AMPANG, 6 MARCH 2010 – 40,000 mudballs packed with powerful microorganisms, are being made by Standard Chartered staff in Malaysia to be cast into the Zoo Negara lake. The potent mudballs are able to eliminate destructive pollutants, thus purifying and renewing the lake water for the benefit of aquatic life, birds, insects, other animals and vegetation which depend on the lake for survival.

More than 250 staff volunteers rolled up their sleeves for 9 hours over two days at Zoo Negara Malaysia to produce tennis-sized mudballs made from clay soil and Effective Microorganisms (EM®) solution, a complex culture of naturally occurring, live microorganisms developed in Japan by Dr. Teruo Higa.

Gracing the event was Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseph Kurup, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources & Environment Malaysia, who said

“I commend Standard Chartered for its zeal in environmental conservation efforts in Malaysia. I am delighted with the innovative use of Effective Microorganisms, an excellent alternative to chemical-based compounds, to revive the delicate ecosystem of the Zoo Negara lake.”

The Deputy Minister then witnessed the replica presentation of the permanent gift of a 10-foot high EM® Bioreactor by Standard Chartered to Zoo Negara, with which the latter will be able to produce EM® Activated Solution on its own. Together with other project materials, Standard Chartered has invested more than RM100,000 in the lake restoration project. Volunteering efforts by the staff totalled approximately 400 man-days.

NAHRIM, the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM), an agency under the purview of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment is a technical partner in the lake restoration project contributing comprehensive water quality analyses throughout the duration of the project.

Dato’ Ismail Hutson, President & Chairman, Zoo Negara, said

“On behalf of the Malaysian Zoological Society and Zoo Negara, I wish to thank Standard Chartered for its generous sponsorship of this project as well as NAHRIM and EM Malaysia for their technical expertise. Through the revitalization of our lake, we will be able to continue to be the landmark zoo in the country.”

Osman Morad, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia, said

“Standard Chartered is always looking for causes to do our part in protecting the environment. We are also always cognizant of getting it right internally, before moving out to the community. Happily, we have carried out many successful projects.” “The Zoo Negara lake restoration project is our latest environment project for Malaysia. It is our hope that the whole ecosystem of the lake will become healthier and this will benefit all the fish, birds, animals and plants that depend on it for survival.”

Last December, Standard Chartered staff had already made 26,000 of the total 40,000 EM® mudballs. Since then, the mudballs had been left to ferment. During the event, the well-fermented ‘live’ mudballs were cast into the lake to work their magic. The volunteers then turned their attention to making the remaining 14,000 mudballs which will be cast into the lake on 22 March 2010, the United Nations-declared World Water Day.

Special guests at the event included 20 visually impaired persons from the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) who raised funds for MAB with each mudball they make, under Standard Chartered’s ‘Seeing is Believing’ programme. The event was supported by the two co-founders of the Malaysian Celebrities Go Green (MCG2) club, celebrity host/actor Baki Zainal and singer Azizi Zakaria. MCG2 has been actively involved in creating awareness on the importance of environmental protection by participating in activities across Malaysia which include school talks, competitions, and the cleaning up of beaches and rivers.