Artists usually do visuals better than words, but some of those present today have effectively combined both to capture our natural treasures. Bank Negara Malaysia has a long history of encouraging local artists. For almost as long as the Bank has existed — 58 years — we have been building up an art collection. This asset is both an incentive to artists and a mirror to the nation’s development. We can trace our society’s evolution through the collection. We are honoured to have among us in the audience today, those who have worked and committed their lives to the preservation of our environment and wildlife, so that future generations can continue to experience the richness of life, and not only in a natural history museum. This exhibition hopes to inspire more of us to take up this important cause. No matter in small or big ways, we all can – and must – do our part. Dato’ Dino has brought home today the urgency of the environmental challenges that we face – not in the distant future, but today. Just this morning, the news carried reports of Earth reaching its highest temperature on record in 2016. This is the third successive year that temperatures have exceeded past record levels. We have long passed the point where global warming is a problem for tomorrow. Bank Negara Malaysia welcomes the opportunity to work with organisations like the WWF to increase the impact of financial institutions in advancing environmental goals through sustainable finance initiatives.
An area of focus has been in green finance, with over RM2.5 billion in financing extended from the financial sector to companies that promote clean and efficient energy from sustainable sources. There are many ways in which we can better protect our environment. Art provides a sober reminder of this, as depicted in one painting from the Bank’s collection which captures the KL Banjir of 1971, by Mohd Hoessein Enas, showing the iconic Merdeka Square under several feet of water, just a stone’s throw away from the location of the Bank’s headquarters which had moved only shortly before the event. Another exhibit at the BNM Museum and Art Gallery depicts the two major Asian tsunamis of the past 13 years. This piece of installation art by Malaysian artist Oi Nuen Sprunt was displayed here in 2014, bringing home the message of nature’s power and unpredictability, but also the healing power of human compassion and kindness. Today, we bring you a more hopeful exhibition, with works that remind us of what exists just beyond our doorsteps, to be preserved and nurtured. The artists featured here today have all created their imagery direct from the source, which says a great deal about their passion and commitment to their craft. Few of us would take the time or trouble to observe nature at such an intimate level. These works allow us to do so in some measure. I am deeply encouraged by our own Bank staff who have also submitted works for the exhibition.