Monday, September 23, 2013

Ties that bind: Sarawak and Adelaide

Ties that bind: Sarawak and Adelaide


Adelaide has had strong Malaysian ties from its early days – it was, after all, founded by William Light, an illegitimate son of Penang’s founder Francis Light. Some speculate that William’s mother was Siamese or Malay.
One South Australian Premier, Don Dunstan, had a Malaysian wife, and oversaw the establishment of Adelaide and Georgetown as sister cities.
Malaysian-born politician Senator Penny Wong calls Adelaide home.
But there is one connection between Malaysia and the South Australian capital that has increasingly attracted criticism.
The Student Representative Council (SRC) at the University of Adelaide has organized a rally for this Thursday at the institution’s Taib Mahmud Court – a courtyard named after the man who has been Chief Minister of the Malaysian state of Sarawak since 1981.
The SRC is hoping to persuade the University to put more distance between itself and Taib, an alumnus of the University and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from there. He is understood to have donated over half a million dollars to the University.
The SRC, on a Facebook page it has established to promote the campaign, refers to this money as “blood money.”
Taib has been accused by activists of overseeing the destruction of Sarawak’s remaining rainforests. Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called this destruction “probably the biggest environmental crimes of our times.”
Indigenous people whose livelihoods depend on the local environment have especially suffered under Taib’s rule. In 2009, a Cabinet Task Force revealed that women and girls from the Penan tribe had been raped by loggers. It noted the particularly marginalized position of the Penan tribe, and recommended a number of reforms – including increased self-determination for the Penan people – be implemented.
Four years later, none of the rapists have been brought to justice, and little has changed in the way of the lot of the Penan people.
Meanwhile, Taib and his family have continued to amass a fortune overseas – with Adelaide being the so-called “hub” of Taib’s foreign property portfolio (Taib’s family owns the Adelaide Hilton through Sitehost Pty Ltd).
The SRC first passed a resolution calling for the renaming of Taib Mahmud Court in 2011. The next two years saw some behind-the-scenes negotiation on this front, but in 2013, the SRC decided it was time for a new approach, to help demonstrate to the University how unhappy students would be at learning of the University’s links with Taib.
“The SRC felt it had to increase awareness of this issue amongst students first,” said SRC Ethnocultural Officer Yasmin Martin.
“Taib Mahmud Court is a popular rendezvous point, but most people don’t know who Taib Mahmud is – and more importantly, what he’s done.”
A Facebook page was swiftly created, with the assistance of student Lizzie Taylor. Lizzie had a few months earlier travelled to Tasmania, and seen firsthand the destruction that Ta Ann – a company headed by a first cousin of Taib’s which has logged much of the rainforest in Sarawak – was doing there.
Yasmin authored a letter to Vice Chancellor Professor Warren Bebbington asking that Taib’s honorary doctorate be revoked and that the courtyard named for Taib be renamed.
She describes the letter she received in response as “disappointing.”
“The letter cited a ‘written agreement’ as a reason that the courtyard could not be renamed,” said Yasmin.
“It also explained that honorary doctorates were awarded to individuals who had done a service, and since Taib was Chief Minister of Sarawak, it was appropriate for him to be the recipient of one.
“The letter did not address any of our concerns regarding the allegations of corruption and human rights abuses that was listed in the letter I sent.
“The response was basically nothing can be done.
“But I’m not convinced that the University has explored all or any avenues with regards to our requests, and I’m not convinced they take the allegations against Taib seriously.”
Unperturbed, the SRC’s Ethnocultural Department has continued with its campaign in a variety of ways. It has begun collecting videos from students urging the University to dissociate itself from Taib, and posting these videos on its Facebook page.
It also recently organized an event where activist and Sarawak Report founder Claire Rewcastle, who is also the sister-in-law of Brown, Skyped in to talk about her firsthand experiences with Taib’s administration. The event also heard from South Australian state politician Mark Parnell, who has previously called for the University to cut its ties with Taib, as well as Tasmanian environmentalist Jenny Weber.
“The rally on Thursday will go a long way in raising awareness amongst students as to just who their University is honoring,” said Yasmin.
“However, the SRC’s position on the University’s relationship with Taib is clear. We do not feel at all comfortable with Taib using his relationship with the University of Adelaide to establish credibility on the international stage, and we will continue our campaign until that stops.”
Disclosure: Yasmin Martin is related to the author of this piece.
Dahlia Martin is currently doing her PhD on motherhood and Malay Muslim identity at Flinders University.
http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2013/09/18/ties-that-bind-sarawak-and-adelaide/

Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve - Kuala Lumpur

Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve
A rich variety of flora can be found within the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve
The bustling city of Kuala Lumpur has many tall buildings and modern structures. However, many people are not aware that in the heart of the city, a patch of greenery still exists.
In fact, one of Malaysia’s most prominent landmarks, the Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower), is built on top of one of the oldest forest reserves in Malaysia, the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve.
Gazetted in 1906, Bukit Nanas serves as a green lung of Kuala Lumpur and is home to an abundance of flora and fauna unique to the Malaysian tropical rainforest.
Bukit Nanas can be categorised as a heritage for two reasons. Firstly, it is the only remaining patch of tropical rainforest that still stands in the middle of the city.  Secondly, it is one of the oldest permanent forest reserves in the country (it celebrated its Centennial Anniversary in 2006).
The 10.5 hectare forest reserve was also gazetted as a Wildlife Reserve and Bird Sanctuary in 1934 and in 1950 respectively, with a section of about five hectares dedicated as a Virgin Jungle Reserve.
When paying a visit to KL Tower, visitors should include a trip to Bukit Nanas in their itinerary, as it lies just beside the entrance to the tower and requires no admission fee. It offers nature lovers a good opportunity to learn more about the ecology of the local forest. It is also perfect for shutterbugs and photography enthusiasts.
Nature guides are available to explain about the various types of flora and fauna in the jungle reserve. The daily guided tour runs at 11am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm and 4:30pm.
“This jungle helps to cleanse the air within its surrounding environment, and the visitors here are very supportive of preserving the natural ecology,” explained Anthony Paleng, one of the nature guides, whilst guiding a group of visitors to Bukit Nanas.
According to him, a rich variety of flora can be found within the forest reserve, which includes rare herbs, creepers, ferns, climbers and giant bamboo grasses. Huge tropical tree species also occupy the jungle namely meranti, keruing, chengal and pulai.
“All of the trees here have a unique way of surviving in the wild, a bio defense mechanism specific to each species,” he explained further.
Along the trail, there are traces of broken branches, indicating the presence of local monkeys. If you are lucky, you might see the two local species of monkeys that exist in the park, namely the Silvered Langur and the Long-tailed Macaque. Other varieties of fauna include squirrels, snakes and birds.
A camp site is available for nature lovers who wish to pitch a tent and enjoy the lush greenery of the jungle, free of charge.
People who love jogging can also enjoy running through the forest trail, and there is an outdoor obstacle course for those who want to do a little stretching and body lifting.
Visitors to the forest reserve need to take certain precautionary measures during their visit as there are some slopes that are quite steep along the forest trails. It is advisable for visitors to dress casually, ideally sports wear which includes running shoes, as there is a ladder section that could be tricky to navigate.
For more information, please contact:
Anthony Paleng (Nature Guide)   Mobile: 6012-207 1562
Site Office  
Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia  
Lot 240, Bukit Nanas                                                    
Jalan Raja Chulan
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 603-2230 6342
Fax: 603-2292 5667
Web: www.forestry.gov.my

Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower)
The Kuala Lumpur Tower project was completed in 1995, and is used for communication purposes. It features an antenna that reaches 421 m (1,381 ft), which currently makes it the 18th tallest freestanding tower in the world. There are various activities that can be enjoyed by visitors here, which include a scenic view of the city through the observation deck, shopping, visiting the mini zoo, and also enjoying a pony ride. The Kuala Lumpur Tower also organises large-scale events annually such as the KL Tower International Jump Malaysia. KL Tower and Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve are on the KL Hop-on Hop-off city tour route. The KL Hop-on Hop-off city tour covers approximately more than 40 attractions where passengers can hop-on or hop-off the tour bus at any of the 22 designated stops in KL. The bus runs on a 15- to 30-minute interval between 8.30 am until 8.30 pm. For ticket prices and information on the KL Hop-on Hop-off city tour, visit www.myhoponhopoff.com.
Fast Facts
Getting There: The forest reserve is located in front of Jalan Raja Chulan and not far from the Telekom Museum. By car, drive up the hill at KL Tower and pay for the entrance fee and car park; admission to the forest reserve is free. Alternatively, take the Kelana Jaya Line LRT and stop at the Dang Wangi Station, or take the KL monorail and disembark at the Bukit Nanas station. Those who use the Ampang Line LRT need to disembark at the Masjid Jamek LRT station.
Main attractions: The forest trail or “Jejak Rimba” activity on the tropical rainforest can be soothing, as a walk through the sanctuary can be a refreshing change to the fast pace of urban lifestyle.
Other attractions: A large field for camping, a bird watching area, a jogging trail, and a mini herbal park.
Entrance fee: Free of charge
Visiting hours: 7.00am to 6.00pm including weekends and public holidays.

Uncle Bugs : A Malaysian Inventor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZnDuqShHlyk


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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Fifty years of women's activism

Updated: Thursday August 29, 2013 MYT 7:29:51 AM

Fifty years of women's activism

Leading the way: Activists (from left) Datuk Ramani Gurusamy, Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan and Ho Yock Lin shared their experiences of advocating for women.
Leading the way: Activists (from left) Datuk Ramani Gurusamy, Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan and Ho Yock Lin shared their experiences of advocating for women.
The National Council of Women’s Organisations (NCWO) has led the way in raising women’s status in Malaysia.
SHE has achieved many milestones for women’s rights in the past 60 years, but Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan is all too well aware of the work that is still not done, especially among underprivileged groups.
“We have come a long way. But how do we gauge the empowerment of women when we have only touched upper and middle-income women. What about the lower-income group? What have we brought to them?” said Rasammah, 86, who co-founded the National Council of Women’s Organisations (NCWO) 50 years ago.
NCWO is the umbrella organisation, with 125 affiliates, working to raise women’s status in Malaysia. There is just no resting on the laurels for Rasammah, or for the other two women activists at NCWO’s Breakfast with Mentors session recently, held in conjuction with the organisation’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Rasammah, NCWO vice president Datuk Ramani Gurusamy, 72, and All Women’s Action Society (AWAM) president Ho Yock Lin, 58, are all veterans in Malaysia’s feminist movement, and they have worked hard to raise the standard of Malaysian women’s lives – from advocating for equal pay to amending legislation on rape, violence against women and custody rights, to creating awareness of breast cancer.
“In the 1960s, the fights were for bread and butter issues, like equal pay. Then, women became temporary teachers when they got married. They were also not eligible for pension,” recalled Ramani.
Fighting for equal pay for women teachers was “the first real struggle for women in Malaya”, said Rasammah who founded and headed the first Women Teachers Union in 1960. It was only in 1972 that women teachers finally received the same pay as their male peers.
Over the decades, women activists have lobbied to put women’s rights at the forefront of government policies, beginning with the establishment of the Women’s Advisory Council in 1976 to maximise women’s participation in Malaysia’s development.
In 1983, the Secretariat for Women’s Affairs, Hawa, was set up under the Prime Minister’s Department ensure women have equal opportunities, and a National Policy on Women was adopted in 1989. They paved the way for the setting up of the Women’s Ministry in 2001; it was the culmination of many decades of advocating for women’s issues to be integrated into all public policies. These milestones in the women’s movement were documented in NCWO 50 Years Remembered, a book to commemorate NCWO’s 50th Anniversary (pic).
The book commemorating the women's movement in Malaysia.
One of the most important tasks undertaken by activists was in changing legislations that were discriminatory towards women. In 1985, NCWO brought together women’s organisations and identified laws that discriminated against women.
“Amending legislation is a long-drawn process. We worked on reforming laws on rape and domestic violence, custody and guardianship of children, inheritence and property rights. We also lobbied for maternity leave to be extended from 42 days to 60 days, and to 90 days in 2010,” recalled Ramani.
She recounted how women activists networked with their Canadian counterparts to change how rape cases were handled in the 1980s. “We helped set up the first One-Stop Rape Crisis Centre in Hospital Kuala Lumpur in1994, and put together a rape investigation kit. I remember we went to see the Inspector General of Police Tun Hanif Omar to lobby for the setting up of a special unit of women police officers to investigate rape cases, and it was set up in 1986,” said Ramani, who also cited amendments to the Domestic Violence Act which came into effect in 1996 as another important achievement.
Although much has been done in the past 50 years, the three women activists emphasised that so much more needs to be done. Rasammah pointed out there is still not enough women representation in Parliament, or debates focused on women.
“We must not be afraid to fight for change. I grew up questioning institutions and justices, and learnt about women’s rights in the UK where I was studying. I remembered reading about the women’s teachers union activism at that time (1960s),” recalled Ho, who cited how they fought for the age limit for statutuory rape to be raised from below 14 to 16.
At 58, Ho joked that she was the “youngest” at the panel, but the three women activists certainly presented an energetic session to their young audience. Rasammah is feisty and unwavering in her commitment to the women’s cause, and Ramani spoke of how she continues to be motivated to work for marginalised women.
Most importantly, they said there is no standing on the sidelines. “We need young, fresh blood in the women’s movement. We need your excitement, your passion and your commitment. So, prepare yourself to get into the movement. Get the leadership skills you need, and you probably already have them. Get into an organisation. Now, with the Internet, you can see what an organisation is all about. See what are the issues that interest you and get involved. We need you,” said Ramani.
Rasammah said it’s essential to be active in an organisation, even if it’s only for two hours a week, or even a fortnight. They also need men to be involved in the women’s cause, said Ho who cited the success of NCWO’s MenCare campaign which engaged men to encourage women to screen for breast cancer.
For more information on NCWO and for enquiries on its 50th Anniversary book, visit ncwomalaysia.org.my.