JOHOR BAHRU, Apr 13 – In celebration of Global Earth Day 2025, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) hosted an exciting event on its beautiful tropical campus. Flextronics Port of Tanjung Pelepas (Flex PTP), in strong collaboration with UTM Geotourism and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FKE), organized the Flex Global Program Earth Day Challenge 2025. The event was honored by the presence of UTM’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), Professor Ts. Dr. Edy Tonnizam Mohamad, and the General Manager of Flex PTP, Lim Lian Chong. Over 200 enthusiastic participants from Flex PTP took part in the Global Earth Challenge. In his welcoming speech, Professor Ts. Dr. Edy Tonnizam warmly engaged with the participants, highlighting several iconic landmarks that reflect the pride and heritage of UTM, particularly under the UTM Geotourism initiative.
In line with the Global Earth Day 2025 theme, the program featured seven eco-conscious activities designed to inspire environmental responsibility. Registration for the program took place at Balai Cerap UTM, the highest point on campus. This was followed by a soft launch for the planting of three Kelat Paya saplings at this iconic location. The tree planting ceremony was attended by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Development), the General Manager of Flex PTP, and several other distinguished guests.
After a brief warm-up session, the Earth Day Challenge officially commenced. A small group of cyclists, led by UTM’s marshal, began their descent from Balai Cerap UTM. Simultaneously, over one hundred participants, accompanied by three marshals from UTM, embarked on a jungle trekking adventure. They made their way down from Balai Cerap UTM, navigating both off-road and on-road routes to Hutan Rekreasi 1 UTM, while taking the time to appreciate the surrounding nature.
The rest of the participants traveled by bus to Tasik Ilmu UTM, the main landmark at the entrance of the Tropical Campus, for a kayaking activity. While paddling around the scenic Tasik Ilmu, which covers an area of 13,700 square meters, participants enjoyed the beautiful views. After kayaking, the group moved on to the next activity: vegetable planting. This wholesome experience involved the trainer providing participants with kits for both organic and non-organic vegetable planting. The trainer explained the pros and cons of each technique and estimated when the saplings would begin to bear fruit from the participants’ efforts.
The jungle trekking activity concluded with a visit to the distinguished Aquifer Well, also known as Telaga Air Akuifer, which is one of the highlights of UTM Geotourism’s attractions. This site is notable for being the first university in Malaysia to have its own aquifer water, a naturally extracted groundwater source. The experience was truly memorable for all participants. Following the visit, the group was divided into three teams: one team planted 50 trees at Hutan Rekreasi UTM, another performed a composting activity near the Aquifer Well, and the third engaged in stingless bee harvesting.
The cycling group took a route around the UTM Campus covering 11.4 km, finishing at Kelulut Valley (Lembah Kelulut) to harvest stingless bee honey. Kelulut Valley is home to over 500 beehives, managed by the UTM Agrotani Committee under the UTM Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Development. The group was fascinated by the unique honey harvesting process and the numerous health benefits of stingless bee honey.
The day concluded with a refreshing downpour, allowing all 200 participants and the organizing committee to unwind and relax after a fulfilling and active program. This moment symbolically marked the end of a memorable and meaningful sustainability initiative. As a token of appreciation, each participant received a memento to commemorate their involvement in the event.
In summary, the Global Earth Day 2025 program, held at the picturesque Tropical Campus of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, successfully brought together two eco-conscious entities dedicated to making a difference in environmental conservation. Together, UTM and Flex PTP continue to pave the way for a greener, more sustainable future, celebrating Earth Day not just as a date on the calendar but as a collective responsibility and vision.