My Appeal , this 13th Malaysian General Elections / Rayuan Saya untuk Pilihanraya Umum Ke-13 Malaysia (Part 1 / 5)

[English version after Malay version]

Warga Malaysia yang dikasihi, 5 Mei 2013, hari di mana semua pengundi Malaysia akan menentukan pimpinan negara yang seterusnya. Terdapatnya 5 perkara yang kita semua patut teliti dengan sepenuh minda dan hati yang murni apabila kita mengundi pada 5 Mei (505).

Bahagian 1: Kepeliharaan persekitaran untuk generasi akan datang

Himpunan Hijau di Malaysia bermula di Kuatan (Gebeng) apabila kerajaan meluluskan pembangunan kilang pemprosesan nadir bumi terbesar  di dunia. Ahli politik di dalam kerajaan yang meluluskan projek tersebut  telah mengatakan bahawa aktivis dan pembangkang sengaja mempolitikkan isu tersebut walaupun ramai telah menyuarakan kebimbangan pada system pengurusan sisa kilang tersebut.  Ratus dan puluhan ribu orang yang menyertai Himpunan Hijau namum tetap tidak diendahkan oleh ahli politik kerajaan. Sehingga sekarang, rakyat Malaysia masih tidak tahu bagaimanakah sisa radioaktif daripada kilang pemprosesan nadir bumi tersebut diurus melainkan agensi kerajaan yang cuma menjamin bahawa ia adalah selamat.

Pembalakan haram yang berleluasa terutamanya di Sarawak dan Sabah yang berterusan mengugut kesinambungan hutan hujan tropika yang berumur ratusan tahun.

Atas beberapa isu yang dibincangkan sahaja. Apabila kita mengundi pada 5 Mei 2013, ingatlah bahawa kita mempunyai tanggungjawab moral untuk memelihara ciptaan Tuhan dan melindungi persekitaran kita untuk generasi yang akan datang.

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My fellow Malaysian brothers and sisters,  5th May 2013, a day when all Malaysian voters determine the next leadership of our nation. There are 5 issues that we can all ponder on with our mind, heart and conscience when casting our votes this 5th May (505).

Part 1: Preservation of environment for our future generations

The green movement in Malaysia began in Kuantan (Gebeng) when the government approved the development of the world’s largest rare earth refinery plant. Despite the concerns raised by activists especially on the waste management of the plant, politicians in the government have asked the activists and opposition leaders not to politicise the issue. The hundreds to tens of thousands’ residents/ activists’ battle-cry for a greener and safer Malaysia have only fallen to deaf ears of politicians in the ruling coalition. Until now, Malaysians still do not know how the radioactive waste will be managed despite government agencies’ assurance of safety. 

Illegal logging activities have been rampant especially in the Borneo states of Sarawak and Sabah, bleeding our country’s centuries-old tropical rainforest. 

This is just to name a few. When we cast our votes this 5th May 2013, remember that we also have a moral duty to look after God’s creation and safeguard the environment for generations to come.

Vote for the environment

Vote for leaders that preserve the environment

Vote to “Ubah”

Joshua

10 rare pygmy elephants found dead in Borneo

10 rare pygmy elephants found dead in Borneo

This is a poignant picture of a rare asiatic Borneo pygmy elephant calf nudging its' dead mother, who believed to poisoned along with the 13 other dead elephants found in the Malaysian's state of Sabah (Northeastern Borneo)

This distinctive asiatic sub-species pygmy elephant  is recognised in 2003 and is only found in the north-east of Borneo with the majority of concentration in the Malaysian state of Sabah. It is estimated that the wild population stands between 1,500 to 2,000.

Calling and urging the authorities and government to launch full investigations into the dead elephants and the cause of death without fear or favour. Government must act to protect the national treasure and asset by allocating more fund, investing in expertise, supporting research, development policies, gazzets national forests and eventually laws and enforcement.

If the government can spend RM30 Million on the initial setting up a giant panda enclosure to house a pair of giant pandas loaned from China for 10 years. The government should no longer wait for further action to protect its national treasure of flora and fauna.

Joshua

Malaysia 12/1/2013: People's Uprising Rally

Demands:

1. Clean and fair elections

2. Free (Internal Security Act) ISA detainees

3. Strengthen and uphold mother-tongue languages

4. Free education

5. Save national tradition and heritage

6. Save the environment

7. Return oil-royalty to oil-producing states

8. Save FELDA



Lynas' plant waste out of Malaysia OR Lynas Corporation out of Malaysia

December 10, 2012. Four Malaysian Cabinet Ministers responsible directly for the Lynas Rare Earth Refinery Plant:

1) Minister of International Trade and Industry, DS Mustapa Mohamed

2) Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, DSP Dr. Maximus Ongkili

3) Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, DS Douglas Embas

4) Minister of Health, DS Liow Tiong Lai

issues a joint-ministerial statement today instructing Lynas to comply that all residue and by products from the rare earth refinery plant in Kuantan are to be removed out of the country and a failure meet that requirement will result in the revoking of its operating licence.

Therefore, Lynas has no choice but to ship its waste out of Malaysia! All Lynas has to do now is to comply with that condition and provide evidence and a transparent process with independant observers of its waste and by-product removal out of the country.

Any further delay in Lynas' commitment and compliance should warrant an immediate revocation of its operating licence issued by Atomic Energy Licensing  Board (AELB) of Malaysia and an immediate ceasure of its operation.

If AELB fails to take action against Lynas' failure to comply, then I support Democratic Action Party's (DAP) call for an immediate resignation of the four responsible cabinet ministers. In addition to that, Prime Minister must also bear responsibility for appointing four incompetant cabinet ministers.

So, I thank the Government of Malaysia for issuing this "ULTIMATUM" to clear the air once and for all.

So, I am expecting Lynas Plant's waste out of Malaysia OR Lynas out of Malaysia  within a very short period of time and this will convince me and the public of the Barisan Nasional's Goverment's "PROMISE FULFILLED" / "JANJI DITEPATI" campaign.

As for now, it seemed that Lynas Corporation has fail to do enough "homework and study" about investing and setting up the controversial plant in Malaysia. In short, Executive Chairman of Lynas Corporation Nic Curtis should resign for this poor corporate decision that cost the company dearly. Another person that should resign is Lynas Malaysia Managing Director Mashal Ahmad which is reportedly said that residues from Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP) will not be exported as to abide with International Convention that prohibit the export to toxic waste to overseas countries. It shouldn't be any problem of exporting the waste if it is NOT TOXIC as claimed by many citing certain "Independant Scientific Evidences".

The conclusion should be either

The resignation of four Malaysian Cabinet Ministers

@

The resignation of Nic Curtis and Mashal Ahmad

May God's will de done in truth and justice as it is in heaven

Joshua

Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas.

The Lynas Rare Earth Refinaery Plant has been operating since early December 2012 with the Temporary Operating License by the Malaysian Governing agency/ government despite huge public awareness and opposition.

Please watch the exclusive programme "The Stream" above by Al Jazeera and the views between Nic Curtis- Chairman of Lynas Australia and  Tan Bun Teet - Spokeperson for Save Malaysia Stop Lynas Movement in Malaysia. So, this is a fair evaluation and judgement by hearing both sides of the stories straight from the horse' mouth without unnecessary inteference and intepretation from the media.

From the show, we can draw conclusion that Nic-Curtis-Lynas has failed to address to these fundamental issues:

1) The site of the toxic watse produced by the plant in Gebeng, Kuantan- Malaysia? Where will be the final resting place? In Malaysia? in Australia? which country?

2) Why Australia refuses to accept the toxic watse and Malaysia could, if every expert said it is safe?

3) Saying that Malaysia has one of the most stringent enviromental laws and regulations while the actual fact that Malaysia as a developing nation does not take enough significant steps to prevent or mitigate environmental damages in many projects in Malaysia? -A very misleading statement

Therefore, the Malaysian government should not leave any rock or stone unturn in this matter. Government leaders have said that watse from the refinery will be shipped out of Malaysia/ back to Australia/ away from residential area in Malaysia...etc but right until now Lynas makes no accountability and concrete answers to  address that. There are simply too much smoke and fog over this project and the outrages 12 years of Tax Exemption!

If the Malaysian goverment continue to refuse to listen to its own citizens (as it is still), then every Malaysian should exercise their constitutional and democratic rights to change a government that loves the environment of this great Motherland of Malaysia and a government that listen to its people and to safeguard the future of its generation.

Vote for Mother Nature, Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas!

Therefore, fellow Malaysians, we should rise and defend our motherland from being a dumpsite of toxic waste which Australia and other nations refuse. Protect our land which our forefathers had fought with blood and sweat for our generation today.

Rise up, Speak Up, Stand Up, and Vote for MALAYSIA, Vote for PAKATAN RAKYAT. 

Joshua

p/s: I am not trying to politicse the issue or hijack it for the solidarity of the Opposition parties of PKR, PAS or DAP of Malaysia, but we need a government which is committed to protect our Motherland- Malaysia from being a dumpsite of toxic waste which the Australian government and people refused. We simply cannot afford to sacrifice and betray our land and the future generation for the sake of creating 500 jobs and whatever the economical benefits that Malaysia can get out of the 12 Years Tax Free for Lynas. No matter how safe or acceptable the waste can be, if the Australian people do not want it, neither do the Malaysian people.

Animals and moral of the society



A recent talkshow in Singapore about animal welfare has recaptured my attention on the issue. One of the talkshow guests has mentioned about how the moral of the society can be seen in its treatment of the animals around. This statement resembled closely of what I remembered that the great Mahatma Gandhi of India once said "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which animals are treated"  it followed by "I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man."

I believe that a moral status and progress of a society can truly be evaluated by its treatment of the animals, and so does how the society treats its senior citizens and the elderly.

Eventhough I don't go as far as everyone must be vegetarians but I do strongly believe that all animals must be treated well and taken good care of whilst they are living under our care and responsibility.

While pet animal welfare is by far getting the most attention and greatest awareness, farm animal welfare and laboratory animal welfare still have a long to go for some developing nations and societies.

I think I have posted an article in my blog somewhere sometime ago about the correlation of statistics between the numbers of domestic violence and animal abuse. The higher the numbers of animal abuse correlated positively with the number of domestic violence.

Anyway, thats all for now. As human created in the image of God, we shouldn't take for granted and abuse all creatures of God whether big or small.

God bless us and all the He has created :)

Joshua

Rare Earth Refinery Plant in Kuantan, Malaysia

Perhaps Lynas should turn back

— Tay Tian Yan

The Malaysian Insider
February 24, 2012

Feb 24 — I recently met director Tan Chui Mui. She told me she had moved her studio from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

KL is too small in the world of film-making; Beijing is somewhat larger. Tan needs a bigger space to develop her career and fulfil her dreams.

She has won several awards in international film festivals. She is so young and there are lots of potentials she could exploit outside the country.She does come back to her native Kuantan every now and then, not so much for making a movie, but for her hometown.

Lynas Corp plans to set up a massive rare earth refinery plant in Kuantan, and Putrajaya has issued a conditional temporary licence to the Australia-based firm.Waste materials from the processing of rare earth could be radioactive, everyone knows that. Both the Malaysian government and Lynas have reassured the public that necessary precautions would be adopted to ensure zero leakage of radioactive substances. Kuantan residents do not feel assured. They are not willing to stake their health and safety. Tan took the lead in opposing the proposed plant by making a short documentary “Survival Guide in Radioactive Village,” which has been screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival and soon at other film festivals worldwide.

During the Chinese New Year, she organised a candlelight vigil at Teluk Chempedak near Kuantan to protest against the rare earth plant. Despite her age, her powerful resolution and determination have moved the hearts of many. Indeed, the world outside is indefinitely large while her hometown is so small. Just because it is small, and is the one and only, it has to be protected at all costs. Even if the rare earth plant is certified safe, unforeseen circumstances could still happen. And if it does, it could wreak dreadful havoc on the little town.

Australia spans 7.7 million square kilometres. It is the sixth largest landmass in the world and about 20 times bigger than Malaysia, although it only has 22 million inhabitants, fewer than us.

With such a so much land and much of uninhabited, it wouldn’t be hard for Lynas to pick a place to set up a rare earth plant in Australia. In the event of a leakage, the destruction could be contained to minimum. Kuantan is just a small town of about 30km in diameter but inhabited by some 700,000 people who have nowhere to escape if any untoward incident takes place. By choosing Kuantan over Australia and transporting the raw rare earth ore over more than 5,000km across the sea, Lynas will have to incur much higher costs and time. Australians should have a keener business sense than this, I believe.

They definitely do. But they also place their homeland’s safety above monetary gains. To set up a rare earth plant in Australia, Lynas may need to pass the rigid environmental evaluation as well as acceptance from the general public. While Malaysia has proposed that the radioactive waste be transported back to Australia, the same might not be practical as cross border transportation of industrial waste is strictly prohibited under the international law, while Canberra has made it very clear that it will not take back the waste.

Malaysia is neither a rare earth producer nor a major consumer. To make the country a transit point for international rare earth supply will only do Kuantan more harm than good. Perhaps Lynas should turn back and look inward, given the fact that its homeland is blessed with such an enormous land mass. — mysinchew.com

Love plant earth, love its' Creator

For people who believe in God, the Creator of Heavens and earth. Enjoy the youtube clip with sense of thankfulness and awesomeness of God. Love and appreciate what God has created...

For atheists, enjoy the youtube clip and say it out loud that "there is no God, there in no God" for at least 7 times throughout the clip and you'll passed as one of the scientists that say all life on earth is result of the "Big Bang", "Chance" & "Evolution".

That's all for this time. Next time, I will blog about an amazing man of God. Whose faith, spirit and courage will stand the test of time, a person that is close to the heart of God through his faith the thankfulness to God for his life, a great person- Nick Vujicic.

God bless.

Joshua