Koompassia malaccensis, commonly known as "Kempas”, comes from the Leguminosae family which is also known as the Fabaceae. It is a huge tropical timber species common in Sumatera, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Kalimantan and Borneo. It is rare in Sabah but can be found across Sarawak (Hou, 2000). The Latin name Koompassia originates from the common name "kempas," while malaccensis is derived from Malacca, a Malaysian state where these plants naturally grow (Slik, 2009). Kempas usually grows in peat swamps and lowland forests at 600 m above sea level.
Kempas is considered a giant tree because it can grow up to 60 m tall and 120 cm in bole diameter. Its massive size, exceptional height and straight, unbranched trunk distinguish it from other trees in the forest canopy. Other than that, the buttresses are more pronounced than in many other timber species, i.e., large, plank-like, steep, six metre high and thick. The bark is grey to brown, minutely fissured and flaking, The leaves usually consist of 5–9 leaflets that are 6.5–19 cm long. Each leaflet is ovate-elliptic, measuring 5.5–10.4 cm long and 1.5–5 cm wide (Hou, 2000). The creamy-white flowers of K. malaccensis grow in clusters that can reach 12 cm long. These flower clusters appear both at the tips of branches (i.e., terminal flowering) and along the sides of leafy twigs (i.e., axillary flowering) (Watson & Dallwitz, 1993).
Koompassia malaccensis, classified as a medium hardwood, has always been known for its strength and durability. It is mainly used as timber for heavy permanent structures, furniture making and boat building (Slik, 2009). It is also used in traditional medicine, particularly by the Bajau ethnic group in the Southeast Asia region, for treating stomachaches, toothaches, bloating, bloody diarrhoea, allergies, swollen gums, asthma, convulsions and body pains (Wiart, 2024).
Generally, Koompassia malaccensis does not have any concerning threats and is of least concern, as listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Zainal Ariffin, 2023). However, in Malaysia, due to its economic value, the government and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) are making efforts to sustainably manage and conserve populations of K. malaccensis in their natural habitats. This includes establishing arboreta at FRIM, the Wetlands Arboretum at Gamuda Cove, Selangor and the Perdana Botanical Garden, Kuala Lumpur. These living collections or gene banks from various natural populations will proactively safeguard the genetic diversity of K. malaccensis. Moreover, the arboreta serve as important educational centres to raise public awareness about the conservation of this species.
