Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

From my limited knowledge of the matter, I agree with Roger that the proposed project should not proceed, at least not until and unless thorough and independent studies have been done by experts on environmental conservation, and only if it is shown to be not harmful.

The Kedah MB did say (and it was reported in the papers though not highlighted) that the proposal is subject to EIA approval. Perhaps he has more faith in the system than I do.

Environmental damage is not confined to any State or any isolated incident. Much destructions have already taken place all over the country in the past 4 blissful decades.

It is good that there is increasing awareness, and augmented willingness to speak up against the authorities.

Though new on the job, this MB deserves to be criticised. But what ought to be criticised, a milliion times more, is that old system that not only he has inherited in his State, but that equally exists in other States.

Change is in order.

Yeo Yang Poh

Long before the West discovered the concept of econogical balance in the late 1970s, Eastern philosophers such as Lao-tse, living an estimated 500 years before Jesus Christ was born, has preached such things, although in the esoteric terms of maintaining ying and yang. In this case, Lao-tse probably meant yang as the creative principle and yin as the receptive principle.

That is why the Eastern approach to development always embraces these basic principles. The Eastern approach goes according to the environment, thus maintaining the ecology. The Western approach attempts to control and even tame the environment, thus irreversibly damaging the ecology.

Even Mao made the same mistake of attempting to control the environment in the 1950s by felling trees all over the China, thereby unconsciously contributing to the excesses that the Great Leap Forward witnessed.

Then there is the contrary story of the "engineer" who tamed the great Chinese river.

Anyhow, do we need such an initiative, bearing in mind what it could do to our water resources and its implications for fellow Malaysians?

Stephen Tan Ban Cheng

I support my very learned Council member's views and would associate myself with the same.

Reproducing his strong sentiments:

This is another sad case when men, motivated by greed, fall into the temptation of money which is the root of all evil without appreciating and preserving the natural environment which is a gift from God.

Equally, it is important that we do not forget that the BN administration these past 50 odd years have also in various States such as Johor, Selangor, Pahang and Perak displaced many Orang Asli communities in the name of "development". Many protests have been lodged against these actions which have detrimentally affected the environment in irreversible ways. And Government-linked companies have further benefited from the timber felled, in the name of "development".

While the Orang Asli have been moved out of the forests in many of these projects or what the Government calls "Rancangan Perumahan", the Orang Asli have lost their sources of income and livelihood while at the same time not given basic amenities such as electricity and water. Is this humane?

There are pending court cases on these matters and while The Kedah MB deserves to be critiqued, the BN State Governments should also assess their actions these past 50 years and now, genuinely protect marginalised communities.

As always, the HRC is more than willing to assist if required. The HRC officially invites all State Governments and all MBs to join us in field trips to the Orang Asli communities, and see the extent of their suffering for some real action be taken to help improve their lives.

Edmund Bon