Dreamy Borneo

Going For Clean Energy

2010-10-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

From Green SURF:

Fired up by overwhelming public support for its campaign against a proposed coal-fired power plant at the shores of the Coral Triangle, a coalition of NGOs in Malaysian Borneo is commemorating its yearlong journey with global climate change movement 350.org and citizens of the world on 10.10.10.

Green SURF’s (Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future) Borneo-Global Work Party will feature a clean-up at two beaches – Kampung Sinakut in Lahad Datu on Sabah’s east coast which is ground zero for the proposed 300MW coal-fired power plant, and Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of the state of Sabah, Malaysia. Green SURF and Sabahans are proud to be a part of a truly worldwide movement,with 5,000+ Global Work Parties in 175 countries on 10.10.10. In Sabah, we are already seeing the effects of climate change and we fully support 350.org’s efforts to bring global carbon emissions back down to and below the scientifically-determined safe level of 350 parts per million (we are now at 390 ppm).

Clean-up at both locations will start at 10:10 am. Green SURF members will work alongside citizens of Kota Kinabalu and Kampung Sinakut, strengthening the solidarity and self-organizing that has energized the movement in its ongoing campaign against the coal-fired power plant and for clean energy options. Participants and local artists will use the trash to spell out 350 on the shore, and guest DJs will provide entertainment. Green SURF has arranged with a local recycling plant to recycle all of the trash afterward. The beaches were chosen as venues to highlight their vulnerability to rising sea levels resulting from climate change.Green SURF is made up of Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP), Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA), Malaysian Nature Society (Sabah branch), WWF Malaysia and Partners of Community Organisations (PACOS).

During its campaign to stop construction of the coal plant, Green SURF saw support grow from day to day, and when it mattered most, over 500 people locally and worldwide wrote in to the Malaysian Department of Environment to give their views on a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment study. The Department subsequently rejected the study done by project-hired consultants. Following the mid-August rejection, it remains unclear if the project will proceed.

Love Hate Relationship

2010-10-02T02:20:00.000-07:00

I no longer have free access to Sabah dailies as I walk into the office, or my copy of the New Straits Times to take home at the end of the day. Its been 7 months and 2 days since I left the paper (including the 6 months unpaid leave to 'cool off'), but I still have this desire to catch up on the news.

I try to grab local dailies in the morning at the Likas shops (note to self: subscribe!). And I read the national papers online, and I also subscribe to Malaysiakini and read other online portals. Facebook too is a good place to catch up on news. But its sad that a lot of it is news of differences between Malaysians - political differences, racial differences, religious differences and the worst of them all -- open and blatant bigotry. Which leads me to the title of this posting.

I have had this love-hate relationship with this country for a while now. I am not sure where this relationship is heading, but I can say with confidence what I feel pretty much comes from what I read and what I hear on TV. As I mingle with friends, and read status updates on FB, I know the situation is not bad. But the news is always sensational -- it feels like everyone is going to start fighting tomorrow and the nation is going to crumble. You cant blame me for saying this. Just 15 minutes ago, I read a news portal analysis warning that we will soon become Zimbabwe in every sense of the word except for name. I have not been to Zimbabwe, but I do believe its far fetched to come up with such a prophecy. I still believe most Malaysians are fantastic people. Just look at how we handled the Allah issue in January. I bet there were bigots out there waiting for blood -- but you and I didn't bow to them. You and I decided we should not let them win.

Whenever I feel like running away to pick apples in New Zealand, I try to remind myself on how great it is to be a Malaysian woman. I went to school, I got into a public university and managed to secure my first choice course and uni, had a successful career as a reporter for 13 years, and am freelancing on media projects now. I have my own home, drive my own car, and not everyone will agree with me, but I feel pretty safe on my own. I have had opportunities to excel in my career, with offers for promotions, but I turned them down at my own will. I do not support race based opportunities, but guess what, it has made me a stronger person. I had to do extra well at school, at uni, and later at work. Maybe I should thank Malaysia for its policies -- I am who I am today because of a combination of its forward looking and backward policies.

I don't think I am making any sense anymore so I will end this post -- by the way, I love Malaysia more than I hate it :)

My pockets are full, give your crap to someone else

2010-09-30T05:10:00.000-07:00

I promised myself I would blog more regularly, but I broke my promise... again! You can't blame me though -- its been one thing after another. Its been C.R.A.Z.Y. on most days. I have taken on too much, but with reason -- as a freelancer, I need to secure as much income as I can for "drier" months ... like September...I have thousands owed to me from clients who push you but go silent when its time to pay up!

But, I am also learning the hard way that I cannot say yes to everything. Learning to say NO is something I suck at ... note to self: SAY NO!! Especially to "main board public listed, glossy brochure" clients. These are the ones that will make you cut your quotation, but expect you to serve them like kings, and ask you to do things that were not agreed on in the proposal. To them I say this -- My pockets are full, give your crap to someone else! I actually read this on a Facebook status update (thanks SA! Dont sue me ah!).

Friends ask me what its like to freelance. It is liberating, but its far from easy. Yet, I wouldn't trade it for my old high pay stable job at the paper. I cherish the fact that I can see my closest friends without saying "I will come if there is no assignment" or "I hope nothing else will come up after 5pm." And I have my weekends, except of course when I need to finish a project, or when I am helping run a programme.

So how do I end this post? With a pledge that I will have another post in 2 days!

Life Is Fragile

2010-07-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I received a call at about noon on 8th July from the Children's Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS) asking if I could help get a Sony PSP game console for a boy with Leukemia. I was told he did not have much time left, so I got in touch with Dr Ong at the Likas Hospital, who said he will call me back at 5pm to see if the boy has been warded, and to send the game then.

With Haslin's help (good timing, he flew in at 3pm), I managed to get the game console in Centre Point, and we waited till almost 7pm to get some games downloaded, including a Fifa World Cup match. Dr Ong did get back to me to say that Said Abdullah Uksung, 10, has refused to go to hospital, and asked what should we do. I offered to send the game to the boy at his house in Kampung Pulau Gaya.

The next morning, six of us (Haslin, and four from the press) got on a boat at the central market jetty and reached Said's house in 10 minutes. He was asleep -- his dad Uksung Kong said his son was on pain killers. He managed to wake Said up, but perhaps shocked at seeing so many of us, he turned his face away. Eventually, his dad got him to accept the gift -- which he had wished for. Soon, his brother Afizudin joined him, and gave him some pointers on how to use the game console.

We decided to talk to Uksung on the verandah, and when I peeped in, I saw Said Abdullah busy pressing buttons on the game console. Perhaps he was too shy to do so before us. We left after an hour, and managed to wave goodbye. The next day, the story came out in the New Straits Times and Daily Express.

On Sunday, 11th July, at 10am, exactly 48 hours after we met him, Said Abdullah left us. I found out through an SMS from Dr Ong. He had sent the SMS at about 3.30pm, but I was teaching, and only saw it at 5.30pm when I got into my car. I just stayed in my car for the longest time -- unsure what to do. Sent messages out to CWS and to friends who knew I had gone to Pulau Gaya.

Rest in peace, Said Abdullah.

Writers Bloc

2010-06-28T01:55:00.000-07:00

It is odd to be writing about "writers bloc," a condition that means you have no idea how to string sentences together even if you have loads of ideas in your head -- and a table filled with documents to refer to. This is what I am suffering from at this minute -- juggling a book (and another one on the way), and requests that pop up for me to write this and that.

Guess the best remedy is for me to switch my laptop off, make myself a hot drink and watch TV :) No point sitting here trying to write when I cant -- weird though how I managed to write these few sentences in less than five minutes ... hmmmm.... okay, go take that drink NOW!

I say NO to a coal plant in Sabah

2010-06-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I have been busy with a cause -- with some NGOs and concerned individuals, I am asking Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd, the State Government of Sabah and the Malaysian Government to opt for CLEAN and renewable sources of energy for Sabah. We in Sabah are BLESSED with some of the most iconic wildlife and marine resources. Please, we dont need a coal plant.

I took this photo at Kg Sinakut, which is where this 300 megawatt plant will be built. Villagers told me they dont know how much they will get in compensation, and where they will live next or what will happen to their livelihoods. Would you do this to them? Would you?

If you havent signed the petition, do it here at http://nocoalsabah.blogspot.com. And if you want to download postcards to the Prime Minister, do it here at http://postcards2pm.blogspot.com. The postcards were created by Sabah born visual artist Yee I-Lann. Kudos to her.

Power of Words

2010-05-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I was at SJK(C) Chi Hwa in Sandakan last week, and I came across this poster. It had pictures of cooked rice that looked okay, and rice that had gone bad. Before I could ask, the headmistress, Mdm Ooi, explained it to me.

She did an experiment on what she calls the "Power of Words." She placed cooked rice in 3 cans, and covered them. She placed the first can on a table in an area where pupils and teachers pass by frequently, another can in a quiet area, and the third can was kept on the floor, next to a trash bin.

The experiment ran for 10 days. The first can was showered with words of love and kindness. Students and teachers spoke to it saying that it is good, it will do well.

The second can was left in a lonely part of the school, so no one passed it. No one spoke to it. It was left to be.

She instructed students and teachers to say bad things to the third can, placed next to a rubbish bin. So each time someone threw something, they would tell the can that it was useless, that it doesn't deserve anything.

After 10 days, Mdm Ooi opened the 3 cans. The can that was loved had rice that had turned fluffy (like snow) and even smelled sweet. The second can that was left to be was half mouldy. The third can, the one that was cursed, had rice which had turned rotten and smelled very bad.

Her message is simple -- speak kindly to others, and they will bloom.

Earth Day

2010-04-22T01:35:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day, friends! Am sharing with you a photo of a Bajau laut on his boat, not a care in the world, at Pulau Mabul, Semporna. This is one of my most favourite places on the planet... not that I have been to many places!

I fear for this man, and for his people as Malaysia continues to defend using fossil fuels for energy, despite its many commitments at international level to cut emissions. And its many sweet smelling promises to focus on renewable energies and green technologies.

I hope our leaders will start walking their talk ... keeping my fingers, and toes, crossed :)

2010-04-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

Children of the Coral Triangle - Photo credit: Yee I-Lann

A lonely boat at the Coral Triangle - Photo Credit: Yee I-Lann

Map of the Coral Triangle

CLIMATE CHANGE: A REALITY FOR SABAH BY 2050?

* FROM A PRESS RELEASE SENT BY GREEN SURF, A COALITION OF 5 NGOs.

KOTA KINABALU, 11^th April 2010: Rising sea levels and death of corals from warmer waters will cause food sources for coastal communities in the Coral Triangle region, of which Sabah’s east and north coasts are part of, to go down by half in 40 years.

A rapidly changing climate is also projected to cause Sabah, the Philippines and parts of Indonesia to be hit hard by increasingly intense rainfall that alternates with long and severe drought, following change in precipitation and soaring temperatures by 2050.

A summary report that investigated conclusions of over 300 scientific studies and consulted more than 20 experts, said in this “worst case scenario,” millions in the region will be forced to move when they lose homes, food and income.

It also states that dramatic changes are needed on energy use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The report titled “The Coral Triangle and Climate Change: Ecosystems, People and Societies at Risk,” brings together information on the climate, biology, economics, and social dynamics in the region and builds a picture of two possible future scenarios.

In the “worst case scenario,” the world only takes moderate steps to deal with climate change, continues to globalise and is driven purely by economic urgencies.

Strong action on climate change, robust regional and international commitments on environmental concerns and human welfare are integrated with economic goals in the second situation, described as “best case scenario.”

Interestingly, even in the “best case scenario,” availability of protein from fisheries will be reduced by 50 per cent in 2050 compared to present levels, the 34-page report prepared by WWF Australia and the University of Queensland said.

While warming and acidifying seas lead to a steady deterioration of coastal ecosystems in both scenarios, if governments and communities opt for effective management of resources, this will delay their decline, followed by recovery and expansion of ecosystems in the early part of the next century.

Projections from the report are reflective of other findings for Sabah, including a revelation on Wednesday that the mean annual temperature in Kota Kinabalu has gone up by 0.9 degree Celsius since the 1960s, while the biodiversity rich Danum Valley has seen a hike of 0.4 degree Celsius in three decades.

Swansea University’s Professor Dr Rory Walsh who spoke at the Yayasan Sabah organised Borneo International Conference, said annual rainfall in Danum Valley has risen by 19 per cent in the last 11 years, with sharp increases in frequency of large rainstorms in most stations in the state.

“These recent changes appear to conform to some extent with global warming predictions. Although increased rainfall should mean an increase in water resources, it is accompanied by increased year-to-year variability and rise in frequency of dry periods, which may mean increased frequency of water shortages,” Walsh said.

At another seminar this week, it was revealed that montane moth species of Mount Kinabalu, a World Heritage Site, are under threat of extinction due to global warming.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Emeritus Professor in Botany and Biodiversity, Datuk Dr Latiff Mohamad, said studies show that moth species are moving up the mountain because of changes in climate and temperature.

The Coral Triangle that covers parts of or whole of six nations – Malaysia (Sabah), eastern part of Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands – is the richest place on earth in terms of biodiversity.

Though it covers only one per cent of the earth’s surface, it is home to over 30 per cent of the world’s coral reefs and slightly more than a third of the world’s coral reef fish species.

Over 150 million live in the region, including 100 million who stay along coasts, depending on healthy ecosystems that provide food, building materials and support industries like fishing and tourism.

“The rich and unique environmental assets of the Coral Triangle underpin the future economic benefits for the region. Not to take care of these resources could mean losing them.

“In many ways, the choice that leaders of the Coral Triangle countries face is about sustainable economic growth.

“Effective action on climate change and the many stresses that threaten crucial ecosystems will safeguard economies and protect the livelihoods of a vast number of people. That choice should be easy to make,” the report said.

Last May, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak who attended the Coral Triangle Initiative Summit in Indonesia, joined leaders from the region to sign a statement that focused on protecting coral reefs and food security.

Najib also announced the Prime Scientific Sailing Expedition at territorial waters within the Sulu and Sulawesi seas off Sabah to find out potential of what the region has to offer to communities and eco-tourism.

In October last year, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said the 52-day expedition found many untapped resources and new marine species that could create spin-offs.

“We need to reduce haphazard coastal and marine planning practices and instead employ adaptive measures to reduce impacts of multi-hazards caused by climate change and rising sea levels," Ongkili was quoted as saying.

-end

Love, Betrayal and Forgiveness

2010-03-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Can someone tell me what love really is?

And can someone tell me if it is okay to lie in a relationship?

Yet, I forgave.

My New Life

2010-03-21T07:09:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know this, some may not. I left my full time job, the one I had for almost 13 years. There was some ding-dong in between, and now I am officially on six months unpaid leave from the company, during which I was told, I can stay, or leave. Its been a couple of weeks, and I can report that although I am not sure where my next cheque is coming from, I am super happy.

I feel so liberated. I am reclaiming my life. I meet friends. I go for walks at the Likas lake. I do what I want, when I want to. I dont have to report on politicians lying through their teeth anymore. Got so tired of that. I was so afraid that one day I may end up throwing a pen at one of them (my shoe would be an option, but that wouldn't be original).

This photo of my not-so-pretty-feet at blue green waters in Pulau Mabul, Semporna, say it all.

Remembering Hidayah

2010-02-15T04:45:00.000-08:00

Last Christmas, I met an amazing 17-year-old. Nur Hidayah Aziz was suffering from cancer, and had one wish -- to visit Sabah. So she came with help from the Children's Wish Society of Malaysia. It hit me so hard, when she passed away a month later. I wrote this story as a tribute to her. It was published in the New Sunday Times on 7th Feb 2010:

WE wish all the time.

We wish we will win the best lucky draw prize at a party, drive a car we cannot afford, that the weather will stay pleasant when we go out, and that the noisy neighbour will disappear.

Often, it doesn't really matter if our long list of daily wishes come true, because we will just make a new one the next day.

But for children who are terminally ill, and unsure if they will live to see their next birthday, a simple wish can mean the world.

This is why the Children's Wish Society of Malaysia (CWS) is working tirelessly with doctors to find out who needs a birthday cake, a game console, or even a bicycle.

Last month, CWS managed to rope in AirAsia, Promenade Hotel and the Sabah Tourism Board to fly a 17-year-old from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu over the Christmas weekend.

Nur Hidayah Aziz's dream was to visit Sabah, the state she was born in but didn't get to experience because her father was transferred back to the peninsula when she was still a baby.

She got up close with a baby orang utan, snorkelled at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, joined a traditional dance at a seafood restaurant and went home happy.

She wrote about her trip on mynameisdayah.blogspot.com, and accepted some requests on Facebook from new friends in Sabah a few days after reaching home.

Those who were touched by Nur Hidayah's wide smile and bright eyes never thought she would go so quickly. Exactly a month after her Sabah trip, Nur Hidayah succumbed to bone cancer on the night of Jan 26.

Text messages were sent to almost everyone who had met her in the Land Below the Wind.

Tears flowed when CWS vice-president Teoh Teik Hoong posted on Facebook a close-up shot of a smiling Nur Hidayah with an orang utan mug pressed to her cheek.

All I could think of was the hug I gave Nur Hidayah as we said our goodbyes at the Promenade Hotel in Kota Kinabalu.

I told the already frail teenager I would see her again on her next trip, and to take care of herself.

And I remember how determined she was about a trek through a jungle path to see orang utan at Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort.

A walk that usually takes 10 minutes, stretched to almost 30 minutes, but Nur Hidayah never gave up.

Nur Hidayah Aziz getting up close with a baby orang utan at Shangri-La`s Rasa Ria Resort in Tuaran.

After a few steps, she stopped to catch her breath, but encouraged by her mother Misriyah Sulaiman, Teoh and CWS board members Lim Ai Mee and Alan Yip, she pushed on.

When she reached the viewing platform, she sat for about 10 minutes and once she had regained her strength, Nur Hidayah took photos with her pink camera.

"I really enjoyed seeing orang utan in the forest as I've only seen them in books and television," she told me, a few minutes after we returned to the reception area on that steaming hot Sunday afternoon.

Nur Hidayah, who had to drop out in Form Four when she became too weak, was happy that her wish of visiting Sabah had been fulfilled, and it showed through her smile.

Those who helped make Nur Hidayah's dream come true have wiped away their tears.

Inspired by her and others who have passed on, they are now striving even harder so that more children will have a reason to smile despite their pain.

As we keep our fingers crossed today for something that we think will make us happy, let's spare a thought for children who don't have much time left to see their wishes come true.

Doing What's Right

2010-01-25T01:33:00.000-08:00

After much thought, I finally sent in my resignation letter. It was short - I thanked the New Straits Times for the opportunities it has given to me in the more than 12 years I have been with the company. And that was about it. I dont even have a copy. I printed it and sent it off to Kuala Lumpur, with a copy to my boss in KK.

People are asking me why... why this and why that? I dont have answers. I just know that I want to do something new. I am 36, and ready to explore a new chapter. I am not too young, not too old. I only have one life, and I want to live it. I've given the best years of my life to my work. I have done my best at work, and I can hold my head up high as I leave through that door, one last time, next month.

Keeping The Faith

2010-01-16T04:24:00.001-08:00

The New Year and second decade sure started with a bang for Malaysia. Some are saying there is legislation in some states that non-Muslims cannot use "the word" so I will not use "the you-know-which-word-i-am-talking about" word here.

After almost three weeks of debate in the mainstream media and social networks, I have come to some conclusions:

1. The matter has been politicised.

2. I am not surprised I am thinking of migrating.

3. The Government needs to make its stand clear, and stop flip-flopping on things it is saying. There is no use for 1Malaysia if we can't sort this out.

4. I now have to erase a whole list of words from my vocabulary, because according to Malacca, Selangor and Pahang, these words too can't be used. But then again, I am in Sabah, so maybe I cant continue to use them.

5. I would rather see my leaders working hard to figure out how to really get rid of poverty, improve power supply without a coal plant (since we have the intelligence, i hope), reduce corruption levels, churn out more doctors cause we just dont have enough at government hospitals, and focus on coming up with an education system that recognises some children are good in some fields, and others excel in other areas.

Yes, Coal Fires Me Up

2010-01-02T00:25:00.000-08:00

Those who know me will tell you that there is one issue that really riles me up - and that is the federal government's plan to build a coal-fired power plant in eastern Sabah, not too far from where the first rays of the sun hit Borneo island every morning. I wrote this commentary, published in the New Straits Times on 28th December, 2009.

All Fired Up Over Coal Power Plant

IT is never easy to draw the line between development needs and conservation of natural resources that are becoming more scarce by the minute. And nowhere else in Malaysia is this more clear than in Sabah, a Bornean state known not only for its gas, petroleum and timber but also for some of the last remaining pristine rainforests, endemic wildlife and an amazing array of fish and corals.

As Sabah moves forward to improve critical infrastructure like airports, roads and schools, and strives to reduce poverty by bridging regional divide, its leaders also face a dilemma when it comes to striking a balance between development and the ever increasing global urgency to protect the environment.

For the last three months, a proposal to build a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant at Felda Sahabat in Lahad Datu has arguably become the most widely debated issue in Sabah-based dailies, social networks like Facebook and in blogs.

At a recent media retreat, Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) was firm in its argument that a coal-fired plant is the only viable solution for the east coast region that is suffering from constant power outages, although the East-West power grid was commissioned not too long ago "to solve power woes on the east coast".

At the same event, the utility company made its case by saying hydro, solar and biomass-sourced power would not be able to produce the same volume without excessive costs in the short term.

The plant, estimated to cost RM1.7 billion, a hike of a staggering RM400 million compared with the figure given two years ago when the proposal was first made, will import 1.22 million tonnes of coal a year from Kalimantan in Indonesia.

The coal will be transported in 10,000-tonne barges through the Sulawesi and Sulu seas, that form part of a marine eco-region that a recent Malaysian government-funded expedition discovered to have "many untapped resources and new marine species that could help create spin-offs".

The announcement in September by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak caught many by surprise as the Sabah government had on April 2 last year told SESB and Tenaga Nasional Berhad to look for alternative sources of energy.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman was at that time quoted as saying that after weighing the pros and cons, the government had decided to do away with the proposal and not to risk the health and welfare of the communities in the Lahad Datu area.

While a handful of Sabah leaders changed their tune in support of the plant, they might have an uphill task answering how power generated from coal is in line with Malaysia's commitments to the world.

The latest is the pledge at the United Nations Climate Change Conference to cut Malaysia's carbon emissions by 40 per cent compared with 2005 levels, which was applauded by foreign diplomats.

Malaysia, through waters off Sabah's east coast which will be affected by the plant, is part of the Coral Triangle Initiative that is home to 76 per cent of all known coral species and 37 per cent of coral reef fish species, turning it into an important zone for food security.

Locally, Sabah is gaining its footing as a focal point for sustainably-managed forests, carbon offset projects, wildlife and habitat conservation to which some international donors pledge millions every year.

Renowned "Blue Ocean" strategy guru Professor W. Chan Kim, who two months ago spoke before state leaders in Kota Kinabalu, suggested that Sabah take advantage of its large tracts of rainforest and vast natural resources by promoting itself as the "garden for the world".

"Rather than exploit the natural resources God has given us, we need to conserve them and attract the world to us and make more income, raise the people's standard of living and eradicate poverty," Kim had told his audience.

Sabah, which has 1.4 million ha of its land planted with oil palm, also stands to gain from power generated from biomass, fitting into the National Green Technology Policy that clearly states the need to tap into renewable resources.

The government also needs to speed up construction of a 300MW gas-powered plant in Kimanis, as more questions are raised on the government's decision to build a 500km gas pipeline to Petronas' liquefied natural gas plant in Bintulu, Sarawak, eventually feeding it a resource that comes from waters off Sabah.

Green Surf, a coalition of five non-governmental organisations, including World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia, says a coal-fired plant should be "put to rest" as it goes against government commitments.

The coalition also claims that independent power producers in Sabah are running below efficiency, leading to power cuts and that SESB must first solve this issue before even looking at any other options.

"The environment was not a major concern in the past and climate change was not even an issue. Now we know better. So, let's do the right thing for Sabah's future," WWF Malaysia Borneo programme chief technical officer Dr Rahimatsah Amat says.

If Green Surf's signature campaign and citizens writing to the prime minister's 1Malaysia blog expressing their deep concern over the coal-fired plant can be taken as indicators of protest, it is now in the hands of policymakers to walk the talk and do the right thing for Sabah.

A Day in the Life of A Bajau Laut

2009-12-23T03:13:00.000-08:00

A Bajau Laut woman, with two sons in tow, arrives at a jetty
with her catch of fresh slipper lobsters and stingray. She negotiates with
a cook and sells each lobster for RM8. She manages to sell three lobsters.

A dive resort worker showing the freshly caught slipper lobsters.

The negotiation process.

The Bajau Laut are a sea-faring group of people who navigate their way in waters off the east coast of Sabah and southern Philippines. This Bajau Laut woman had just caught slipper lobsters and stingray, and sold some of her catch to a budget dive centre in Mabul Island, just 20 minutes away by boat from world renowned Sipadan Island.

She seemed content after selling her catch, and paddled away.

Return to Penang

2009-12-12T06:19:00.001-08:00

Many years ago, in June 1993, I hopped on a plane to travel to Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang. It was a new phase in my life, and at 19-and-a-half then, I was so excited about going off to university, to take up a degree in Mass Communications. I dare say the four years I spent there were the best in my life. I remember everything: jogs at the lake, long walks under the steaming rays of the sun to the Mass Comm school, typewriters (yes, I am that old!), waiting for friends at the bus stop to go for an outing to Komtar, rude Yellow Bus drivers, yummy food, late night chats and the joy of receiving letters from friends back home.

I returned to Penang a few days ago, and this time, I was there at the invitation of the Mass Comm school, to sit in as a panel member at their International Communication and Environment Conference. 16 years ago, a USM bus picked us up from the Bayan Lepas Airport, this time, a Perdana ferried me to Batu Ferringi for the conference. I met ex-lecturers who didn't recognise me cause I have changed, they say. There was a conference dinner on campus, but it was almost dark by the time we got there. It's changed a lot, I've changed over the years, but the memories remain.

On the last day, I went to Georgetown and the Chowrasta Market to pick up some pickles (jeruk), and the market seemed a lot smaller compared to before. I managed to have some pesembur in Padang Kota Lama, and then I took a Rapid Penang bus back to the hotel. Trust me, the buses have improved a lot! The drivers are so courteous, and buses run on time.

I am glad I had this one chance to return to Penang. Thank you, dear lecturers, for teaching me, thank you Penang and USM for the memories, thank you my friends who made university life the best.

Taking Stock

2009-12-06T03:21:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe its been 3 weeks since my last posting! Been doing this, that, this, that, excuses, excuses, excuses! I am sure you know exactly what I am saying, cause I bet almost everyone is busy with something :)

Three days ago on 3rd December, I celebrated my 36th birthday. On a short flight back from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu that same morning after an assignment, I tried to gather my thoughts on what has happened in the past year, and the many, many years I have lived on this planet with six-and-a-half-billion others. I've had my ups and downs in the past year, some which have left me questioning myself, others which have made me a stronger person.

But there is one thing I have decided on, and which I hope I will stick to: I want to be a better person. By better person, I mean I want to be a better friend, daughter, sister and hopefully citizen. I have to stop getting "angry" and "irritated" at the slightest things, and look at things through a different scope. I have to understand that not everyone will live up to my expectations. Motorists will still drive at 50km per hour on the right lane when I use Tuaran Road to get to work, people won't say thank you, people will tell lies, a friend I was once very close to has her own life now, most flights will have turbulence whether I like it or not, Malaysian public toilets will remain dirty, broadband connection sucks, etc. So instead of getting annoyed at everything, I will let it be. I will take a deep breath and move on. And live for today. Tomorrow is another day, there is no reason to start getting worried about what tomorrow will bring. Its time to be fair to myself.

There are many things I am thankful for. I am not hungry, I don't live in a shack, I have water and electricity supply, a nice car, enough clothes, a chance to travel and a number of awards on my shelf (well, actually they are still in the store room :D). But above all, I have friends and family who have never stopped supporting me. Dad who never fails to tell me how proud he is of me and my siblings, a friend who always gives me a hug each time we meet (its you Zan!), a soul mate who knows when to leave me alone, and when to make me smile.

And as I take stock of life, I hope God blesses you the way I have been blessed :)

Vested Interests

2009-11-15T05:53:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here wondering about people with vested interests, and how they push their agendas. They dont care if what they are doing hurts others in any way. All they care about is filling their own pockets. Or making people close to them rich. "Let the others suffer" is probably their motto.

Then there are those who kiss-ass, or in the words of a colleague "buritokrasi." My colleague, based on his Facebook update, is annoyed that there are people out there who are getting away with murder, and are being rewarded with perks, while he continues to slog.

Familiar?

Coaled-out

2009-11-13T06:11:00.000-08:00

Friends,

Been busy lately with work, and a million other things. One of the many other things I am passionate about right now is the no-to-coal-plant in Sabah issue. I just want to quickly promote http://nocoalsabah.blogspot.com here. Sign the online petition and read more about the Government's plans to build a 300 MW plant on Sabah's east coast.

I also encourage friends to write to the Prime Minister of Malaysia at www.1malaysia.com.my, to give your views on coal.

Thank you :)

Suicidal Plant?

2009-10-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

I listened in to some speakers at a forum on enhancing forest connectivity within the Heart of Borneo, and for the first time, I heard that oil palm is a suicidal crop! Sabah Forestry Department director Datuk Sam Mannan says that oil palm needs people to take care of it, or it dies, as in it commits suicide. Interesting. He says it is for this reason it is better to plant oil palm on degraded land instead of the fire hazard acacia mangium which not only multiplies even without care, but doesn't look too pretty.

Just in case you are wondering, he wasn't telling people to go plant oil palm. He said it in the context of Sabah Foundation's concession area in Benta Wawasan near Tawau, part of which was logged for a pulp and paper mill project in the 1990s. The project didn't materialise, and the place has been left degraded. He says millions can be earned from oil palm and the money can be used to restore other degraded forests, and help fund Sabah Foundation's socio-economic activities like giving out scholarships and building rural hostels. He says he has to deal with the devil sometimes, cause we can't just live on love when talking about conservation.

Finally, 16th Sept

2009-10-19T02:37:00.001-07:00

I received an SMS this morning saying that the Prime Minister made an announcement 16th September will be made a public holiday starting next year, to mark Malaysia Day. My immediate response was "finally, and that it is so overdue."

He may have political reasons for deciding to do this (Sabah and Sarawak are fixed deposits for the BN as the PM himself has said), but whatever his reasons, I hope by marking Malaysia Day my fellow citizens in the peninsula will become more sensitive to how the country was formed.

Malaya gained its independence from the British on 31st August 1957, and six years later in 1963, Sarawak gained its independence sometime in July, and Sabah won its freedom on 31st Aug. Both states were literally countries on their own for a short while, before Malaysia was born on 16th September 1963. Until today, for 46 years, the date was not acknowledged. I am glad it is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

I also hope that eventually, my friends in the peninsula will not ask me how long I will be in Malaysia, the next time I go to KL for a holiday or for training. I feel broken hearted each time that question is asked... and I've answered many times that I've been in Malaysia for more than 30 years. Some quickly apologise and others look bewildered.

Anyway, hoorah for Malaysia Day.

MyKad, My Life

2009-10-10T05:15:00.001-07:00

I spent the last 3 days at a Unicef-sponsored media workshop on "All Rights for All Children" here in Kota Kinabalu. It was an eye-opening workshop, cause though I have written about child rights, or highlighted problems faced by children (both Malaysian and foreign), I didn't realise how important an identity document is.

When I was born, my parents registered my arrival within four days. When I turned 12, I received my "blue IC" as it was known then, and eventually a MyKad. I received my first passport before I became a teenager. I used my identity documents to get into school, university, to get a job, to open bank accounts, to get home and car loans. I never have to worry about my status as a Malaysian.

Now imagine if someone takes away your identity documents from you. Strips you away of this basic right? If it happened to me, I am sure my life would change. There is no way I will be able to travel even to Kuala Lumpur, or move about safely on the very soil where I was born. This is the situation for stateless people in Sabah, and worldwide.

In the case of Sabah, there are two categories of stateless people. Well, actually, I should not put them in "compartments" but just to give you a clear picture.

First, people who are born to parents who are genuinely from this country. There are indigenous people deep in our forests, and at far-flung islands, who remain stateless, simply because their births were never registered, or were registered very late. Under the Sabah Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, when a child is born, he/she must be registered within 42 days. When a baby is registered after 42 days, a birth certificate will still be issued, but it comes with a stamp that states its a "late registration." This document cannot be used to apply for a MyKad, let alone a passport. It is for this reason, the mobile courts system was set up in Sabah and Sarawak about 2 years ago. Today, magistrates travel to remote areas to interview parents, and the community, to make sure that a child with such a document, or no document at all, was born at so-and-so place to so-and-so. The magistrate will validate this information and then, this stateless person can finally apply for a MyKad. It is a good move, and I am glad it is finally happening.

Second, are children of migrants who for economic and political reasons are here in Sabah. Some used to go to school, but a majority are now on the streets. Although Malaysia is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), it has its reservations on several articles, including on non-discrimination. So though the CRC states that ALL children regardless of background have a right to attend school till the age of 12 years, stateless girls and boys are no longer allowed to do so. I remember speaking to a street kid 3 years ago. He had finished primary 5 and was excited about entering primary 6. On his first day, he was told to go home cause of a new directive that says children without documents cant attend school.

I felt so sad when I heard this boy's story, and that of his friends. I am all for education, and for basic rights. It is unfortunate that many of my fellow citizens feel strongly in a bad way about foreigners, and their children. Many say that they take away opportunities and grab jobs. Question: Are they grabbing government jobs, bank jobs, etc? They are doing what locals don't want to do -- toiling under the sun to construct buildings and roads, planting and harvesting oil palm, changing diapers and sweeping floors in our homes, washing dishes in restaurants. They do menial jobs.

But can I blame my fellow citizens? No.

Why? Cause the media here in Sabah pretty much shapes opinion. And what politicians say matters a lot. Last year, the Indonesian government opened a school in Kota Kinabalu to cater to Indonesian children in an effort to educate them and keep them off the streets. I was so disappointed when a prominent leader from a local party stated in newspapers here that it was wrong for us to allow Indonesians to open a school here. And that it is an erosion of "our rights." I dont think this politician knows the definition of rights. This is just one case in point. I wish politicians on both sides of the divide would stop using this issue of foreigners as a point to score in the hearts of voters.

Each time something "bad" happens, everyone is quick to point fingers at foreigners. It was interesting how a reporter remarked today at the workshop that foreigners do cause problems and that they had brutally raped an undergraduate last year. Some of us quickly corrected her. The girl was raped by local men, who have since been jailed for a very long time.

I am not defending foreigners, and I am not condemning locals. What I am saying is everyone is born equal. Some of us do okay, some don't. There are many circumstances that shape us.

Oh and one last thing -- I too am a descendent of a migrant. My late grandfather, Datuk G.S. Kler came to North Borneo as Sabah was known then in the 1920s with his uncle who was in the police force. "Babaji" as I fondly called him, returned to India to get married and brought his bride here. They had seven children, six of whom are still alive today. My father married my mum in India ... ya, so my mum is from India. Point behind this? We are all at some point migrants -- that has always been the way of the world, and will always be.

Storm in My Head

2009-09-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I haven't been in the mood to do much lately. Been feeling sleepy for no reason, even lethargic despite my best efforts to take it easy, eat well and down some vitamins and supplements. Maybe its the weather, or maybe its just me.

I've got this storm raging in my head. So many things to think about. I was counting on something, but it suddenly looks like it might not happen. Will have to look at other options. No idea how sad I am right now.

Then I bought a sofa, with which I have this love-hate relationship. It doesnt look all that great after all. Its not as comfy as the one I "sent away" yesterday. Maybe I was just too attached to my first sofa, the one I had for 9 long years. The one that now lives in a wooden home by the river 100km away. The sofa dilemma made me wonder -- will things always go bad for me? Have I been a bad person? I dont think so. So why me? Then my rock told me, hey, it could be worse ok. God is just throwing you tiny challenges. So don't feel like the universe is against you.

Will try to lift myself out of this dark mood... I promise.

I Know What You Did Last Raya

2009-09-21T01:12:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends,

Selamat Hari Raya 2009 to you. Maaf, Zahir dan Batin.

Its the second day of Raya, and I am sitting here at home, on a cloudy afternoon, wondering what has happened to the Raya I used to love. The Raya in my school days, and in the early part of my working life as a young adult. The Raya that saw me and my closest friends hopping from one home to another to celebrate together. Like a "storm," we gathered strength by picking up friends at different locations after celebrating at their homes. It didn't matter that we had to take the bus (in my school years) and walk under the blazing sun. It was super-fun. I loved pineapple tarts that my friends served me. Most were home- baked cookies back then. I also remember how my friends used to cover their walls with cards they received, including from me. Today, we send SMS and Internet greetings. I admit, I was only able to send one card this year, and even that was by hand. No more lining up at the post office to buy stamps.

Now, we have grown up. Everyone has their own lives to live. Everyone has their own commitments. And there is just way too much to watch on TV, and there's the Internet taking up a chunk of our time. The excitement is gone. Well, at least for me. I pray it hasn't for you.

Please bring my lost Raya back to me ...

Malaysia Day

2009-09-15T23:48:00.000-07:00

Today, 16th September 2009, marks the 46th anniversary of the formation of Malaysia. Back in 1963, Sabah, Sarawak, Malaya and Singapore decided to become one. Singapore, left a couple of years later.

It is a public holiday in Sabah, and most table calendars will tell you its the day the state officially marks the birthday of our Head of State. Some calendars, like my Lat inspired one courtesy of the New Straits Times, mentions that it is also Malaysia Day. I feel sad today is not a national holiday, so that ALL Malaysians can celebrate it. And I must admit, I only found out today that it is not a public holiday in Sarawak. All these years I thought it was a public holiday in both states.

It was very interesting to see the comments on my Facebook page when I wished everyone a Happy Malaysia Day and pointed out it is the day we formed Malaysia, and not the day we "joined" Malaysia as many believe. Some agreed with me, some couldn't understand. Can't blame those who don't understand. Our history was wrongly written. Our text books, or at least when I was in school, made very vague mention of Sabah and Sarawak, and who our leaders were when we gained independence from the British. I knew more of freedom fighters in Malaya, and we were always assured that no one will ask a question on Sabah and Sarawak in the SPM exams.

The Sabah edition of today's The Borneo Post has interesting takes on Malaysia Day, quoting Upko president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, and long time renegade politician Dr Jeffrey Kitingan. Read the story by Sandra Sokial and Mariah Doksil if you have time. Its called "We're only 46 Today." I could not find the online link. Mariah also has an interesting take in her blog. Check it out at http://ladymariah.wordpress.com/

I must also recommend an editorial by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak senior lecturer Dr Jeniri Amir which was published in today's Berita Harian under the title "16 September asas penyatuan Malaysia." (http://www.bharian.com.my/). Let me quote his second last paragraph:

"Sesungguhnya, ketika kita meraikan hari kemerdekaan setiap tahun, kita tidak harus lupa pada 16 September. Tarikh ini tidak harus hanya dikaitkan dengan kegagalan pemimpin pembangkang untuk mengambil alih kerajaan pada tahun lalu."

I personally feel it will be a long, long time before everyone will come to accept that we should do away with 31st August and celebrate on 16th September.

Face of Sabah's Hardcore Poverty

2009-09-12T02:18:00.000-07:00

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.

How I Became Stupid

2009-09-02T01:15:00.000-07:00

I was in KL about 2 weeks ago for an overnight trip, and I borrowed a book called "How I Became Stupid" from my friend Sharon. It was originally written in French by Martin Page and called "Comment Je Suis Devenu Stupide."

I was hooked from Page 1. It is a story about a scholar, Antoine, who wants to get rid of his intelligence. He speaks about how difficult it is to be smart, because you simply start thinking non-stop. You start worrying about the food you eat, the way you live your life (environmental enough or not), etc. You get the picture. The author asks if ignorance is indeed, bliss. Antoine tries everything, including becoming an alcoholic, but fails after he faints from drinking half a glass of beer. Then he tries to kill himself, and fails again. He does all sorts of things. I don't really understand the ending of the book, but I guess it was written the way it was so that you can interpret it yourself. I think he went bananas.

H1N1

2009-08-22T05:51:00.001-07:00

Friends, I was tested positive for H1N1 today. Its a preliminary result based on a throat swab done at the Sabah Medical Centre. Home quarantine for 7 days :(

Update: I am ok now. If you get high fever, which just feels terribly abnormal, horrible body and joint ache, a bad cough, headache and if you start to throw up, go get tested. Try the government hospital first, but in my case, it didnt work when I was "dismissed" at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Was given anti-biotics, panadol, piriton and cough mixture, and told to return if I get worse. Great.

The next morning my sister dragged me to the Sabah Medical Centre. They did a swab and confirmed in less than an hour that I was positive for H1N1, which as of today, has killed 75 people in Malaysia. I was prescribed Tamiflu (10 tablets for five days). The pain went off after a while.

Change

2009-08-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last 3 weeks thinking hard about change. There are many who have been telling me that the change I am talking about is a bad kind of change. Then there are others who understand what I am going through, and are telling me change is good. I've had the same job since I left university more than 12 years ago, and yes, I think its time for change. Some say the only thing constant in life is change. Hmmm.... I decided to google "define: change" and this is an edited version of what I found:

* cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; "The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city"; "The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue"

* an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another; "the change was intended to increase sales"; "this storm is ...

* undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature; "She changed completely as she grew older"; "The weather changed last night"

* a relational difference between states; especially between states before and after some event; "he attributed the change to their marriage"

* become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence; "her mood changes in accordance with the weather"; "The supermarket's selection of vegetables varies according to the season"

* the action of changing something; "the change of government had no impact on the economy"; "his change on abortion cost him the election"

* switch: lay aside, abandon, or leave for another; "switch to a different brand of beer"; "She switched psychiatrists"; "The car changed lanes"

P/s: Yes, its time for change.

Migrants

2009-08-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

As a reporter, especially one who is based in Sabah, I write about immigrants every few months or so. A majority of people here would tell you that immigrants, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia, are a pain. But I don't think like most. I like to look at things through a different eyeglass, and what I feel hardly goes down well with some friends when I bring this matter up.

Migrants are here for many reasons. Unrest at home, as in the case of southern Philippines, poverty, historical ties to communities who live here. I sometimes try to put myself in their situation. What if we have war here? What if I am so poor I can only have one simple meal a day? What if I see people dying around me? Wouldn't I take a tiny boat across raging seas to get a job? Then there are political reasons. I think most Sabahans know what I am talking about.

Like them or not, most foreigners are hardworking. I will bet my last Ringgit that the building you are sitting in now (at least here in Sabah) was built by a foreigner. The roads we drive on are built by foreign workers. Our airports, our ports ... you get the picture. They work hard in restaurants too, and I cant blame employers for hiring them. I often hear complaints that locals quit after a while and so that is why restaurant operators have to hire foreigners. I remember seeing a bunch of local boys fooling around at a restaurant near my office, they just refused to come over to take my order!

I also noticed that you cant find locals who do pedicures and manicures. Only Filipinas are willing to do clean people's toes and fingernails. There is nothing wrong with doing this job, but no, its too beneath some people. It brings in good money. Too bad many dont see that. I see young LOCAL girls and boys, not more than 15 or 16, getting drunk on cheap alcohol every weekend in Asia City and in front of Centre Point. Just last week, one girl was so drunk, she was crawling on the pavement, and when her guy friend pulled her up, she started kissing him right in front of a coffee shop. Makes you wonder.

Then there are (some) politicians who ... well, politicise everything. About a year ago, the Indonesian consulate opened a school in Alam Mesra, Kota Kinabalu, for children of Indonesian nationals. They did not have a choice. Although Malaysia is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, which allows ANY child to go to school until the age of 12, children born to foreign parents are not allowed to, at least here in Sabah. I was amazed when a senior and seasoned politician from Parti Bersatu Sabah made a remark which was published in a local newspaper, that it was not right for the consulate to open a school. That it would erode the rights of locals. Hello? I think it would be better for this politician, and others who think like him, to go into the interior and help local children who dont have the best of education.

You know, I could just go on and on. Actually, this post was only triggered by my irritation at not being able to get anyone to clean my toes. I finally found one at the waterfront, and paid the lady RM35. You guessed it ... she is from the Philippines. And I say a big thank you to her.

Stop Human Trafficking

2009-08-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

I want to share an issue that I worry about -- human trafficking. Children, young women, and even men, are sold daily worldwide, to serve in so many different sectors of the economy. Most of us are probably aware of women getting sold for the sex trade, and children lost in the 'trafficking system," turned into beggars and sex workers. I first heard of men getting sold when I attended a human trafficking workshop a few months back. Men from places like Myanmar are sold and end up on fishing trawlers -- so that you and I will have a steady supply of seafood.

There are 3 stages of trafficking -- first victims are recruited and often promised good jobs overseas, then they are sent to the person who will eventually sell them to other parties, and finally victims will end up abused. A few months back, I interviewed two women from the slums of Manila, in the Philippines. One has 2 children back home and she thought she was going to work in a karaoke joint, serving drinks. Another girl, aged 19, wanted to earn money to go to college so she jumped at the chance of working in Sabah. Both were traded and made to have sex on the day they arrived. The two, with a few others, managed to escape after a couple of weeks when their apartment was raided. The victims I met dont speak Malay and were told by the men holding them that they would be jailed forever if the Malaysian police caught them, so they were scared stiff of running away, as their passports were in the hands of their "owners." Yes, they had become commodities. Girls from remote areas in Sabah, too, end up in the sex trade and boys are made to do hard labour, when they are sold in Singapore and peninsular Malaysia. Usually, they go through bogus job agencies.

I was glad when I passed a Bodyshop outlet in Centre Point today. A "STOP SEX TRAFFICKING OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE" sign in yellow and red screamed at me. I had a closer look, and found that the beauty shop is working with Tenaganita, an NGO dedicated to helping trafficked victims, to create awareness on the problem and to sell a hand cream. Profit from the "Soft Hands Kind Heart Hand Cream" will go to Tenaganita and ECPAT International, a global network of organisations and individuals working together for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking. I think the hand cream costs RM29.90 for a 75 ml pack. I will go get one on the weekend.

Tony Blair in Sabah

2009-08-03T07:59:00.000-07:00

Tony Blair leaving the Sacred

Heart church in Kota Kinabalu

This is when parishioners realised

that Tony Blair was at their church

Excited church-goers greeting

Tony and Cherie Blair.

This is why we need a
camera phone

A moment in church

ON Sunday, 2nd August, 2009, I woke up early because I was told the night before that former British prime minister Mr Tony Blair was going to attend Sunday mass at the Stella Maris church in Tanjung Aru. I reached just before 8am, and after asking around, I found out that he wasn't there. My colleague, Datu Ruslan and I, left after we were sure he was not around.

When we reached our office, we got a tip off that Mr Blair, his wife Mrs Cherie Blair and maybe 2 of their children had just entered the Sacred Heart cathedral, about 5 minutes outside Kota Kinabalu, so we rushed over. And yes, the Blairs were there. The best part parishioners were not aware he was among them. Some thought he looked familiar, others later told us that they thought he was a football star. I wasnt able to speak to him because everything happened too fast, but I want to share the story I wrote, with you:

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair caused a stir at a local church here when he came for mass with his family as part of a private visit to Sabah. Many didn't realise that he was seated at a pew in the middle of the Sacred Heart Catholic church until prayers ended at about 10.20am yesterday, and Blair stood up to leave the hall.

Those who recognised him started shaking his hand, not bothered by body guards who followed Blair closely as he left the church for a multi-purpose van parked just metres away. Some started taking photos with their handphones and others managed to take pictures with him and wife Cherie Blair, as their children disappeared into a vehicle.

Dressed in a black collared t-shirt, white slacks and skin-coloured flip flops, Blair who served as Prime Minister for a decade until 2007, offered a smile to everyone and accomodated a request from a few parishioners who wanted to have their photos taken with him. The excitement lasted less than five minutes before he was whisked away into his waiting van, but church-goers who spoke or shook hands with him lingered on for a while.

Civil servant Christopher Chiu said Blair took his hand when he offered to shake it when they left the hall. "I was so surprised when I saw him because I didn't realise that he was in church. He was so nice to me. "He told me that he liked the cathedral and was glad that many people had come for mass. "He said he is here on a private visit with his family," Chiu, an officer with the Road Transport Department, said.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Liew Vui Keong said he didn't know that the Blair family was sitting behind him. "I saw his wife (Cherie) and I thought that she looked familiar. It is only when I saw the excitement outside that I knew Blair was behind me, and who the lady I saw was. "I didn't manage to speak with him or shake his hand, but I am very happy that he joined us for Sunday service," Liew said.

It is learnt that Blair and his family arrived in Kota Kinabalu close to a week ago for a holiday. Blair is actively involved in charitable events through the Tony Blair Sports Foundation and the Tony Blair Faith Foundation. He is also known for his views on climate change and recently produced a report called "Technology for a Low Carbon Future."

Of Talent and Hardwork

2009-07-31T02:37:00.000-07:00

Something happened today. All I can say here is that no matter how good you are at what you do, it is the people who know how to sweet talk that make it. It hit me hard today. Like a tonne of bricks :(

Friends for the Battered Soul

2009-07-29T01:27:00.000-07:00

(from left) Susan, me, Jocelyn,
Benn, Hui Shim and Chai.

I spent last night giggling, bitching (no prizes if you guess right for what), rolling eyes and making faces. I was with 5 awesome women who have become friends through our work in environmental education.

I realised after I got home how good that two-hour-plus dinner at Secret Recipe in Warisan Square felt. I was rejuvenated, I was smiling, I had a spring in my step. In that precious time, we laughed our pains away, we joked and we probably decided that life is not that bad after all.

Thank you -- Susan, Benn, Hui Shim, Chai and Jocelyn :)

Update: Tonight, I met a different group of friends at the Loft. And had a real fun time too. Cheers to Shan, Melissa, Yolanda and Jeremy :)

If 6 billion people lived in 1 town...

2009-07-28T00:50:00.000-07:00

Fish at Kg Luanti in Ranau. Villagers "harvest"
fish a few times a year, so that there will be
enough fish stock forever. Locally known as the
"tagal" system.

A rafflesia, the world's largest flower. I took
this shot in Poring a year ago.

At 4,095.2 metres, Mount Kinabalu

never fails to awe me.

Cruising for wildlife at the Kinabatangan

river in eastern Sabah.

Sunrise at the Kinabatangan river

in eastern Sabah.

Here's some trivia I want to share with you. I was at a public lecture this morning, and Malaysian Nature Society president Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Noor said something interesting (or at least interesting to me). He asked everyone to imagine if the world's population of 6 billion lived in one town and what the demographic/social status/etc would be like. This is what I managed to jot down:

1. In that town, Asians make up 57%, followed by 21% Europeans, 14% Americans and 8% Africans.

2. There are more women -- 52%.

3. 70% are of coloured skin, and the rest are Caucasians.

4. Just 6% own 59% of wealth in that town.

5. A whopping 80% dont have proper living conditions.

6. Only 1 person has a computer.

7. Only 1 person has higher education.

There were a few more stats, but I couldnt jot them all down fast enough. But what really hit me is how lucky we are, at least here in Malaysia. Anyway, the message that the Tan Sri was trying to drive home was that we are privileged in this country, and that we must do our best to help planet Earth, which is plagued by climate change, biodiversity loss and population growth.

I try to do my part, whenever I can. I dont take plastic bags (unless I really dont have a choice), and I bring along a shopping bag (keep one in your car). I try not to waste. I am not perfect, will never be, but I am doing what I can. The world belongs to us. Lets take responsibility :)

Work for money, or for joy?

2009-07-27T01:14:00.000-07:00

This is the question that has been running over and over like a broken record in a corner of my brain. When I was a child growing up in Kota Kinabalu, I had no idea what work was about. I dont think I ever heard my parents say anything about work, and my aunt who used to work as a reporter, made it sound like loads of fun. Mind you, she worked in the pre-computer days. I remember hearing her type stories late into the night on a tiny, white (I think it was white) typewriter. If she made a mistake, she had to start all over again. And I remember she had this godzilla-sized tape recorder. And yes, I dont think she ever complained.

So I went to university and landed my first job on my last day at campus. I became a reporter, just like my aunt. For the record, my late grandfather was a sports writer. So it runs in the family. Anyway, its now been 12 years, 1 month and 27 days since I filed my first story for the NST. I must admit that it has been an amazing experience. I've had slimy water (thickened with poo, rubbish and I-dont-dare-to-imagine-what-else) splashed at me when a fireman lost control of a hose, I've stood in my heels outside the morgue late at night, I've flown on army helicopters, survived high seas to get a story on seaweed farming in northern Sabah, and plenty of other things. I almost fainted in Danum Valley when I covered a WWF Rhino tracking story two years ago ... because there were just way too many leeches and I panicked. Nine years ago, I burst into tears, again at Danum Valley, when the producer of Eco Challenge told me and my colleagues that there was no food for us, and that meals were only for foreign reporters. The Mark Burnett some of you revere said : "What were you expecting? Wine and cheese?" We walked away, and some kind souls from Telekom Malaysia shared their limited cans of sardines with us.

I've shaken hands with ministers, been to fancy hotels, eaten some of the best foods. On the other end of the extreme, I've seen a mother feed a baby watered down rice because she cant afford to buy milk in a remote part of Sabah. I've seen children walk for miles to get to school, and run away when I offered them sweets. I may not have done much, but every experience has made me a better person.

And yet, today, I am asking myself if I still want to do this. If I stay, how long more can I stay passionate about my job? I see to many reporters who dont have passion for what they do, and I feel sad for them. Maybe I am becoming like them too. I dont know. Yes, money is important, and I thank God for putting a roof over my head and enough to eat every day. But is money everything? Isn't it important to sit by a river when I want? Do my nails when I want? Do what I please when I want?

I pick joy over money.

Do sad songs make you cry?

2009-07-22T20:50:00.000-07:00

I listen to slow songs, filled with rather sad lyrics. Why? I have no idea why. I guess I go for the melody. So, why do people listen to sad songs?

This question came up last week when I was in Kuala Lumpur attending a course. And there were all sorts of answers, or half-answers. Then, a young man (maybe in his early 20s) offered this answer: "Because People Are Sad." It is not so much about the words that he used, but the way he said it. He was so convinced that people are sad. He said it with conviction. He was sure of his answer.

I still dont have an answer for that question. Maybe you know?

Of Native Customary Rights

2009-07-17T21:03:00.000-07:00

The upper Kinabatangan river is used by indigenous
people in central Sabah for transport, washing clothes,
bathing. But many rivers are polluted no thanks to
poison from agriculture dumped into it.

A grandma in central Sabah with her

harvest of tapioca.

I am reproducing a piece I wrote on rights of indigenous people in Malaysia. It was not used by my paper for some reason which I wont state here.

HAVING toiled their ancestral land for generations, growing tropical fruits, leafy green vegetables and hill padi, a group of farmers only have one wish — to become proud owners of land titles.

“We have native customary rights over the land we live and work on, but from what has happened to villagers in other parts of the country, we know that we will not be safe without land titles issued by the government.

“About nine years ago, there was some hope when we were told we will soon get titles. Today, we are still waiting,” said Linus Leo Lansama, the headman of Kampung Kibunut in Penampang, about 45 minutes away from the bustling city of Kota Kinabalu.

The fear of one day being forced to abandon their homes and farms is real not just for the 700 Kadazandusun people at Kampung Kibunut, but also for the millions of indigenous communities worldwide who are often marginalised when governments fail to recognise native traditions and institutions practised before modern laws were written.

In Malaysia alone, indigenous people from more than 80 ethno-linguistic groups make up about 4 million, or some 15 per cent of the population, but are collectively among the poorest in the country following non-recognition of their rights, according to findings of the Indigenous Peoples Network of Malaysia (JOAS).

Now that Malaysia has voted and adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples (UN-DRIP), there is some hope for indigenous people to uphold their rights, although it is at the same time becoming increasingly clear that the road ahead is not going to be smooth.

A recent march by JOAS members to hand a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Istana Negara was stopped half way through by the authorities, and just days later, Orang Asli Affairs Department director-general Mohd Sani Mistam said natives had nothing to do with the event, claiming that they were easily influenced by NGOs “harbouring certain agendas.”

JOAS president Adrian Lasimbang begged to differ on Mohd Sani’s allegation that the march was an attempt by certain parties to hijack the Orang Asli agenda.

Lasimbang pointed out that unlike the department (which only has jurisdiction over indigenous people in peninsula Malaysia), JOAS is made up of and governed by indigenous peoples’ organisations and that non-native people who joined the march had done so with consent.

“We find it insulting that in this day and age the department still thinks of indigenous people as being unable to make up their own minds and that if we are not convinced by the department’s policies, we must be influenced by some other body.

“It is our continuing poverty, bad interpretation of customary rights and international rights are reasons we came up with the memorandum for the King.

“We are asking for Malaysia to implement locally its commitment to UN-DRIP which contains the conditions necessary for a fully developed and secure indigenous community. Indigenous people whether from Sabah, Sarawak or peninsula Malaysia are an integral part of this nation and our issues need to be discussed in public spaces and not swept under the carpet,” Lasimbang who has for many years been involved in working with indigenous people mainly in his homestate of Sabah, said.

One of the requirements of the UN-DRIP is that indigenous people must consent to giving away land which they have rights over, and in the event that they do so, adequate compensation must follow. The same document also states that indigenous people cannot be forced out of their land and territories for relocation programmes without “free, prior and informed consent.”

According to Lasimbang, consulting natives on what they want is important as it empowers them and provides communities with an opportunity to have a say in programmes which governments claim would help eradicate poverty.

“But today, there is a big gap. Native customary land is taken away without consulting indigenous people, who are then told that large plantation schemes are aimed at creating job opportunities for them.

“The indigenous people do not want to become employees on land they have rights over. Once they are not needed, or if the company running a scheme pulls out, they will be jobless and landless. How will this reduce poverty? Sometimes there is a feeling of hopelessness,” he said.

Lasimbang shared that in the case of Sabah, native chiefs were removed from district level land utilisation committee meetings more than a decade ago, proving his point that there was almost no recognition for native customary rights.

Partners of Community Organisations (Pacos) Land Rights programme co-ordinator Galus Atos said he has found that civil servants in charge of land matters in Sabah are ignorant about native customary rights although it is recognised in the state’s Land Ordinance.

Atos said according to the legislation, any indigenous person who has lived on a piece of land for more than three years and has worked on his plot can remain there as provided for under native customary rights.

“In many cases, land is awarded to outsiders and natives end up in police lock ups when they protest. When I bring up the fact that natives have rights over land, staff at district offices are often ignorant that it is provided for in the law.

“I met one villager who travelled the whole day by boat to the Tongod district office (in central Sabah) to check on his land application, only to be told that he will have to come back another day. At that same district, I have seen villagers who have been displaced when land was awarded to plantation companies from outside. These villagers end up at the sides of roads, or they move in with relatives.

“Land is the root of everything. If indigenous people have land, they can work on it and feed their families. When they don’t have land, youths seek jobs in the cities and many end up doing wrong types of work, which then leads to social problems,” Atos said.

Consulting and empowering indigenous people is all that the government now needs to do, meeting its obligation to the UN-DRIP which has entered its second year. Until then, Lansama and other natives will continue to plant crops until their land is pulled from under their feet.

Am Back!

2009-07-11T05:22:00.000-07:00

I am back to blogging (after a failed attempt last year) by force. You see, my sister sent me a message on Facebook minutes ago to say she has set up an account for me in blogspot. Looks like she really wants me to blog, so I wont disappoint her! Thanks Jen :)

I guess for a start, I just want to share how therapeutic virtual farming is. I had a bit of a tiff this afternoon with someone who is way older than me. I turned to Barn Buddy on Facebook and harvested some greens, watered my farm, stole carrots from my friend's farm, helped some of them get rid of weeds and bugs. I honestly felt a lot better after that.