ENVIRONMENTAL CARE A MORAL DUTY FOR EVERYONE

KOTA KINABALU: Care for the environment should be accepted as a moral duty and commitment of everyone in the community.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Borneo Marine Research Institute director, Professor Dr Saleem Mustafa told the New Sabah Times that the attitudes and values of the people must change towards respect for the environment.

"People should do introspection and understand the implications of their action for the environment," he said.

At the same time, there is also a need to identify and focus more on motivating factors and perspectives for encouraging greater responsibility in the community towards the environment, he said.

"In my opinion, a concerted drive is needed to bring all sections of the society on board in this serious issue at a time when we are facing the worst challenge of our times from climate change," he said.

He also shared several bold steps which he felt could be adopted to encourage members of the public to commit themselves to care for the environment.

The steps including conducting a massive public education programme as well as provide incentives for environmental conservation, especially for those whose livelihood depends on using resources of the environment.

There is also a need for visible actions towards environmental protection that reflect a commitment to save our natural heritage and housing projects reflecting environmental concerns in their plans such as the ‘green lung’, greening of barren lands, mangrove reforestation, control of sedimentation of waterways and so on.

“Another step which needs to be adopted is capping the carbon emissions as far as possible and introducing appropriate carbon offset solutions,” he said.

He added that carbon trading can be considered as carbon offset solution where industries and companies are made to realize their obligations to reducing carbon emissions, financially supporting reforestation and other carbon sequestration avenues, and to invest in research leading to development of technology oriented towards reduction of Carbon Dioxide concentration.

And we also need to introduce urban forestry scheme to cover derelict land areas with trees, he stressed.

“In certain demarcated areas that are devoid of primary rainforest or full-grown trees, the feasibility of growing fruit trees such as mango, guava and so on, and those used in traditional medicine deserves serious consideration. This will provide a social dimension to tree protection. With the high value that products of such trees fetch in the market, the local community would be inclined to save them for economic benefits from sustainable harvest, and that serves the purpose of a carbon sink,” he said.

He added that he was not recommending monoculture or single species culture, but rather mixed cropping, out of the range of forest areas and where there is no tree management activity.

“I am sure when momentum of such a level is generated towards environmental protection, the society as a whole will mobilise towards this goal,” he said enthusiastically.

Michelle Yeoh to star in Suu Kyi film

BANGKOK: Hollywood star Michelle Yeoh is to play the role of Aung San Suu Kyi in a film about the life of Myanmar’s pro-democracy champion.

Yeoh visited the Nobel Peace Prize winner on Monday and spent the whole afternoon at her crumbling lakeside mansion in Yangon, said Nyan Win, a spokesman for Suu Kyi.

Malaysian-born former Bond girl Yeoh has been shooting scenes with French director Luc Besson in Thailand for the production, titled “Dans La Lumiere”, said Wanasiri Morakul, director of the Thailand Film Office.

“The film is about Aung San Suu Kyi. We approved it a long time ago and they have shot in several locations,” said Wanasiri, whose government agency deals with foreign film-makers operating in Thailand.

Suu Kyi was freed last month after seven straight years of house arrest, less than a week after an election that critics said was a charade aimed at preserving military rule behind a civilian facade in Myanmar.

The 65-year-old has won international acclaim for her peaceful resistance in the face of oppression.

In 1990 she led her National League for Democracy (NLD) party to a landslide election win that was never recognised by Myanmar’s military rulers, who have locked her up for most of the past two decades.

Her struggle has come at a high personal cost: her husband, a British academic, died in 1999, and in the final stages of his battle with cancer the junta refused him a visa to see his wife.

Yeoh, 48, a former Miss Malaysia, shot to international fame when she co-starred with Pierce Brosnan in the 1997 James Bond film “Tomorrow Never Dies” as a tough but beautiful Chinese spy.

She then starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” — a Chinese-language martial arts epic that was an international hit — and

“Memoirs of a Geisha” based on the best-selling novel by Arthur Golden.

Besson is best known for films including “Le Grand Bleu”, “Leon” and “The Fifth Element”. -- AFP

FROM PORN TO PARLIAMENT

Anna Arrowsmith, women adult film-maker to be election candidate (surprise, surprise, she’s a Liberal Democrat candidate in the General Election.)

Mrs Arrowsmith, who works in porn under the pseudonym Anna Span, is managing director of adult film company Easy on the Eye.. FULL STORY CLICK HERE

HUTAN SIMPAN DI KENINGAU - PENDUDUK TEMPATAN DIBERIKAN NOTIS KELUAR

Mengulas kepada laporan akhbar Daily Express bertarikh 16hb. March 2010, menunjukkan betapa rapuhnya sikap kemanusiaan di Negara kita. Jabatan Perhutanan Sabah yang sepatutnya menggunakan pendekatan lebih baik ke atas penduduk tempatan di Keningau, bertindak menghalau mereka dengan memberikan notis untuk mengosongkan kawasan hutan simpan walaupun tahu kebanyakan penduduk yang tinggal di kawasan tersebut adalah orang-orang tempatan yang tidak bertanah maupun berpendapatan tetap. Sepatutnya, sebelum memberikan notis kepada mereka yang tinggal di kawasan tersebut, pihak Jabatan Perhutanan Sabah perlu berbincang dengan lebih telus bersama pihak-pihak berkaitan seperti pihak berkuasa tempatan yang lain untuk mendapatkan pandangan ataupun, mendapatkan khidmat nasihat professional (kalau tidak mampu berfikir waras) bagaimana perkara ini dapat ditangani dengan lebih baik tanpa menjejaskan cara hidup penduduk di kawasan tersebut. Sekiranya mereka-mereka ini dihalau, kemanakah dan siapakah yang perlu bertanggungjawab ke atas mereka? sedangkan yang menghalau mereka adalah daripada pihak kerajaan sendiri iaitu Jabatan Perhutanan Sabah. Apa ertinya kita dinamakan sebagai rakyat malaysia yang merdeka jika kita terus ditindas atas nama kuasa.

Dalam perkara ini, Timbalan Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup juga telah meminta supaya Jabatan Perhutanan Sabah memberikan penjelasan kepada penduduk tempatan kenapa perlu kosongkan kawasan hutan simpan tersebut. Sayangnya kenapa hanya penjelasan yang diminta setiap kali rakyat menghadapi masalah? sedangkan tindakan penyelesaian terlalu susah untuk dilakukan. Kalau sekalipun ingin menjaga hutan simpan, rakyatpun perlu dijaga juga. Kalau sekadar memberikan alasan memang mudah. budak berumur 8 tahun pun pandai buat alasan apalagi mereka yang menjawat jawatan tinggi dalam kerajaan. Sudah pasti lagilah banyak alasan. Kalau bekerja seperti ini, siapapun boleh, tidak perlu bersekolah tinggi-tinggi hanya cakap saja lepas itu duduk diam-diam tunggu gaji saja setiap bulan. Cuba fikir baik-baik, di mana rasionalnya hutan tanpa penghuni dan kerajaan ditubuhkan tanpa rakyat.

Sepatutnya sebagai manusia normal harus tahu bagaimana melaksanakan sesuatu peraturan selaras dengan konsep kemanusiaan sejagat. Peraturan-peraturan yang diwujudkan sepatutnya memberikan ruang untuk kita bernafas lega sekurang-kurangnya kita menikmati hidup yang lebih sistematik. Tapi apa sudah jadi..?. Tertindas, teraniaya dan hidup sengsara semakin menjadi-jadi disebabkan terdapat segelintir pegawai dalam kerajaan gila kuasa dan pangkat sehingga lupa asal usul mereka. Tidak berfikir panjang, mereka dengan perasaan berkobar-kobar ingin menunjukkan yang mereka berkuasa telah bertindak secara membabi-buta, dengan tanpa sedikitpun rasa belas kasihan mengarahkan penduduk tempatan keluar daripada kawasan hutan simpan yang telah mereka diami sekian lama, menjadikan episod ini lebih mengerikan. Ke mana dan di manakah mereka ditempatkan selepas diarah keluar, tidak pula diketahui. Yang pastinya mereka ini adalah penduduk tempatan tulin Sabah yang dikategori sebagai Rakyat Malang Malaysia (RMM) yang tidak dijaga sebagaimana kerajaan menjaga hutan simpan di negeri ini. Adakah konsep 1Malaysia RAKYAT DIDAHULUKAN DAN PENCAPAIAN DIUTAMAKAN telah lari daripada visi dan misi yang direncanakan oleh PM kita?.

ALL ENGLAND BADMINTON FINAL RESULTS

Men’s singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Kenichi Tago (Jpn) 21-19, 21-19.

Women’s singles: Tine Rasmussen (Den) bt Wang Yihan (Chn) 21-14, 18-21, 21-19.

Women’s doubles: Du Jing-Yu Yang (Chn) bt Cheng Shu-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) 20-22, 21-16, 21-13.

Mixed doubles: Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) bt Nova Widianto-Lilyana Natsir (Ina) 21-18, 23-25, 21-18.

Chong Wei Sails To The Final

KUALA LUMPUR, March 13 (Bernama) -- World number one men' singles Datuk Lee Chong Wei breezed to the All England badminton championships final, after defeating Peter Gade of Denmark at National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, Saturday.

Lee's rival in the final which will be held on Sunday night will be the winner of the other semifinal clash between Bao Chunlai of China and Tago Kenichi of Japan.
The match between the Chinese and the Japanese will be held later today or early Sunday.

Although the 28-year-old Lee was looking nervous in the early minutes and lost a few points because of unforced errors at the net, the top seed regained his focus and continued to fight smartly.

World number five Gade, however, would not back down so easily. The 33- year-old and former world number one, managed to lead at certain stages.

The battle to final, that lasted 47 minutes, ended up with Lee overcoming the Danish seasoned campaigner and won the semifinal match in straight sets 21-17, 21-14.

Now, that the world number two Lin Dan of China, who was favourite to win the championships is out of the running after losing to his compatriot Bao Chunlai in the quarter-finals, Lee's chance to grab his first ever All England title looks very promising.

Source : BERNAMA

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