KOTA SAMARAHAN: Graduates of the Sarawak Orchid Society (SARORSO) have been urged to play a leading role in orchid conservation by putting their knowledge and skills into practice while inspiring greener communities across Sarawak.
SARORSO patron Dayang Nurjihan Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said the graduates now carry a greater responsibility to apply what they have learned beyond the classroom and contribute towards a greener and more sustainable Sarawak.
“Today is not the end of your journey. It is the beginning of a new responsibility because starting today, you have become part of the SARORSO alumni family,” she said in her special address during the 3rd SARORSO Graduation Ceremony 2026 at the PeTARY Auditorium, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), here today (July 6).
Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri officiated at the ceremony and presented certificates to graduates who completed the society’s conservation and community-based orchid programmes
Dayang Nurjihan said the value of an alumnus should not be measured merely by completing a programme, but by a continued willingness to learn, share knowledge, serve the community and inspire others.
She also urged participants of the society’s Mentor Mentee Programme to continue guiding their mentees so they, too, could one day become mentors and pass on their knowledge to future generations.
Reflecting on SARORSO’s journey since its establishment in February 2018, she described her role as patron as a responsibility to continue the legacy left by her late mother, the society’s founder, rather than to replace her.
Among SARORSO’s proudest achievements, she said, was the participation of MRSM students at the World Orchid Conference in Dresden, Germany, where they confidently showcased their work before the international orchid and scientific community.
She said the achievement demonstrated that investing in young people through guidance, opportunities and hands-on learning could empower them to compete confidently on the global stage while advancing conservation efforts at home.
“You have been given knowledge and equipped with skills, and now you are carrying a responsibility. Lead with humility and serve with sincerity. Share the knowledge you have learned. Never stop learning and never give up chasing your dreams,” she said.
