a sentinel of Sabah's unparalleled biodiversity. These animals are a keystone species with a very unique and irreplaceable role of maintaining the delicate balance of Sabah’s rainforest ecosystem,” he said after the launch of the “Kinabatangan Endangered Species Educational Corner” and “Elephant Guardian Alliance” by Sabah State Assemblyman (Tanjung Aru) Datuk Junz Wong Hong Jun at Tanjung Aru Marine Ecosystem Centre.
The launch was held in conjunction with World Elephant Day 2024 (WED 2024) and organised by Seratu Aatai, in partnership with Sabah Pangolin Awareness Association (Pangolin Aware), championing the Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica) and Explore Gaia Enterprise (Gaia), the helmeted hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil). These animals are listed in Sabah’s Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 Schedule 1 and accorded priority protection.
At this event, Neurogine was recognised as the first corporate partner supporting Seratu Aatai with Chen appointed as one of two Ambassadors from Neurogine inducted to its new Elephant Guardian Alliance (EGA). “We congratulate Neurogine for its commitment and thank their support towards protecting our Sabah treasure in the form of the Bornean elephants,” said Wong.
Wong: We call others to step up and rally behind efforts to protect our Sabah treasure; the Bornean elephants, Sunda pangolin, helmeted hornbill and other endangered animals. This is a shared responsibility and more than an act of conservation; it is an investment in the preservation of life in all its forms.
He said these gentle giants need help to ensure they have a place in the future. “The message is clear. I call on other like-minded individuals and corporations to step up and contribute to increase the awareness level and participate in active conservation engagement. We will be the voice to protect our animals, which include the [Sunda] pangolin and [helmeted] hornbill, where there is none and take action. I am encouraged that my constituency, Tanjung Aru, is the heart of such an effort,” he said alluding to the presence of the three grass root conservation groups, Seratu Aatai, Pangolin Aware and Gaia, at the launch which can amplify Lower Kinabatangan’s endangered species awareness efforts.
“This Alliance is inspired by passionate individuals who are deeply concerned about biodiversity conservation in Sabah and aims to raise awareness, recognise contributions and provide engagement opportunities for everyone to join hands and save our Bornean elephants,” said Seratu Aatai director Dr Nurzhafarina binti Othman.
She congratulated Neurogine for stepping forward to support Seratu Aatai’s aims and activities. ”Corporations have a pivotal role to play in biodiversity conservation. By channeling their financial resources towards Bornean elephant conservation, businesses demonstrate their commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. This approach is aligned with growing global sustainability emphasis and ethical business practices,” she said.
Dr Nurzhafarina: The Elephant Guardian Alliance is inspired by passionate individuals who are deeply concerned about biodiversity conservation in Sabah.
Meanwhile Chen added investing in the conservation of the Bornean elephant is more than just philanthropy. “This effort is part of our commitment to a sustainable future for all. Many are surprised when we share that our Bornean elephants are eco-engineers. Its actions, from dispersing seeds to creating forest clearings, ripple through the entire ecosystem, supporting countless plant and animal species. We call others to step up and rally behind this effort. This is a shared responsibility and an investment in the preservation of life in all its forms.”
The Bornean elephant population is facing an alarming decline due to habitat fragmentation, socio-economic development and human-wildlife conflict. Seratu Aatai’s efforts to safeguard these magnificent creatures include awareness building activities, community engagement and habitat restoration. "We have received positive feedback and the Alliance is expected to grow. Today, we are celebrating WED 2024 and recognising the contributions of individuals and corporations who have contributed their time, energy and financial support to our efforts in Sabah. We hope more will join," said Dr Nurzhafarina.
NOTE TO EDITORS
Neurogine invites you to join in efforts to save our endangered Bornean elephant. For more information about Seratu Aatai and its work, please visit www.seratuaatai.org.
Media Contact:
This Press Release in PDF and visual assets (JPG, PNG) are available. Please direct requests to Chooi Yew Tzen at dan.chooi@neurogine.com or 012 6523811.
World Elephant Day 2024 – Be Part of the Elephant Guardian Alliance.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhy2pZbkmzs
(Available on request in RGB/ CMYK/ Grayscale: Neurogine CEO Owen Chen Chee Onn.jpg)
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Chen: This effort is important to us and realises our commitment to a sustainable future for all.
(Available on request in RGB/ CMYK/ Grayscale: Logo_Neurogine_Vertical.jpg)
Caption
Wong: We call others to step up and rally behind efforts to protect our Sabah treasure; the Bornean elephants, Sunda pangolin, helmeted hornbill and other endangered animals. This is a shared responsibility and more than an act of conservation; it is an investment in the preservation of life in all its forms.
(Available on request in RGB/ CMYK/ Grayscale: Seratu Aatai director Dr Nurzhafarina binti Othman.jpg)
Caption
Dr Nurzhafarina: The Elephant Guardian Alliance is inspired by passionate individuals who are deeply concerned about biodiversity conservation in Sabah.
ABOUT NEUROGINE: POWERING FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN ASIA PACIFIC
Neurogine is a leading financial technology company in Asia Pacific, developing innovative solutions for payment systems, financial market infrastructures (FMIs), digital financial services (DFS) and end-toend complete Decentralized Finance (DeFi) platform with tokenisation. We are passionate about driving financial inclusion, economic development, and a thriving digital economy across the region. Our Mission is to expand financial inclusion, empowering individuals and businesses to access essential financial services; foster economic development with our solutions to enable efficient and secure financial transactions, fueling regional growth; enable the digital economy by providing the technology backbone for a cashless, interconnected future; and support financial stability by promoting robust and reliable financial systems for the benefit of all.
Our Approach and Solutions
We collaborate with banks, financial institutions, and government bodies throughout Asia Pacific. Together, we build safe, reliable, and efficient domestic and cross-border payment systems, underpinned by sound FMIs. This approach helps reduce poverty and fosters shared prosperity with our solutions including Neurogine nPay, a fully integrated mobile payment solution; Neurogine nBank, a comprehensive mobile banking platform; Neurogine nCard, a tokenised mobile payment platform; Neurogine n2Tap, a PCI-compliant mobile payment software (First in Malaysia!). These solutions cater to a wide range of financial needs, including large value payment systems, securities settlement, foreign exchange settlement, retail payment systems, government payments, cross-border payments and open banking platforms.
Our Achievements:
- Global Certification and Recognition: The Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) certified Neurogine n2Tapas having met its PCI MPoC Software standard in July 2024, a testament to our commitment and quality of mobile payment technology.
- Emerging Leader: KPMG - HSBC identified Neurogine in its, "Emerging Giant in Asia Pacific 2022" report for our mobile technology expertise.
- Innovation Hub: Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) included Neurogine in its Founders Centre of Excellence program,fostering a culture of innovation.
Our Commitment:
We are a responsible corporate citizen. We are:
- Investing in the future: We are collaborating with Universiti Malaysia Sabah to develop the next generation of tech talent.
- Promoting biodiversity education: We are the first corporate supporter for Gilwell Scouts Nature Park Sandakan, the first environmental educational centre in Malaysia, accredited by World Organization of the Scout Movement as a Scout Centre of Excellence for Nature, Environment and Sustainability,
- Supporting environmental initiatives: We are the first corporate supporter for Pertubuhan Pemuliharaan Biodiversiti Seratu Aatai Sabah, dedicated to protect biodiversity and protect the highly endangered Bornean Elephants in Sabah.
- Industrial community: We are part of Labuan Chamber of Commerce and promoting Labuan as a regional hub for digital finance and technology
- Aligned with UN SDGs: We support United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Goals 8: Decent Work & Economic Growth, Goals 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 15: Life on Land, focusing on decent work, innovation, responsible consumption, and biodiversity preservation.
Join us in building a more inclusive and prosperous Asia Pacific!
ABOUT SERATU AATAI
Pertubuhan Pemuliharaan Biodiversiti Sabah or “Seratu Aatai” was established in December 2018 and registred with Registry of Society Malaysia. The name “Seratu Aatai” is derived from Sungai Language (spoken by river tribes who live along the Kinabatangan River in Sabah) means “solidarity”, resonates with its mission to create a society that is willing and capable to take responsibility to protect and coexist with elephants.
Seratu Aatai supports the implementation of the Bornean Elephant Action Plan (BEAP) 2020-2029. It is aligned with its efforts to promote co-existence between people and the Bornean elephants in Sabah. Seratu Aatai supports the implementation of four major BEAP objectives; Improve protection and reduce elephant deaths; Improve landscape connectivity and permeability; Ensure the best ex-situ practices for elephant management and conservation; and Monitor and predict elephant population trends.
This implementation is based on Seratu Aatai’s three pillars:
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Research: We believe that through rigorous research, we can expand our knowledge of elephant ecology and the livelihood of people who co-exist with elephants. Ongoing researches include:
- Improving Population Size Estimation for Bornean Elephant in Tabin Range & Segaliud-Deramakot-Tangkulap-Tawai Complex
- Mitigating Human-Elephant Conflict Through Livelihood Insurance for Elephant (LIFE) in Sabah Malaysia Borneo
- Landscape Approach to Safeguard the Future of Bornean Elephant in Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah Borneo
- Assessment of Adrenal and Reproductive Function in Male Bornean Elephants Living in Oil Palm Plantations with Different Management Practices
- Mystery of Bornean Elephant Death Crisis: Investigating Root Causes and the Link to Dietary (In)organic Contaminants
- Improving Population Size Estimation for Bornean Elephant in Lower Kinabatangan
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Community Engagement: With a goal to create a society that is willing and capable to protect and coexist with elephants and other wildlife. We believe community engagement is crucial in solving human-wildlife conflict. This pillar includes:
- Capacity building: We have created Community Honorary Wildlife Warden or CHWW teams in five villages within the Kinabatangan landscape. These teams, consisting of 2 to 5 members, play a crucial role in the region's efforts for wildlife conservation and protection. Through this approach, teams can gather important information on human-elephant conflict and investigate the perception of local communities towards elephant conservation programs and assess the current physiological status of wild elephants. These findings will be used to plan the most effective mitigation approaches that are suitable for the geographic area and the capacity of the respective local communities. In collaboration with Sabah Wildlife Department, we conduct training and equip wardens with necessary skills.
- Create awareness about elephant behavior: Human-elephant conflicts arise as humans feel threatened by the presence of elephants, especially when elephants destroy crops. In order to avoid conflicts, it is essential to equip communities with information on elephant behavior, differentiate between male and female elephants and know how to react when encountering elephants. We conduct seminars/ workshops to share our experience and engage with local communities and teach them conflict-mitigation techniques. We believe regular communication and such sessions will increase the confidence of humans to co-exist with elephants.