From: aq668@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Candy Lee)
Subject: Re: The ecosystem and the malays
Reply-To: aq668@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Candy Lee)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 92 05:37:06 GMT


In a previous article, as5h+@andrew.cmu.edu (Azleena Salleh) says:

>Good  list there, but I think we can do better.  A lot of wonderful
>suggestions get stamped out by the reality of bureacracy and politics.
>If there was enough public pressure for action, the process might just
>run a lot smoother.  I think that public  awareness  is a vital factor
>to complement government actions, and  I noticed that there hasn't been
>enough attention given to the need of environmental awareness among the
>Malaysian public, in schools and in offices.   Look at the society here
>... just a decade ago, recycling bins were just about never heard of. 
>And yet now, God forbid if there isn't a recycling bin within reach in
>every corridor, and at every entrance/exit, at fairs and at formal
>functions.  It's amazing how much power the special-interest groups in
>the US weilds.  And where the public goes, the consumer-good 
>manufacturers are not far behind... what with the bio-degradable laundry
>detergent containers, and environmentally friendly shampoo... good
>grief, there's only so much the consumers can swallow!
>
>But anyway, back in Malaysia, we still have a long way to go.  Yes, it's
>a remarkable thing they've done, making this the year for Recycling. 
>But if what I saw of Malaysia last summer was much of an indication of
>the local mentality,  it's going to take more than a year to make a
>significant difference.  My family and I would get so heated up over
>seeing litter by the roadside, but what could we do?  If we picked it
>up, there would be more tomorrow. It's a state of mind.  Even in the
>Forest Research Institute of M'sia, in Kepong, people would come from
>neighbouring polluted residential areas to admire the pristine beauty of
>our heritage, and then they would leave behind their trash scattered
>along the roadsides and under the trees.  It's disgraceful!  
>
>What we need is to instill a pride within the people for our
>neighbourhoods, our parks and our forests.  It's wonderful that still
>many people (those who are lucky to have inherited it or to afford it)
>keep kebuns of their own, and plant fruit trees.  Our country has been
>blessed with such a rich array of plants that we can even enjoy all
>throughout the year. But our society hasn't had much in terms of
>cleanliness  passed to our current generation.   
>
>I don't think it will be easy to get people to give up throwing plastic
>bags out of car windows and strewing plastic wrappers and empty drink
>cartons in the longkangs.  After all, isn't it so much more convenient
>leaving litter in a drain or a by the roadside, than having to break out
>in a sweat walking to the nearest tong sampah 10 feet away?  Ah, well.
>The 'tidak apa' attitude revisited.
>
>-azleena salleh
>carnegie mellon univ.
>pittsburgh, PA.
> 
>


A HEFTY fine should do the trick..if not, throw in some jail term.
I agree with Azleena that rubbish is strewn everywhere in the
streets, longkang etc etc. Some TIDAK BOLEH BUANG SAMPAH DISINI
signs had a mountain of rubbish just under it. I think that
educating the public is a good measure but using game theory,
only threats will induce some actions. 

Another thing...I just cannot believe those bas kilangs running
all over with their smoke as thick as ^&*^&$%^(undescribable).
Sometimes I wish I had the power to haul these dudes up and
give the owners a hefty fine!!! Tis good that unleaded fuel are
currently being introduced in Malaysia but GET THOSE BAS KILANGS
and then we talk!!! BTW who has the power to haul up these people anyway?
Does anyone know?

That's all for now...800am class tomorrow.
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