On March 1, 2009, in conjunction with the monthly Soka Family Day, SGM Penang invited Soo Lee Choo to give a presentation on “Effective Microorganisms” at the SGM Penang Culture Centre. Mr. Soo is a committee member of the task force called Penang Government Initiative for Environment Management (PGI-EM) which has been set up to oversee the usage of effective microorganisms (EM) for environmental cleanup efforts in the state.

More than 200 people attended this educational presentation to gain a better understanding of environmental cleanup efforts using biotechnology. The Penang Government has been using EM to overcome foul odour in animal farms since August 2008. EM are a mixed culture of beneficial, naturally occurring microorganisms, based on the concept developed by horticulturist Dr Teruo Higa from the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan. Among its reported applications are environmental remediation, composting of organic wastes, odour elimination in livestock operations and wastewater treatment.