cmarie
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More hands make light work - 2005/05/23 10:37
Dear All,
I agree with ferret. It takes a concerted effort to bring changes. Some people would rather go by the flow then to go against the current. What REACH is doing is going against the current and getting hit by all the debris. Their motivation being to ensure that Cameron Highlands is developed sustainably whislt safe guarding our future generations' natural heritage.
Written feedback and comments on various issues will help the committee document feedback from members and concerned citizens. Check out the reach website at reach.org.my or send an email to president@reach.org.my
Offer your voice, hands and support.
More hands make light work.
REACH needs a helping hand YOUR   
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Ferret
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Re:More hands make light work - 2005/05/23 12:15
Hiya Carol,
Great to know that REACH and Cameron Highlands still have your undying support... Not a good idea to agree with me though... You'd be shunned by society, marked by the government, and scorned by capitalists... 
Seriously though, will you be going to the MENGO Conference (6-7 of June)? I can't afford it so I'll have to give it a miss. No news from REACH so I'm not sure if anyone from the highlands will be participating. Anyway, if you're heading that way, it would be great to have a brief summary (or even a detailed analysis) of the event...
Cheers,
Ferret
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cmarie
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Re:More hands make light work - 2005/05/24 09:22
Hi,
I will always support the cause in CH and like all REACH members we are working as un-paid but never un-dying volunteers. Like you I'm not in the capacity to go for the conference. As for REACH I would think that the RM600 is a bit too steep for a CBO too
Unless anyone from this forum would like to chip in and offer a donation to sponsor you to go on REACH's behalf and present a brief report to the committee and this forum later.
When you say no news from REACH, have you contacted them directly. The only way for you to get news from REACH is to contact them via their own official webpage at www.reach.org.my or email to the president@reach.org.my.
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Ferret
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Re:Do we want more development? - 2005/05/30 14:12
Reuben wrote:
I think its time to be more realistic in this picture. As long as we have similar govt ,minister and local council members....and greedy developers either property / farming....I don't think things will change.
To TNB, I suggest to close down the dam for good...Look at the brighter side....we may build a football pitch...race horse or other facilities which require flat land.... without felling more trees...
Hi Reuben,
Half a decade ago, I would have agreed with you… There was definitely a need for a change in government as well as an eradication of corrupt practices within the civil service. However, it dawned on me that barring a ‘shocking’ victory by the opposition or an insurrection, the idea of unseating the National Coalition Party is unfeasible. Thus, began my personal crusade in understanding the political system of our country as well as the system of governance utilised in both state and national administrations in comparison with those of developed as well as developing countries. The task is an on-going process and I shall not bore you with details… Suffice to say that my studies have provided me with a greater appreciation of the political climate of our country, and I must admit that, to a certain extent, Malaysia is definitely better off than some developed nations and way ahead of most (if not all) developing countries.
In general, it was not the government that I disliked but the policy which was upheld by the previous government. The idea of pushing Malaysia towards a developed-nation status by the year 2020 is a noble quest indeed, and one which has placed our country in a position where we can vie with the best of them. However, the pace at which Malaysia is progressing is bound to have increased adverse effects on the country – of which I will highlight three:
The first is, of course, the sacrifice of our natural environment.
The second, though not obvious, but which you have rightly pointed out, concerns greed and corrupt practices.
And finally, waste…
The first two are self-explanatory, which leaves me with the task of providing some illustrations of the third:
Incomplete government projects ; (insert preferred project here)
Shoddy-workmanship as well as poor planning (especially with regard to the construction of schools and hospitals);
Completed but hardly utilised facilities – sports village built for the Commonwealth Games 1998.
These are but a few of the examples which come to mind and no doubt the second point above ties in nicely with the third but it is one thing to say that it is all due to incompetence and corruption, and another to prove its existence.
Having been governed by the same party since independence, it is easy to confine one’s thoughts and opinions to the ‘fact’ that every subsequent government is incompetent and corrupt – after all, it’s all one and the same political party… This is where my opinions differ… I am a non-Muslim but I definitely have faith in our Prime Minister’s concept of ‘Islam Hadhari’. Such policies, as with all other governmental policies, are formulated for the benefit of people, and not the government per se. Thus, although the Prime Minister’s call for good governance through government transparency is crucial in controlling corrupt practices within the system, it is up to us, the electorate, to make sure that the government (whether state or federal) as well as local authorities are accountable for all their actions. I have previously used the terms ‘blind’ and ‘deaf’ where local authorities are concerned. The same may be said of the majority of the population in Cameron Highlands – in addition, I would like to include ‘mute’ as well.
With the exception of REACH, there have hardly been any protests against development or the indiscriminate clearing of land in the Cameron Highlands. For most, I believe the thought of voicing their concerns has crossed their minds but at the end of the day, such efforts are considered a waste of time. Should we therefore blame the government if we decide to remain silent on matters that strike at the very core of our lives?
We live in a democracy, and within such a system, there are means by which we can seek remedies for wrongs done against us. If people foresee that a certain proposal will eventually bring harm to their lives or livelihoods, then it is time to speak up before it happens and not wait for it to happen before speaking up; this is my ‘realistic’ view of the current situation and in my opinion, it would make no difference if an opposition party was elected into government.
Finally, I would like to apologise for such a late reply as posting on this forum is merely a diversion from my work and studies. Your suggestions for the Sultan Abu Bakar Dam are amusing – you missed out an airfield… Seriously though, I do hope that TNB will be able to rehabilitate the lake… The place holds a lot of fond memories for me… And what would they call the ‘Lakehouse’ if they decide to fill in the lake???
Ferret
Post edited by: Ferret, at: 2005/05/30 19:52
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Reuben
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Re:Do we want more development? - 2005/05/30 18:17
Ferret,
Well said . When our former PM stepped down, I was happy that things may change in the political climate, but after few months I can see our PM is getting sucked into the previous system.
A taxi driver told me that if our neighbouring countries such as Indonesia, Thailand & Philipines have stable govt, foreign investors will no longer look at us again. With the opening of Vietnam & Cambodia, it seems that we will have more stiffer competitions.
I still feel that we have not learnt anything. We are in midst of building Bakun! I feel sad that we can't even learn from Singapore. Very soon we will be overtaken by all. We need bright people to lead the nation from all perspective including environment. Our most precious wealth ! Here we are still talking about 'peanuts' issues!. You know what I mean when you watch our news or read our newspaper. Indeed very sad. We don't have strong opposition to have 'check & balance' mechanism in our system which form the policies for our country.
ferret, airfield ....mmmm why not!
God bless Malaysia!
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Ferret
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Re:Do we want more development? - 2005/05/30 20:46
Reuben wrote:
A taxi driver told me that...
Here we are still talking about 'peanuts' issues!. You know what I mean when you watch our news or read our newspaper. Indeed very sad. We don't have strong opposition to have 'check & balance' mechanism in our system which form the policies for our country.
Are you living in KL as well, Reuben? Just thought that we might have bumped into the same taxi driver...
Anyway, 'peanuts' you say... Well, nature has a way of making 'nuts' grow into trees... Hmmm, society has also found a way to lock 'nuts' up for ever so I better keep this sensible...
Seriously though, 48 years is too short a time for a proper system of 'checks and balances' to develop. We can look to other countries for guidance, but who's to say that they are in any way better off than us. For example, the English system dates back to 1066, and yet they're still scratching their heads over whether they need a written constitution...
In my opinion, if democracy exists, then it's the electorate that has the final say. Considering that the main opposition party is weak, and the other opposition party up north is more than a little misguided, I guess the best option for us at the moment is the National Coalition Party. In order not to stray too far off-topic, I won't go any further than saying that the government seems to be heading in the right direction where environmental matters are concerned. Thus, it is the right time to push for quicker resolution with regard to the problems in Cameron Highlands and thankfully, we have a local MP who is very supportive of such efforts. As I'll be leaving the country soon, I truly hope that I'll be able to return to a National Park someday.
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Ferret
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Remedies... - 2005/05/31 12:46
It has been said that I make mountains out of mole-hills… Well, there’s no reason to argue the point as it’s evident for all to see that certain parties are making hills and flatlands out of mountains in Cameron Highlands…
Anyway, concerning terrano’s post:
TNB can claim to be the victim but do you guys know that 4 years ago, TNB made a dirt road that started from Ringlet to the top of Gunung Jasar and down to Sg. Ruil to put up its transmission tower?
Take a look at the top of Gunung Jasar... it is bald because of that transmission tower and to make things worse, the path that was used has yet to be planted with ground cover until today! The slopes that are eroding are not "protected".
What has this to do with the topic? Well, guys, the erosion from this project is going straight to the dam in Habu! And if you look at the size of the land clearing (which is still unprotected) I would say a portion of the silt from the Dam is from this place.
Yes, I am aware of what happened to Gunung Jasar… Would be strange if I didn’t as my first hike up the hill was when I was eight and since then, I have probably reached the peak at least a hundred times, if not more. BTW, if you’re reading this Christine, I was being sarcastic when I said that Gunung Jasar had grown by about 10 meters… My reference to ‘growth’ relates to the unconventional practice of placing an electric-pylon at the peak of Gunung Jasar; were it to have related to the natural formation of the hill, I would have to add several zeroes to my age…
Anyway, if the current news is true, it seems that the new pylon which was erected at the beginning of this year is in danger of collapsing as well… Well, I guess we are all asking ourselves, why in hell did they ever decide to stretch power cables across the main range?
As I mentioned previously, it is never easy isolating the particular individuals involved in corrupt practices, nor can we say that such and such a person is incompetent if he/she was not directly involved in the decision-making. Tenaga Nasional Berhad [TNB] was privatised in 1990 and remains the country’s main energy provider; thus, it falls within the jurisdiction of the Energy Commission, a subordinate of the Ministry of Energy, Communications & Multimedia. Accordingly, as the supply and maintenance of a stable energy source is crucial to the development of the nation, it may be said that the stretching of power cables across the highlands was done in the name of national priority.
So, what happens when such works cause inconvenience to the populace, or affect the function and performance of a hydro-electric dam? Well, in the case of the latter, TNB is paying for its folly and is now attempting to remedy the situation at its own cost. However, I would like to add that the problems at the dam happened long before TNB started bull-dozing its way up Gunung Jasar. The practice of levelling hills for development and farming activities has been going on for more than a decade, and the solution adopted for removing earth from such sites is to push it into streams and rivers whereby nature will do the rest thus saving the company the cost of having to hire earth-movers.
Perhaps TNB would like to explain what is its social responsibility here since it has been 4 - 5 years since the land was cut but until today, they have not made any attempt to plant "ground cover" to stop the erosion that is going straight back to their own dam!
With regard to obligations towards society for any inconveniences caused… First, I would like to clarify a simple matter which most people fail to differentiate. The matter concerns a person/organisation’s moral and social obligations as opposed to legal obligations. Where moral and social obligations are concerned, there are no remedies for a breach or a failure to perform. Thus, TNB is under no moral or social obligation to repair the damage that they have done, nor are they under any moral or social duty to provide ground cover for the affected areas. Where a person or organisation takes up such an obligation, it is done through free-will and may be discontinued at any time before completion. However, TNB as well as government departments and local authorities, do have a legal obligation towards society for we have a right to know how such decisions are made as well as the manner in which they are put into practice.
In the past, most of our complaints with regard to the environmental degradation of the highlands have gone directly to the Department of Environment (DoE), a subordinate of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. However, land matters are generally the concern of the state and it is therefore difficult for the DoE to act against offenders unless the matter falls within its jurisdiction. In general, this jurisdiction is provided for under numerous Environment Acts which cover matters relating to the pollution of air, water, etc. and does not as a rule concern the use of land unless it is with regard to the storage of pollutants, open-burning, etc.
Alas, if we can’t rely on the authority of the DoE, who do we turn to? Well, there are two other departments that I know of where individuals or an organisation may make a public complaint. The first is the Public Complaints Bureau (Biro Pengaduan Awam (BPA)), and the second is the Anti-Corruption Agency (Badan Pecengah Rasuah (BPR)). The former deals with complaints regarding a government department/local authority’s failure to perform its duty, ultra vires (acting beyond its given powers conferred by statute law), incompetence, etc.; while the latter’s function is self-explanatory.
Both will require a letter of complaint stating the name of the department/authority complained against, as well as the breach that has occurred. A study of certain statutory law may be required, e.g. The Town and Country Planning Act 1976 which concerns the functions of local and state authorities. My advice would be to acquire the assistance of the local MP in verifying as well as preparing any necessary documents when making such complaints.
A request may also be made to the local MP to suggest during Parliament discussion for the setting up of a Select Committee to investigate issues and problems arising in the highlands. However, this has been done before and as there is no clear demarcation between the executive and the legislative arm of the government, things generally get swept under the rug.
The final solution would be to seek judicial review or an injunction to stop any further works in the Cameron Highlands by claiming that the de-gazetting of the Cameron Highlands as a wildlife preserve was ultra vires or done without adherence to proper procedures… This would not only be a ‘test case’ for Malaysia, but would also examine the independence of the judiciary in relation to the doctrine of separation of powers. I raised this issue at a REACH gathering a few years back, but never got an answer…
O well, I guess that’s about it for now… My apologies for the long post but this is as short a summary as I can make it…
Post edited by: Ferret, at: 2005/05/31 12:55
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