Fact: 52 years after Malaysia's independence, and 46 years after Sabah helped form Malaysia, we have people who are living without electricity and clean water. Here is a short story about Nanang Mohamad, 24, who has three daughters aged 8, 6 and 15 months. Nanang of Kg Pegason, Pitas, in northern Sabah, dropped out of school in Form 3 to get married. She lives in a home no bigger than my bedroom with her girls and husband.
Nanang who is from the Orang Sungai indigenous group, walks more than 30 minutes to collect clean water. Hubby is a subsistence fisherman, catching only enough for the family to eat. But what struck me about my 10-minute visit to Nanang's home was that she didn't complain. She was okay that her life has turned out this way. Its true, you don't miss what you don't have.
Fact: The Sabah Government revealed that as of February 2009, there are 16,000 hardcore poor families in the State.
Fact: A report published in late 2007 by the United Nations Development Programme and the Malaysian Economic Planning Unit states that 41.61 per cent of children in Sabah are living in poverty. Think about it. Thats almost half of all children in this state, once so rich in natural resources. One that is still rich in oil and gas today. This is why I am not too fond of the Petronas twin towers in Kuala Lumpur.
Nanang and baby Marta. Her home is built of straw, pieces of wood and zink sheets. Its steaming hot during the day, its cold at night. And the family gets wet when it rains cause they have holes in their roof and walls. 
Nanang and her baby Marta.
Nanang's home from a different angle.
Nanang's home is so small, I could not even take this photo properly.
Nanang's kitchen is an extension of her home. Its neat and clean and she uses firewood to cook. I told her I love her kitchen, and that made her day.
A clearer view of Nanang's kitchen.
Nanang's home.
I appreciate everything I have had the privilege to have (experience, education, etc) and I make mental notes about how lucky I am.
ReplyDeleteAnd I enjoy the moments I have.
But this article just makes me feel so guilty to have had such a privileged life and even more guilty that I do nothing to help especially those who helped me get to where I am....
Thank you for this.
sooo kasian! :( i must remind myself everyday how blessed i am (and my family). thanks jess for the reminder.
ReplyDeletewe all have our own personal struggle..theirs is more at basic level, struggle for food and shelters..working ppl like most of us lain lg jenis struggle kita ni..but i believe while we're at it, there must be certain degrees of intervention from outside to boost up or to slap our face and scream "wake up"...! ahh yg ini ngam utk orang2 civil especially bot bot besar..kahkahkah!
ReplyDeleteI like this posting. I wish there are more people highlighting the plight of Sabahans. i have made it a point to always talk/raise Sabah issues whenever I am at meetings in West Malaysia, or with friends from west Malaysia so that more people are aware of our situation here in Sabah. That is the least I can do. Keep up the good work, and thanks again.
ReplyDeleteSusan B.
Yes friends, its humbling isn't it? When I posted some of these photos on Facebook, I had a number of reactions too. One friend said "this is what they don't show you in the Malaysia Truly Asia" ad. How true.
ReplyDeleteI will continue to post more stories like this one, so that there will be better awareness on what is happening on our very own soil.
Gallivanter,
ReplyDeleteIt has taken us years to realise that Sabah and Sarawak have been shortchanged in many ways. Just look at the 20 points, and how many more of those rights we actually still have in our hands. Maybe we would have been better off as a colony of the British, until we could really stand on our own feet.