The 58-year-old, who is also known as Selva Langkawi, says his love for the environment was primarily inspired by his dad, who was a caretaker at Penang Hill and a city council driver.
“I used to follow him around when I was younger,” says Selva, who also fondly recalls how his mother used to make herbal remedies from the plants his dad would grow, further fuelling his affinity for nature.
After completing his secondary school education, the eldest of 10 siblings left his hometown in Penang to travel and work in various locations around Malaysia.
“I moved on to construction and it was quite successful, but I lost a lot of money during the recession in 1997,” Selva tells FMT, adding that he decided to go to Langkawi and ended up falling in love with the place.
“I started out by setting up a small restaurant, but my love for nature drove me to start conducting tour guides.”
In 1999, Selva obtained his city and nature guide badges and ever since, his larger-than-life personality has left lasting impressions on those who go on his trips.
Go on Selva’s kayaking tour along the Kilim river in Kedah and one gets to experience the mangrove forest, and check out a variety of terrestrial and marine animals at the Kilim Geoforest Park.
Then there’s the “Selva’s Untold Stories” tour, a nature and heritage walk exploring Langkawi’s countryside.
Selva also likes going to fishing villages as he finds the community extremely welcoming.
“Occasionally, I conduct English-language classes for the kampung folk so that all segments of society can benefit from the tourism industry,” he says.
He further conducts heritage walks in George Town, a place that remains near and dear to his heart.
“Everyone in Penang lives harmoniously; the acceptance here is different than other states,” he opines.
An advocate for conservation and sustainability, Selva makes it a point to collect the non-biodegradable trash he comes across during his tour guides.
“I may not have a tertiary education but I’m always studying the natural world,” says Selva, who is equally passionate about the history of the region.
“The Prambanan temples and Angkor Wat are cherished in Indonesia and Cambodia, as their people appreciate the influence of other cultures in their countries.
“Likewise we, too, should appreciate our rich history and culture, which is the result of being located at the crossroads of the East and West.”
Selva believes in the importance of teaching schoolchildren the history of this region. “But instead, history often gets tangled up with political agenda,” he laments.
According to him, there have been many changes in Langkawi over the years due to rampant development.
“Compare the aerial images from 20 years ago,” he says, adding, however, that things are still under control in Langkawi compared with other parts of Malaysia thanks to its Unesco Global Geopark status.
Naturally, Selva feels strongly when it comes to protecting and preserving nature as well as historical buildings and structures.
“We have already lost beautiful jetties in Kuah,” he points out, worrying that unsustainable land-reclamation projects will further disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.
As he believes everything in existence has a symbiotic link, he says the destruction of even a small part of it can trigger a butterfly effect that could be detrimental to all living entities, including humans.
“If we want a healthy environment for future generations, we must learn to live sustainably.”
Naturally, the movement control orders have put a damper on all tourism-related activity. But this hasn’t stopped Selva from showing his care and concern for others.
With the help of a donor, he has been busy cooking for the needy in Penang, feeding about 400 people a month.
True to his character, Selva downplays this act of kindness, saying, “I am happy to do this as I know what it’s like to be a vagabond.”
And with the easing of restrictions, he is looking forward to resuming his tours.
“I’ve already had some bookings, and I can’t wait for the international borders to reopen so everyone involved in the tourism industry can start earning again.”
Selva believes that tour guides play an important role in bringing people together. “We are not involved in politics; we focus on humanity,” he says.
“We try to make people appreciate the bigger picture by showing them the interconnectedness of everything on this beautiful planet.”
When asked about his favourite memory on the job, he replies simply, “Every day I get to be a tour guide is a memorable day to me.”
You can book Selva’s tours by visiting his website or contacting him at 011-16441453.