TRIPLE HARVEST A YEAR

The global food crisis now is not going to go away anytime soon. In fact we see it will continue to grow if there are no steps taken to arrest the enviromental rape of our planet. Already the arid desserts around the world are ever expanding at astounding rate that threaten these countries' inhabitants. Forest fires are also more frequent and harder to contain due to lack of rainfall in these countries. Now, what can Malaysia do to fight the food crisis in this country?

For one the Federal government must persuade the rice growing states to start triple harvesting of padi and stop all padi planting lands from being turn into commercial or housing estates. The Federal government is giving the agricuture sector a boose with more flexible loans and subsidies. The padi farmers especially must be encourage to use better seeds which are yield more padi and can better withstand pest attacks. New laws can be passed to enable the relevant authorities to take over unproductive or idle agriculture lands and make them productive again. In order to be fully monitor of any changes in padi production in the country, the federal and state government must input into one central computer system, all data on every padi farmers, size of their padi land, their expenditure and income per annum and other important factors. All data must be at least three months updated. More monetary incentives should be given to states to encourage triple padi planting and put in place the relevant machineries to deal with the problems that will arise. For example, more harvesters will be needed and proper mantainance of the padi harvesters due to increased usage.

Satellite photos of the agricultural land and the rainforest of the country should be taken and monitor to prevent illegal logging and destructive development. The satellite photos may be expensive but we must see it in context with the necessity and the current food crisis that will threaten the rakyat in the near future. All these steps, together with existing ones, will enable the government to act effectively to fight the food crisis and prevent it from becoming a disaster.

No government of a country can survive for long if the people are face with a food crisis with no or little hope of a solution.

JUST LET OUR PRECIOUS JUNGLE BE.

After coming under tremendous fire from all sides for his proporsal to log the water catchment reserves in Kedah, the Kedah Menteri Besar has not abandon his ambiton to log the water catchment jungle. From his statement to the press he is just putting the proporsal on the shelve. Which means the proporsal can be put into action again when the situation cools down. Maybe it will be hidden under a different agenda, like farming or livestocks rearing, just like what happened to the Gunung Jerai jungle reserves when the past state government approved a deer rearing project. The only thing that get out of this project are the precious logs, leaving the large tracts of red barren earth which caused soil erosions and floods.
Please do not take it for one second that the rakyat is going to sit back and watch the precious water-giving jungles to be destroyed. The eyes and ears of the rakyat are everywhere and they are looking and listening. JUST LET OUR JUNGLES BE AS IT HAS BEEN FOR MILLENNIUM!

IS THE KEDAH MENTERI BESAR NAIVE?

It is shocking to read the statement by the Kedah Menteri Besar that he is still going ahead to cut the trees in the water catchment areas in the state inspite of many protests including by Sahabat Alam. He is of opinion that he can trust the logging companies and their henchmen who are lobbying the Kedah MB to approve the timber logging concession to their "real masters". .
They say the Devil comes in many forms. Now we see the true characters of the people we voted in and trust to administer the state. The clothes they wear are just to cover up their real selves. Maybe the Kedah MB is an honest and pious man but why is he making these decision? Is the situation of the state fund that bad? How come the previous state government can coup with the existing fund and not resort to logging the state jungle reserves? Perhap the present state government do not know work more effectively and collect all the debts owed to the state, e.g. land taxes, utiltity bills, etc. Perhaps they want to keep the people happy while they help themselves to the state's riches. Maybe not. But still the question is not convincingly answered. Why the need to risk water crisis in future by logging the water catchment areas and why can't the present state fund be increased through more effective management.
Picking grey hairs is much, much easier than logging trees. The grey hairs are on your head and you can supervise the work everyday. Now, as we all know, trees to be log are in deep virgin jungle of the state. The jungle is not only rich in timber but many other precious trees like gaharu, cendana and medicinal trees and plants. The jungle is also home to many wild animals and fishes. These animals and fishes are already being hunted to extinction and they are mostly protected by law.
Kedah MB will have to trust some people to supervise these loggings by the companies appointed. Can he trust them not to fall prey to greed? We are not talking about a few thousands ringgit but hundreds millions of ringgit. The temptation is too much for those people involved, small or big. Again we can look at Kelantan fiasco as the very example. All sorts of reasons and excuses were given to cover up the weaknesses. It is not about learning from Kelantan's mistakes but it is about human weaknesses. The "monetary gain" is too much for any person to resist, no matter how pious they think they are. If the logging companies and their henchmen cannot get to these people directly, they will get them through their relatives, who might not be too concern about helping themselves to the "bait" offered. After all it comes only once in a lifetime and if you don't take it others will. So goes the reasonings of these unrighteous and unprincipled people. After all, who is there all the time to supervise the logging works except the people from the logging companies or those in their pay.
The rakyat can curse all these people to their graves but do these people care? And who will be left to suffer the water crisis? - Our future generation, who will also curse the people who make the decision to allow logging in the water catchment reserves. Because that is all they can do after all the damages have been done and cannot be undone.

KEDAH STATE GOVERNMENT: KEEP OUR TREES!

Keep our trees and prevent our future generation from dying. Why do we need to cut down our jungle for development? Isn't that destroying and not development? Development is not sacrificing our precious trees for short gain development. no amount of re-planting can bring back the jungle that God created for us.

"Harvest" is the term use by these greedy people intend on cutting down the trees to fool the rakyat. Kedah has lost many precious natural resources due to these unscrupulous people who just want to make quick money for themselves at the expense of the people and the enviroment. Look at Gunung Jerai, it now bald of all usable trees and scars of the mountain sides due to soil erosions can be easily seen miles away. The water around Pulau Payar is no more as clear as it is years ago. Even Langkawi Islands are being cut to make way for "development" projects. The seas and rivers in Kedah are polluted by human and industrial waste. Plastics are abound around the seas off Langkawi. What is the Kedah state government doing about it? Nothing yet.

The present Kedah state government must be more responsible and not just go for short term gains on the advice of so-called experts. Look at Kelantan fiasco. The very same reasoning was use to log the water-giving jungle and did the rakyat gain anything? None. The rakyat now have to face water shortages/crisis every day of their lives. Nothing can bring back their lost jungle.

Kedah must never be allowed to follow the same fate. If there is water crisis due to the cutting down the trees in the water catchment areas, the first to suffer will be the padi farmers. Is this what the Kedah state government wants?

EARTH - OUR ONLY PLANET

The world is facing a food crisis and natural disasters are claiming hundreds thousand lives a month all over the world. Some drowned, others died of thirst and hunger and many died due to diseases and poor health care. More people, mostly children, are waiting to join these victims.

When are we going to come to our senses and admit all our wrong doings and try to reverse the damages done to the planet Earth? Instead we see countries playing to the tune of rich industrialists and giving lip service to enviromental causes. Treaties are signed but nothing is getting done or these countries are purposely slow in implementing the treaties. Statistics are meaningless if they are not able to bring changes. What is needed is concerted and effective action to reverse all the damages to our enviroment, not endless talk.

Medias and publicity events can only bring enviromental issues to the people but it the people (you and me) who must take the course of action to stop the rape of our planet Earth. We must care enough to report all the wrong doings we see, no matter how small it is. We, the people, must be the eyes and conscience of the government. After all it is we, the people, who elect the politicians to lead the government.

As people with conscience, we can petition our MPs to bring up enviromental issues more vigorously in Parliament. Write or call them and do our part to bring changes for a cleaner and healthier enviroment for our children. We share this planet Earth with many others and what we do or others do, affect us and our future generation. Earth is our ONLY planet. So where are we to run?

EATEN TO EXTINCTION

Mankind will eat anything that live on this earth just to satisfiy their lust. Conservationists are losing the battle to prevent these creatures from extinction. Governments spend billions, no make that trillions of dollars, for their war toys. But when it comes to saving the very earth we stay on, they seem to be short of funds and shy away from passing stricter laws to prevent more destruction of this planet. Politicians give lip service to get votes. NGOs are left to fend for themselves and very few are independent monetarily to go beyond self administeration. Their programmes are just on papers and little else, and will remain so until we open our eyes and take upon ourselve to make change happen.

Small action on every body's part will go a long way. We may think we are too insignificant to make any effect. But if each of us do our part to protect the enviroment and our fast dwindling animal species, the multiplier effect will be able to check the rot. All that is needed is our willingness to act for change.

As an example, if you are to plan a company dinner, make sure to go through the menu. If you see shark fin soup on the menu, you can ask for substitution with something else. Imagine the thousands of people doing the same. At the very least, you can go to sleep with a clear conscience. Next time, you write to your MPs to bring this up in Parliament! - No shark fin soup on the menu at all functions including government functions. You won't die by not eating shark fin soup, but the sharks sure will.

GET RID OF THE LITTER BUGS!

Last Monday I stopped at my favourite 7-Eleven for my morning papers. This is my daily routine after sending my daughter to her office. I parked my MYVi just in front of the shop and was about to put my leg out when this dark coloured MPV turned into the space beside me, nearly knocking into my car door! As I was still sitting inside the car, there is no way for me to see clearly the driver, but noticed it was a young man in his early 20s.

After buying my papers, and just when I was about to open the glass door, I saw the sama young driver cleaning the inside of his MPV. He was throwing all sort of rubbish onto the road without blinking an eye even after I gave him a killer stare. He could have thrown all those rubbish into the rubbish bin which was only 2 meters away. Now you ask yourself what sort of education did he received and what did his parents taught him.

Repeat this scene at our many beaches, recreational areas, sporting events, onboard ships/yatchs/boats and so on. Do you see these litter bugs? Or are you one of them? Litter bugs come from all social and educational background. Businessmen, housewives, professionals, students, hawkers, politicians (yes, they do throw cigarette butts all over), and even the wbloggers! Why, you ask, do these people litter? Are they doing it unknowingly that their action will cause pollution to the enviroment? No, these ugly people litter because they are arrogant! In their mind it is alright to throw all those plastic wrappers, pvc, tin cans, old furniture, tyres, pots,and what have you, because somebody will be cleaning up after them! The government will pay someone to have the litters clean up. No problem what! Do these maggots care? No, they don't! Because they are ugly, fat, ugly,thin, ugly,short, ugly, tall, ugly maggots lah.