KUALA LUMPUR: The naming of flora and fauna cannot be decided arbitrarily and must follow strict scientific protocols, said Sarawak Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh.
In a report published by The Borneo Post today, the Kuala Rajang assemblyman said that any renaming exercise must be based on proper scientific grounds.
“From a scientific point of view, there must always be a proper basis. If we want to give a new name, we must study the matter carefully within the right context,” he said.
He was asked to comment on Machang member of parliament Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad‘s proposal to rename Malaysia’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, in conjunction with the nation’s 68th National Day to break free from the legacy of coloniser Stamford Raffles.
The Perikatan Nasional MP made the proposal during a recent Dewan Rakyat sitting.
Len Talif said the process of naming new species demands rigorous research and adherence to internationally recognised standards.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
