We spend more than RM2 billion a year on various herbal product. The irony is that many of the foreign-manufactured products on sale here at high cost are actually made from herbs growing.

Abundantly in the Malaysia forest, on the roadside and in the backyard of homes. The reason is that until recently, very little serious study had been made into the potential of herbs. As part of its corporate citizen commitment to the community, the NSTP has embarked an a National Herb Garden Education Project which will be launched by Education Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Tuesday. Najib and Agriculture Minister Datuk Amar Dr Sulaiman Daud are the joint patrons of this project. Project Co-ordinator JOHN PILLAI reports.

FOR decades researchers in India, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea have been actively developing natural products from their plant resources.

Most of the products – medicinal, cosmetic, culinary, health food, pesticides, fragrance and drinks – are made from herbs growing in abundance here but whose potential has not been fully realised.

Of late though, great strides have been made in this field, thanks to the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, Institute of Medical Research , the Agriculture and Health ministries and other bodies.

One reason for Malaysia’s late emergence in this field is that hardly and attempts has been made to encourage students to take up the study of herbs.

Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, the group editor-in-chief of The New Strait Times Press (Malaysia) Bhd. said: "We believe that since there are nearly seven million students in Malaysia’s primary and secondary schools, college and universities, private and government, we must do something to generate interest in herbs among as many of tem as possible, as it is from this young sector that our future scientist will emerge.

"That is why we decided to introduce the study of herbs in schools and colleges by inviting the students take part in an interesting, informal and enjoyable hands-on activity through a new project called the National Herb Garden Education Project."

The main objective is to encourage the student to acquire basic knowledge of some the common herbal plants.

"We will invite them to start a herb garden I their school compound. They will grow some of these plants and label them with common and scientific names.

"They are to maintain a simple but accurate record of the plants s they look after them and watch them grow, writing down their properties and their uses.

"Of course, they will have to get information libraries, newspapers and their teachers," added Kadir, who is chairman of the project.

School may get help in obtaining seedlings or seeds. A booklet will also help them start the garden.

"One of the highlight of the project is that after six to 10 month or so, a team of judges will visit participating schools to look out for well-maintained herb gardens and award points.

"The student’ record of the garden will also be scrutinised and given points," added Kadir, who spent almost a day in a large herb garden last year in Perak at the invitation of Menteri Besar Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Tali.

The record must contain, among other things, photographs, drawing and newspaper clippings of the plants in the garden.

More information on this project will be published in the NST, Malay Mail and Berita Harian.

Schools and colleges wishing to participate in it can write to John Pilai, Coordinator, National Herb Garden Education Project, Balai Berita, 31, Jalan Riong, 59100 Kuala Lumpur.

31/10/1999