Rare is gearing up to launch new initiatives in the Asia Pacific region, and for the first time, spread Rare Pride throughout the beautiful and biodiverse country of Malaysia.  Malaysia’s three states – Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak – are home to some of Asia’s most spectacular biodiversity.  The Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests are one of the last refuges for several of Asia's large characteristic species including tigers, Asian elephants, gaur, tapir, and Sumatran rhinoceros.  This is one of the world’s only two places – the other being Indonesia’s Sumatra island – where orangutans, elephants and rhinos still co-exist and where forests are extensive enough to maintain viable populations of these threatened species. 

YTL Corporation Berhad, a prominent Malaysian company, recently gave Rare $100,000 to launch environmental outreach campaigns in the region.  On October 4, 2007, YTL’s CEO, Francis Yeoh, and his daughter Ruth Yeoh, Director of Investments, presented Rare with the generous gift during a press conference at the company headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.   Rare will match the YTL gift with $200,000 from other donors.

With support from Yeoh and YTL, along with additional support from other individuals and foundations, Rare is preparing to launch its first three Malaysian Pride campaigns.   Rare is working with WWF-Malaysia to identify partners in each of Malaysia’s three states.  Once partners are identified, Rare will train these local Malaysian conservationists at its university training center in Bogor, Indonesia.  The 12-week course, which covers marketing, media, ecology, threat assessment, participatory planning and other tools needed to launch a Pride campaign, is taught in Bahasa Indonesia / Malay and will be flexible enough that participants can customize Rare’s tools to address the issues most relevant to Malaysia. 

>>Click here to read more on YTL's website.