Commencement address by Paul Hawken

We were read this commencement address today during lecture. I found it so touching and meaningful, I’m going to share snippets of it here, and direct you to the website to read the whole of it.

We are, indeed, in a world today where things are a-changing. No more are we so isolated that we only care for those immediately related to us. Nor are we so detached that we couldn’t care less what was happening on the other side of the world.

Here are some snippets:

If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren’t pessimistic, you don’t understand the data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren’t optimistic, you haven’t got a pulse.

*

What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world.

*

We have tens of thousands of abandoned homes without people and tens of thousands of abandoned people without homes. We have failed bankers advising failed regulators on how to save failed assets. We are the only species on the planet without full employment.

*

Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would create new religions overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead, the stars come out every night and we watch television.

*

The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hope only makes sense when it doesn’t make sense to be hopeful.

**

Read that last quote I pulled out. Then read it again. If that ain’t beautiful, I don’t know what is.

The whole commencement address can be found HERE. Read, think, and then be hopeful. We’ll get there.

Long term planning

I’ve been bad at updating the blog regularly. There have undoubtedly been many things occuring during the time I was ‘absent’. And though I haven’t been writing or posting anything, I honestly do care about what has been happening.

What’s prompted me to post something today, is this small part in an article I found on The Nut Graph:

There has been no lack of intentions and planning to overcome the problems relating to transportation and infrastructure in Malaysia.  As stated in the Ninth Malaysia Plan, “[m]easures will be implemented to improve multimodal public transport, particularly in urban areas, to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution” and “[p]ublic transport facilities and services will be graded and further integrated to encourage a modal shift from private vehicle usage to public transport.”

It should be good news, really, that the Malaysia Plan will include improvements to the current public transport system. What I find disturbing, is the whole focus of improving public transport is to “reduce traffic congestion and air pollution”.

I’m not saying that those aren’t problems. But there needs to be a little bit of perspective here. Traffic congestion and air pollution aren’t the only things that trouble us. There is also this issue of burning too much fossil fuels.

In other words, petrol is not something that doesn’t run out. Despite reassurances that we will be able to find more sources to extract petroleum, there is only so much left for us to find and extract. Petroleum is a finite resource. But we’re using it like as if it’ll last forever.

*

Reading this part of the article, I can’t help but be reminded of when I was still in secondary school, and we were asked to write essays about issues like this. Things like ‘traffic congestion’ and ‘air pollution’ were almost always found in everyone’s essay. We didn’t know anything more than what we could see in front of us. Almost none of us bothered to think about generations after us, when they would have to live with the residue of our way of living today.

It feels odd, if not disappointing, that our ministers and representatives have visions that go only as far as secondary school students’ visions.

It is not enough for them to only see the problems that we’re facing today, and come up with solutions that fix those problems. We need people to be able to project 10-20 years into the future, see the problems that could exist, and come up with solutions that can be implemented now, so that those problems would not exist 20 years down the road.

We need leaders who can tell us what the impacts on future generations are if we continue living the way we are today. We need urban planners who can create places that not only look nice, but actually function as urban centres that people enjoy being in. We need smarter solutions to problems such as flash floods other than just building massive drain after massive drain.

We need long-term plans.

We need people who can come up with long-term plans.

Where is the love?

From the Malaysian Insider HERE (highlights my own):

A group of Malay-Muslim protesters claiming to be residents of Section 23 have threatened bloodshed unless the state government stopped the construction of a Hindu Temple.Amid chants of “Allahuakbar,” the group also left the severed head of a cow at the entrance of the State Secretariat here as a warning to Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

[...]

“I challenge YB Khalid, YB Rodziah and Xavier Jeyakumar to go on with the temple construction. I guarantee bloodshed and racial tension will happen if this goes on, and the state will be held responsible,” shouted Ibrahim Haji Sabri amid strong chants of “Allahu Akbar!”

Ibrahim identified himself as the Deputy Chairman of the Resident’s Committee against the building of the temple in S23 here, which is perceived by some as being a Muslim majority area.

[...]

Mohd. Zurit Bin Ramli, who claims to be the secretary of the “Coalition of Malaysian NGOs” echoed Ibrahim’s stand on the matter, saying that it was irresponsible on the part of the state government to approve the construction as there was apparently a “90 per cent” majority Muslim population in Section 23.“With a temple on our residential area, we cannot function properly as Muslims. The temple will disrupt our daily activities like prayers in the Surau. We cannot concentrate with the sounds coming from the temple,” stated Zurit.

There is absolutely zero decency in this.

This group of individuals give Islam a very bad name. The Islam I know is nothing like what they are exemplifying here.

I may not be Muslim, but I know that Islam does not condone violence. Islam does not condone racial or religious segregation. Islam encourages acceptance and respect amongst different people who are of different faiths.

Islam is not like this.

I am now so disturbed, words fail me.

They actually brought a severed head of a cow to the State Secretariat building. They wouldn’t have done that if they didn’t know that the cow is sacred in Hinduism. And yet they did that, knowingly disrespecting those of the Hindu faith.

They said that with the temple in the residential area, they ‘cannot function properly as Muslims’. I don’t believe this. I believe that Muslims who believe strongly in their own faith can and will find it in themselves to respect the need of people from other faiths to fulfill their religious obligations. I believe that they can and will find in themselves their connection to Allah, whether or not there is a temple nearby.

I believe Muslims who believe strongly in their own faith will not do something like this.

Islam is. Not. Like. This.

This is beyond any damned line we can draw. It’s beyond political, beyond racial, and beyond religious lines. Human decency crosses all those lines. This action crosses all lines of human decency.

Where is the love?

Penan investigation report ‘not ready’

Only that day, I wrote HERE about how the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development is refusing to disclose the results of the investigations held in relation to the allegations of rape of Penan women and children.

I saw no reason then, why details of the investigation could only be disclosed to ‘interested parties’, my argument being that the general public IS the interested party, and if it isn’t, it should.

Then yesterday, I came across THIS article from The Nut Graph:

Despite Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil’s pledge, the Penan task force report is still not available, not even to “interested parties” visiting her ministry.Attempts by The Nut Graph yesterday — following the minister’s promise to make the report available to a limited audience of “interested parties” only — to access and examine the report at the Women’s Development Department (JPW) proved unsuccessful.

“It is not available now,” JPW director-general Datuk Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd Nur said when met at her office, even though it’s been nearly a year since reports surfaced that Penan women and girls were being sexually violated.

Still not available?

Excuse me for saying this, but exactly how long does it take to write up a report?

What I see here is blatant delay tactic.

In January 2009, one month after the report was supposed to be due, I sent an email to the Ministry, which can be read HERE. At that time, I acknowledged that it is to their credit that they did provide me with a reply. They said that they had yet to discuss this in Cabinet, and would only decide on further steps after presenting the report in Cabinet.

Come end of January 2009, and there were newspaper reports stating that investigations were still being carried out, despite the fact that the allegations were made eons ago. Read HERE.

In May 2009, it was found out that the Ministry had not, in the long period of 5 months, presented the investigation report to the Cabinet. Only after constant queries by ‘interested parties’ did Sharizat finally say that they would be presenting it to Cabinet come end of May. Read HERE.

In June 2009, after having presented the report in Cabinet, Sharizat constantly dodged questions by the media about what steps they would be taking next by saying, “We will look into it.” This response, I must emphasize, came almost half a year after the report was supposed to have been due. Read HERE.

Then of course, came the newspaper article in August 2009, only about a week or so ago, that said that the Ministry will not disclose the report to public, but that ‘interested parties can come to the ministry to discuss the details of the report.’ Read HERE.

A couple of days ago, Malaysiakini published an article saying that because of ‘lack of funds’, the police cannot afford to hold the joint police-NGO investigation that was supposed to have functioned as an investigative body on this issue. Some excerpts from the article HERE, highlights my own:

The police have reportedly told Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) members that it is unable to support a joint Police-NGO mission to investigate the allegations of rape of Penan schoolgirls by logging company workers in Baram because of a lack of money.

Sarawak Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Chief, ACP Huzir Mohamed said the State Contingent could only find and allocate RM100,000 for the investigation, which would cover only the expenses of the police personal.

The money would not be sufficient to cover the costs of Malay-Penan translators who would play an essential role in the investigations of the alleged rapes.

[...]

According to See, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Musa Hassan had asked the NGOs to co-operate with Bukit Aman and the Sarawak police in a joint investigation effort.

[...]

“The CID Chief Huzir told us that Bukit Aman examined the terms of reference of the investigation team and the proposed itinerary but has now decided that the Sarawak Contingent has to bear the costs of the investigation and obtain assistance from the Miri Resident (head of the local government in Miri Division),” See explained.

[...]

The proposed schedule and terms of references of the investigation had been communicated to Bukit Aman CID Director Mohd Bakri Mohd Zinin, during a meeting on January 20, according to NGO sources.

“We sent many emails to Bukit Aman following the IGP’s promise to set up the joint mission, and waited a month for each reply. But now, seven months later, Bukit Aman turns around and says it’s up to the Sarawak Contingent. And the Sarawak police say they will not support a joint Police-NGO team.

“Huzir even suggested that the NGO representatives need not go, but could simply provide the names of victims and witnesses and their locations to the police,” See frowned.

“Does it make sense that the Police can say they spent RM15 million on the Kuala Terengganu by-election yet they cannot support an investigation into sexual abuse of poor rural Penan schoolgirls?” he asked.

I don’t want to go into this ‘lack of funds’ issue.

But what I want to emphasize here is that an initial investigation was carried out last year. It was carried out, and the findings were handed to the Ministry. 8 months later, and still we have nothing.

What were the terms of reference for that initial investigation? We don’t even know that. We actually have no idea what they were investigating, we have no idea what they found out, and no idea what they recommended.

In this state of complete blindness, the Minister finds it apt to tell us that she’ll not be disclosing anything, and that interested parties can just look her up to talk about the ‘details of the report’.

And yet here we are again, with the Ministry telling these ‘interested parties’ that the report is not even ready!

How, beg tell, did the Ministry even manage to present the report in Cabinet, if the report isn’t even ready?!

If the Minister did present it in Cabinet, then why is it that the report is now deemed as ‘not ready’?!

Best case scenario that I can make out of this is that: (1) The investigation did happen, (2) The report did get written up and presented in Cabinet, (3) The report is currently being altered so that it can be ‘discussed’ with ‘interested parties’ without compromising.. (compromising what, I don’t even know.)

Worst case scenario: (1) The investigations didn’t even happen, (2) Since there’s no report, nothing actually got presented in Cabinet, (3) Now that there really are interested parties wanting to discuss the details of the report, the Ministry is at a loss of what to do.

Of course, I’m not saying that any of the above scenarios are true. I’m just saying, that’s what I can make out of it.

Either way, the Ministry is applying Delay Tactic 101.

This bears repetition: The Ministry is supposed to be protecting the rights of women and children. But that’s not what they’re doing. So who are they protecting?

And again I ask: What is to happen to the Penan community?

Let’s Read the Quran (2)

I had joined this campaign earlier this year. To me, it was a chance to get to know the religion a little better.

This time around, the same bloggers, plus a few more, are hosting the same campaign again, and I’m really glad that they’re doing it. Especially during this time, as it’s the holy month of Ramadhan. No better time than the present, I say, to host such a campaign.

Though I had none to contribute to this campaign, I do think however that the other bloggers have lots to share. I did find some very good articles written back during the first campaign and I’m definitely looking forward to more this time around.

Taken from Walski’s Asylum HERE:

What is the Campaign all about?
Read the Quran in the language that you are familiar with.

When will the campaign start and end?
August 22^nd to September 21^st (Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri)

Where?
Participating blogs in the blogosphere.

Why?
So more people know what the Quran says and what the Quran does not say and to match its relevance to our daily lives.

Who?
Anyone who wants to – the more the merrier! If you have a Blog, Facebook, etc carry the logo/icon.

How?
To join the campaign, place the accompanying logo/icon at your blog.
- Write or share short articles based on the Quranic text.
- Share what you find in the Quran with family and friends.
- Ask questions about the Quranic message
- Read the Quran – for example, click here: IslamiCity, or Altafsir.com.

To know more about this campaign, and links to other bloggers participating in this, please do visit Walski’s Asylum at the above link.

And, oh, Selamat Bulan Ramadhan!