Into The Unknown
Wong Poh Yoke
I know very little about Malaysia despite being born and raised in this country. Although I have travelled extensively in Peninsular Malaysia for work since 2020, my first time setting foot in Taiping was April 2022. That’s when I learnt about Maxwell Hill (Bukit Larut), the colonial hill station which receives the highest rainfall in Peninsular Malaysia and her stretch of pristine forests which must still hold immense biodiversity of flora and fauna.
Being a nature enthusiast, I chose biodiversity on Maxwell Hill as my topic with a particular focus on a floral species found there. This video I produced records my journey of discovering Impatiens curtisii, an endemic forest herb which can only be found on Maxwell Hill (Bukit Larut) and Gunung Hijau at altitudes of 900 to 1,200 metres above sea level. The name “Impatiens” originates from “impatient”, which refers to the immediate instant bursting of the mature seed pods when touched.
In my journey, I realised there were even more “unknowns” largely due to the lack of information and scientific study; a situation that many flora and fauna species suffer from in many of our forest ecosystems. This lack of “knowing” leads to our own ignorance of loss.
I have so many questions in mind but struggled to find a definite answer which is almost nonexistent at this point. Similarly, with the occurrence of global climate change and frequent landslides on the hill, the fate of both this endemic forest herb and Maxwell Hill remains unknown.
Wong poh yoke
Wong Poh Yoke grew up in Kuala Terengganu later moving on to Selangor to pursue her studies. She is a Multimedia Design graduate from The One Academy where she fell in love with photography and videography.
Her career as a digital designer did not last as she realised she was not suited for desk-bound jobs. In her early 20s, she joined a non-governmental organisation and, together with colleagues who were education enthusiasts and social advocates travelled to rural villages in Sabah and Sarawak to organise education camps for primary school children from indigenous communities.
The days spent in East Malaysia were a source of great inspiration as she was exposed to an entirely different culture and could explore some of the most remote places which she never knew existed. Everyday was an eye-opening experience and she documented her remarkable encounters through both still and moving pictures.
Being a nature lover, she also developed a huge interest in flora and fauna, especially birds. Maxwell Hill renowned for its rich biodiversity and birdlife was a place she had always wanted to know more about. She saw “A Tale of Two Hills” as an opportunity to share the importance and interconnectedness of the natural ecosystem with the life of the flora and fauna on Maxwell Hill. It is message she hopes will carry through to the public who will view her exhibit.
