Off Your Car Engine

Do you know that with your car engine on while waiting will cost you RM 0.16 per minute? Do you know that you are polluting the environment unneccessary for generating 0.208 kg CO2 only with 10 minutes of your car engine on? Do you know that 1 liter of petrol or diesel used will generate 2.5 kg CO2? All these are the answers provided for during the launch of the Off Your Engine While Waiting Campaign in the office compound of MBPJ recently.

While we switch on the car engine while waiting for our love one is a common gesture, we have not realised that this very small action is polluting the environment. All bosses are expecting their drivers to switch on the engine and air con waiting for them before they got into their car.

The campaign is commendable as it will be the first time a local authority has initiated such initiative to raise public awareness and also the good cause for carbon emission reduction.

Development

People said development is unstoppable. You are either join in the crowd or be marginalised. Having said this, many of us only consider physical and economy development are the so called development and progress. We are looking at the physical transformation of a place or materialistic as development. We are seldom take into consideration social development as progress development. For example, in the 60s, people knew each others and neighbourhood security is of non issue. Nowadays, high fencing and tight security are there to protect the neighbourhood for the reason of better safety. While we have achieved economically well, we are backward when it comes to social development. So, are we talking about the true meaning of development here. We are at the Catch 22 situation here as society is facing the vicious cycle of development. People rich with friendly and social interaction in the old days are more happier than now that we hardly talk to each others or even know our immediate neighbours. Are we paying the price for so called development?

If the answer is yes, then why should we so eagerly pursuing the development as what we perceived now? I think many are in the loss. People are working hard to feed their family in which they will have to fore go the precise time together with the family. When they have accumulated enough wealth, the relationship between husband and wife or parent and children are not as cordial as we should think of, hence the starting of other social problems such as youth rebellion, drug etc. If we have realised it from the beginning, why should we not prioritising the family and social development first instead of the wealth creation?

In this era of competitiveness and capitalism, no one will dare to risk their chance of not doing well and harder for more wealth. Hence, not many can afford to place family first and economic development later. The game of pursuing development will go on until and unless the nature call for us to go slower or stop. We will only learn the lesson when the time comes, I presume.

Convince

Are you convincing enough? How to convince a person? Obviously it is not that easy to sell your idea and hence getting agreement from others. Convincing cannot be done depending on the appearance of the presenter or his skillful and powerful talk alone. It might work for the short term but as many say you cannot fool a person for long time, you simply cannot rely on these for all the time. A powerful speaker might lead people into believing him, but it will not last unless what he conveyed turn into reality.

To me, convincing means you are able to present the fact, even though how hard it is. Convincing means you are able to turn theories into reality. Convincing means you are able to present the true scene. It is seeing and believing.

Land vs Planning

Land matter and planning design is inseparable. No planning can be done without the land. With the availability of land, it is even more challenging for planning because every single piece of land is unique and different in form, size and character. Land matter and planning design become more complicated when National Land Code, 1965 and Town and Country Planning Act, 1976 are crossed reference. It is logical to confirm on the ultimate use of a piece of land prior to allowing any changes to the land form. If this argument is accepted, then application for planning permission should come first and followed by the land application. However, many have the understanding that since land application will ultimately be referred to and decided by the State Authority, then the final decision is vested with the State Authority rather than the local planning authority. Local Authority by virtue as local planning authority is subjected to decisions and policies made by the State Authority does not spare from this perception of subjecting the final decision on developmental projects to the discretion of the State Authority.

How to make both the processes flowing as efficiently as possible is a big task ahead. Business process re engineering on development either at the planning level or land stage should be looked at thoroughly and comprehensively.

Urban Renewal

When it comes to urban renewal, majority of the people is talking about urban redevelopment in which demolishing the existing buildings and replaced by the new one is the order of the day. Many have either forgotten or conveniently neglected that urban renewal is also included urban rehabilitation and urban regeneration or even refurbishment. Unfortunately this become the case for contest by residents of PJ on the proposed urban renewal plan for Section 51, 51A, 52, 8, part of 7 and 14. More clarifications and explanations are required. Perhaps education programme on town planning is urgently required. For example, for a residential precinct of Section 8, perhaps rehabilitation exercise is good enough. Provision of modern and new infrastructure such as networked pedestrian walkways, community hall, green open space and etc can be prioritised as well as the renovation of existing single storey dwelling house.

When a city has lost its appearance to the stakeholders and its functions to perform effectively and efficiently as a city dropped tremendously, then it is time for some form of urban renewal to take place. It is a process of rejuvenation to embrace the emerging challenges and or to optimise the prospects and opportunities arising from new changes. For example, renewal on the heritage buildings to meet the need of tourists. Similarly, to inject new modern facilities and infrastructure to prevent deterioration of the quality of life and pollution problem in the old town down area.

Ramadan

Social integration is about each others from different background or culture diverse working together or mixing around as one. It is easy to talk about tolerance, harmony, peaceful, understanding, interaction with each other, considerate and etc when dealing with social integration. For sustainability to work effectively, social integration is critical and unavoidable. How can a team of people working together if do not know each others and even yes, but not knowing each other well? If we do not know each others, then how can we work together? How to achieve a common mission if everyone is having their own thinking and agenda?

Thereby social integration is important. Social integration can only attain if everyone respect each others and everyone is treated equally and their own right of speaking out and action is well respected. Of course paying attention to others problems and difficulties as well as cultural differences are of help. It is rather difficult to practice it unless we bring down our own ego and pre-perception on others. For example, we might look down own people in different social class, cultural background, working environment or upbringing simply because we have not making an attempt to know them and to mix with this group of people.

In a Country like Malaysia with various cultural diverse, we should start with knowing and understanding each others' festive celebration. By knowing the origin and meaning of each festive celebration, then only we will realise how to create mutual respect.

Perhaps the month of Ramadhan, prelude to the Ail Fitri Celebration provides us an opportunity to create better understanding and hence enhancing greater social integration. While our Muslim friends will be fasting during the day time, I presume it is okay for non-Muslim to have the meal. Similarly while prayer sessions are on going, it might be good minimise the possibility of disturbance towards the proceeding. While we enjoy the multiple choice of pastry and desserts, we might wish to know the making process and its origin.

Happy Ramadan.