Newsgroups: soc.culture.asean
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1992 00:29:28 -0400 
From: Azleena Salleh <as5h+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: The ecosystem and the malays
	<1992Apr13.160938.1494@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Distribution: usa

On 13-Apr-92 in Re: The ecosystem and the m..
user Chong Chow Pin@uxa.cso.u writes:

>The solutions, as I see it are:
> 
>1) phase out logging - replanting will only buy us so much time if the
>   rate of "controlled" logging is still faster than the time the
>   primary forest forms from a bald patch of land(this takes decades or
>   centuries).
> 
>2) Set up national parks like the Taman Negara to gain some tourism
>   revenue to replace the part of the lost income - however, the
>   "orang asli" settlements must not be included as part of the
>   tourism project. They aren't tourist exhibits. If people want
>   to see them, they can hike through miles of forest.
> 
>3) Find substitute for wood(as Azran said)
> 
>4) Lobby in the UN for an environmental protection fund to be set up.
>   This is to SUBSIDIZE(not replace) the lost revenue from logging.
>   This is not exthortion of any sorts - rich, developed countries
>   should bear some responsibilty this after being the main contributor
>   to the environmental fiasco. Bear in mind that it's the people
>   living comfortably who are more likely to be concerned with
>   global warming, acid rain et al than those who are trying to
>   scrape a living in those developing nations.
>   (THIS WILL BE THE HARDEST TO ACHIEVE)
> 
>5) Declare a war on corruption ( WILL BE DIFFICULT TOO )
> 
>  That's all I can think of for now.


>    Chong Chow Pin 
>    University of Illinois
>    email:  cpc30248@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu  

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.