Flash Back of 2013

Year 2013 is coming to an end now. The year saw a very challenging happenings in everywhere and every sector or every walk of life. We witness the 13th General Election of Malaysia which was the determining factor for the way how any event been handled and targetted for. Everyone was so occupied by the anticipated outcome of any programmes and who the intended target groups are. Achievements were being measured based on visible benefits that people would obtained. Some people labelled these are superficial phenomenum. Things got moving to the normal way only after election, without much politicking. Petaling Jaya City Council welcomed its first Lady Mayor, Alinah Ahmad. The new mayor brought in with her abundance experiences on housing and property development as well as land administration. A hand on city manager, she believes seeing is believing and no taliking but action first. Under her leadership, changing in administration, management style and approaches are under way and improving for higher efficiency in service delivery. Year 2013 also saw the efforts on low carbon green city initiative paid off. The innovative Property Assessment Rebate Scheme which is running on 3rd year was conferred the Green Apples Award by the Green Organisation of UK in mid of June 2013. Apart from that, the rain water harvesting programme implemented by the Council well before by law made its a mandatory requirement won the Green Neighbourhood Award conferred by the Ministry of Urban Well Beings, Housing and Local Government. Both awards brought joys and recognition to those working on it, especially the Low Carbon Green City of Petaling Jaya Task Force. For the first time also, Sustainability Report of Petaling Jaya outlining the achievements of MBPJ in low carbon initiative and sustainable development was published. The Report has been written based on the structure of Low Carbon City Framework as published by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water or KeTTHA. Although in its infant stage of providing reliable information on carbon emission, it is a try to begin with telling people on achievements that later should be carbon-dimensioned and related. The inaugural traning session for operators and teachers of kindergarden and nursery in PJ was also conducted. As low carbon green city initiative's capacity building program, the training has dual purposes, namely promoting the environmental education amongst small kids and secondly to green the building or physical premises of the kindergarden or nursery. It is critical and important since long ago, this target group has been neglected when environmental requirement mattered the most. I have been frequent traveller too throughout the year. Having visited London 3 times, Melbourne and other domestic destination for seminars and conferences. The opportunities given have broadened my perspective, undersanding and knowledge on new emerging trends and challenges as well as serving as a learning curse for the best practices on urbanisation, planning, transportation and etc. OSC has been moving well with higher record of meetings being achieved since the inception of OSC Unit in 2007. The meetings have managed to provide a platform for fruitful and constructive discussion amongst members on proposed development projects. I am looking forward on 2014 when all submissions include the building plans application will be gone online. On the family front of OSC Unit, relationship is cordial and dynamic of the group is always there. Enhancing better relationship and working together as a team would be the way forwards for next year. Certainly I will miss the good memory of 2013.

Localising Regional Transportation Infrastructure Planning

When we talked about transportation infrastructure, we will always say the discussion must be in broader view and macro scale simply because there are traffic from externality and the city cannot control the in and out of vehicles from within and also outside of the city. While there are traffic with origin and destination within the city, there are also traffic generated from the city and go out from the city as well as traffic come from elsewhere by passing the city with destination not within the city. Hence, strategic planning when it comes to transportation infrastructure provision is up most important. However, discussing the transportation planning without referring to local condition is also incomplete as although transportation infrastructure should serve the majority and for the good of national and regional context, the interest of local people should not be compromised without any serious consideration. For example, while the rail line is an important component of public transportation network that will lean modal split of travelling towards non private vehicles, the location of station , routing and beam column as well as the scheduling of construction work should have the input and feedback from the local community. This explained why while strategic planning is important in transport infrastructure provision, at time referral to local sentiments and localized issues is unavoidable. The discussion will be getting more complicated if few infrastructure projects with each other inter-linked and present bigger impact will have to be considered at the same time. This might encourage the possibility of power play and private negotiation in discarding projects that might bring in negative impacts to the particular community. It is definitely not an easy task in crystallizing local and individual project and upscale it to the strategic level.

Power of Change: New Media and New Communities

In the 21st Century, the power of change will be changed tremendously. It is no more a superpower to monopolize the views of others and to dictate what other should do, but rather the community of cyber world will have better say now. The recent turn of event in United States of bombing Syria for example showed that the US Government or even the President without the support of alliance countries and people of America has to think twice and back track from the decision of evading Syria. This power of change is expedite because of the advancement of new media and new community. The social media optimizing the strength of information technology has expedite the way people disseminate information, broadcasting the news, making an informed decision and framing up own opinion towards an issue. There are pros and cons on this. If the information gathered is genuine and trustworthy, then it help to democratize people’s mind and involvement in the society and development process. However, if fault news are circulated without any authenticity checking, then it is a dangerous of creating chaos and conflict. On the other hand, new community away from the community at neighbourhood area is created with the existence of social media. People sharing the same interest or hobby can form their own community or discussion group. Similarly, if a group of people sharing same vision and passionate about doing some common things, they will use social media as a platform for discussion and meeting or even planning an event together without physically attending to a meeting room. How should we call this kind of community? They are definitely different from the community we know of. Traditionally, community are created because everyone is staying in a place, sharing public facilities and services, using same access road and perhaps going to local school or places of worship together. As time pass on, the sense of community spirit inculcated and getting stronger. They will look after the safety and health issues in their living environment. But with the community in cyber space, will they care about surrounding and happening in their living area? Perhaps it is time now for community in neighbourhood area to change, to adopt to the advancement of technology and apply it in the daily routine, communication, planning and monitoring and etc. Perhaps it is time to reshape the planning guidelines to facilitate the application of social media in the community planning. Without that, without doubt in near future, our next generation might be saying that my soul is elsewhere although I am physically belong to this neighbourhood. Certainly, we do not want this from happening.

Equity Washing

Most of the time we heard about green washing. It means corporates or agencies trying to enhance their image of corporate social reponsibility on good environmental practices, but however with very tokenism real action. Most of the time it is a mere public relation exercise. For the first time in a lecture, I heard about equity washing. According to Mr Mitchell Silver, the Chief Planning and Development Officer of City of Raleigh, North Carolina that equity washing refers to an action of treating the marginalised people with justice and fairness, but in actual it is not but merely an exercise to ambush the public and getting the general public into believing that justice has been done. It is happening daily especially with entities that are financially sound and require a good public image. It is also happening because the vulnerable group, or so called beneficiaries cannot afford to say NO them. It is a struggle that the marginalised people has no bargaining power at all, I think.

Need Limit

Need should be quantified and within a set limit. Need cannot be provided unlimited. For example, when we talk about basic need such as water consumption of 165 liter/person/day, we are talking about the habit of average person in the World to fulfill their daily routine include some luxury habits or items. However, if we go about fulfilling biological need for water, it might be able to reduce and below that figure. In Singapore, for instance the average consumption is 156 liter/person/day and nobody claims that their quality of living has been affected. Thereby, need should be quantified and limited under local circumstances. A city pursuing for sustainability should set the need limit in parallel with the sustainability principles and bottom lines. No point of talking about sustainability on social dimension such as political, economy and cultural as highlighted in the Circles of Sustainability under the Global Compact Cities Programmes but sidelined the ecological aspect. As Gandhi once said, the World can fulfill the need of everyone but the not greed of people. A balancing act must be done, and it is long way to go, I believe.

Public Reserved Land for Private Use

Is privately owned social facilities considered as part of the public facilities that are required to be provided for in any property development projects? For example, is the privately managed but Government accredited primary school be counted? While the need for education demand is fulfilled, the school is not opened and accessible to general public, especially if you cannot afford to pay the fees. Similarly, how about the postal service? Since postal service has been privatised and the post offices are establishing in the commercial premises, thus the question is wheather the reserve land for postal service is still required or the agency can have their own property portfolio. It is difficult now to demarcate clearly on the status of facilities or utilities. The reserve of land has to be done based on usage of facilities and not the ownership. If a piece of land has been demarcated for public use, then rightly so the land should be returned to public domain if the land is no more needed for public use. The question of utilities agencies, for example converting their land for other profitable use after discovering that the reserve land is not required any more. For example, the availability of extra land because of building a mechanical sewerage treatment plant in place of oxsidation pond which occupy bigger piece of land.

Cumulative of "Wrongdoings"

When it comes to using public space for own benefit, most of the people will say nothing wrong and presumbly they deserve it. This is rampant in especially house owners turf the road reserve in front of their house for parking their cars or for planting. Some even having the structure or concrete slab over the open drain. It looks like acceptable to the society norm for encroaching onto public space in front of our house or building premises. It is also commonly seen that tyres, drums, chairs or any objects be placed onto the car parking lot in front of shops as a sign of pre-booking of the public facilities, and without any payment. No businessman felt ashame for their doing which is morally wrong. There are business operators placing their products and goods on the corridor and some even blocking the passage. Some traders conducting their business on open space and some pour the waste water or kitchen waste into the drain like what many have done for their house backyard. Many people nail the signboard on trees, hang the poster on lamp post or plant the billboard on any where they like without feeling sorry to the mother earth. All these look like acceptable and can be tolerated. Are not these disconnects with liveable city cumulative negative effects to the discontent of city dwellers? Why are we so angry towards development projects and objecting emotionally? Isn't it good to treat all "wrongdoing" equally?

Hot Day

It was terribly hot and humid for the last few days. Walking on the street under the hot sun is basically unbearable. People said it is the negative impact of global warming, and perhaps the instant effect of carbon dixoside level reaching the 400ppm, first time in human history. Some said it signals the arrival of summer, and it is time for holiday now. What ever you want to call it, personal suffering is on the card now. As individual cannot avoid from the humidity and prefer to keep own self under the shaddy area or in the air-conditioned enclaved area. Shopping centre will see bigger crowd now, but might not be neceesary turned into higher sale volume as many might want to be there enjoying the coldness. People are lazy to go outdoor spending leisure time. All of these, in fact have impact on our living environment. For example, more energy is consumed for air-conditioned. Similarly, usage of utilities and facilities outdoor are not optimised due to lacking of users. Will this change our lifestyle? The answer is definitely YES. Do we have answer to remedy this? YES but require collective actions from all, locally and globally. Shall we do it? YES, and immediately or else today of next year will witness more serious effect on human activities.

400 ppm

If the rate of carbon emission continued, human will be facing the biggest disaster in history within 25 years. Last week carbon emission level recorded 400 ppm at Manua Loa, Hawaii for the first time in human history, a million times faster than expected. When we reach the level of 450 ppm, our iceberg at North pole will melt faster, sea level will accerelate, ecological system will be damaged and the human exsitance is in doubt as temperature will increase 2 degree celcius higher. So, what should we do? I believe many are business as usual as the environmental cost is perceived as too vogue and general. For people who can afford, paying extra for air conditioned electricity bill is a peanut. For those who cannot afford, it is the least they can afford to do but leave it to others for assistance. Unless human comes to common understanding and feel the crisis is real, I presume nothing radical will take place.

Safety

A jogger was killed last week. A pedestrian commuting to bus stop died after snatched. These incidents sound familiar as it appeared in every day news reporting. Is this not serious crime starting from a petty action? Shall this be stop? Obviously, everyone said YES but some parties might have different ideas of approaches and prioprities. Some said crime is about perception. If you feel safe walking on the street, then it is safe. If you are uneasy about a place, even though with bright lighting or within a busy street, you will still think it is unsafe. Some blamed this by saying that feeling about safety at time derived from own account and experience. Some people might felt threaten or not secure because of quiet environment or darkness even though the place is well covered with security features. We always get assurance from the security force that safety of our living environment has improved tremendously. However, many disputed about this statement because many can share their own experience or those stories from their next of kin or friends on accounts that threathen their safety, property or life. Getting both sides to share and agree with each others that safety has improved and the public is free to express, to walk on the street, to enjoy the beauty of parks and public places, to commute to neighbourhood shop and school by walking and cycling is a pleasant journey will require extra efforts and endorsement. In other words, how can we achieve a safe city? Safe City is not a program or slogan, it should be underlying principle inbuild in our neighbourhood that is sustainable and liveable. Residents must be able to live without fear and favour. They should not need to dip into their pocket for paying the private security force. They should not have to patrol their neighbourhood during night time. They should be able to patronise the neighbourhood park, community hall, shops and public places at anytime they wish to. Under the name of social integration, people should be allowed to move freely and mingle around without suspicious arose. I presume much need to be done and until then any action of taking down the gates and guards at neighbourhood area will not be accepted.

Green Aside

Since 20th April 2013, streets, public place, garden and junctions throughout the cities in Malaysia have been decorated with new facade. A facade that is not green, peace or pleasant or even at time danger to the motorists and road users. Many of the road signs have been blocked because the buntings and banners or boards have been erected too close to the signs. Trees and plants are not spared from this. The vegetation have been victimised with too many buntings nail on them. I presume, the notion of loving the trees and protecting our environment has been put aside. Is this our value or we can temporarily shelve our value for bigger picture at the national level? Well, the arguement will go on until 5th May 2013 and repeat again every 5 years. Can we come out with better idea of doing publicity? Pre-requisite is not to damage the hard or soft landscape we have.

Freedom of Choice

Today marks the nomination day of 13th General Election of Malaysia. It is a day political parties presenting their candidates for the choice of people. It is also a starting day for people to listen the candidates' pledge, to read the manifesto and to analyse the candidate with calibre to serve the people, community and nation. The choice is with the people, or in precise the voters. Freedom of choice is the underlying principle of public participation, to whom the public participation forms a major contributing component for sustainable development. We tend to choose things that we familiar and used to without taking an initiative to think further or to try to be more adventurous. This is understood as human nature is very much comfortable with the present life style they have, if they are enjoying it. Some do not like change because they have the fear of changing for worse scenario. Some do not like change because they might have some personal experience. Some do not like change because they have countless interest in not changing. For people to step out from the comfort zone required extra and concerted efforts from those who aspire to bring changes. For those people who aspire for changes will need a lot of courages. If we choose to embrace sustainability, then action must be taken to walk the talk. If we choose to NATO (No Action, Talk Only), then nothing is going to happen and we will have ourselves to blame if our own backyard is getting unsustainable. Whatever it is, the undenying fact is everyone has a choice to choose.

School

After leaving school for more than 20 years, I was back to school again, the primary one. All this possible because of my daugther. She will enrol to Standard One this coming 2nd January 2013. Having a brief visit to the school, I realised that nowasday the students are so lucky with luxury of hard infrastructure. Every classroom is equipped with fans, pa system, LCD projector and big screen. The hall is air-conditioned. The basketball court is covered. The walkway from the main gate to the classroom is covered. However, it comes with a price, I think. The compound is hardly having a green space, let alone the footfield. Most of the available land have been concretised. Perhaps the present planning standard of allocating 30% of school land as green open space shall be amended as well with this current transformation of school buildings layout. Having said this, looking at the size of school bag and many of them having wheel trolley type of bag, I am a bit pity for the small kid. It is definitely of a burden for them to carry. Some, I saw even with the bag touching the ground. Why should they carry so much books and material? Why can't a cabinet allocated to them for storing? Or, better still to have the E-Learning and E-Submission of Home Work? Perhaps with the emerging of digital age, this should be looked into and accepted by the older generation as a way forward. The school is having 3600 pupils and more than 110 teachers. It is a community by itself and functioning from 6am to 6pm every weekday. While it is a place to produce the leaders of future and for the mankind, its' impact on environment is great. It consumes a lot of energy, water, and food as well as generating the waste and carbon. How wonderful if the school can turn into a Zero-Waste Emission establishment, in line with the 3R at source concept. I wish I could contribute towards achieving this objective.

Property Assessment Rate Rebate of PJ 2012

65 out of 71 applicants for assessment rate rebate scheme in Petaling Jaya was rewarded yesterday. They got the rebate ranging from 25% to 100% for doing good towards environment. The Scheme reward house owners that have retrofiting their house with green equipment, application or procurement of green technology products. More importantly the Scheme gave much recognition to the owners for their behavioural change on environment. For example, reduce their consumption on water and electricity usage as well as practicing the recycling concept. It is an easy gesture of getting discount for the prperty tax of your house. For instance, walking for all commuting to work and leisure place. The Scheme has made it easy for all owners regardless of their social status, type of properties or availability of infrastructure.

3R: What is the priority?

3R means reduced, reused and recycled. It is the progressive steps in the effective resource utilisation and waste management. For production line, it is hope of every manufacturers to use less resources but for higher yield and quality products. Of course to have less waste by product. For consumers, of course to consume less means they will have to pay less. Going to this arguement, by right everybody will observe principle of 3R because this will save their pocket and the waste to be managed should be reduced. However, the opposite is recorded as more and more waste are produced in the factories, houses and shops. What happen then? Is that because of economic reason that higher production as demanded by market resulted in more waste as by product? Or because of many technologies used are not resource optimisation friendly? Or because the high income and higher desire in life for the consumers that many of them can afford to spend more? This question will remain to be answered as long as economic, technological and social disparity exist between the rich and poor individual or nation. So, the question of reduced might have slipped away from everyone priority. Then, comes to the reused. Many do not mind to have second hand goods from the junk shops as long as these are useable and presentable. More so, if the valuable items are sourced from antique shops and of course many do not mind to get gorgeous clothes from the film star, I presume. However, if the new items are getting cheaper, then many will not mind to change to new items instead of getting the old items for repair. For example, the electrical home appliances are so affordable now basically nobody would like to keep the old one longer than its life span. For technology savvy people of groups pursuing fashionable items, changing handphones, hand bags, watches, shoes and luxury items are common. This, of course go against the purpose of reused. For producers, reused might not be too friendly to their business core value. That's why I believe many at this functure focusing on recycling because of the agenda as discoursed above. It serves the purpose of collecting the waste and turn into the resources for manufacturing use. It serves the purpose of using the goodness of products first before disposing it. It serves the purpose of producing more. The advantages can go further and more, I believe. For an effective 3R concept to be implemented, to me it comes down, and comes down hard to every individual. It is a matter of personal preference of doing good for the environment, and of course our own pocket. The accusses of not enoungh recycling bins, too cheap the water bill, everyone can afford to fly and buy, neccesity of having this or that and etc might not hold water any more...

Change is A Choice?

Some said changes are unavoidable, whether bad or good. Many will embrace changes if it is for own good and beneficiary. Many will resist from changes if it means affecting their personal interest. For example, I do not mind of working extra time knowing that I will be paid over time. Similarly, getting reward immediately will always attract opportunist and well wishers. Providing aids is, of course the most welcome regardless the social status, occupation and ethnic. However, if conditions are attached such as requiring change to be done, whether big or small will always getting people to think twice. Last week, during my briefing on the assessment rebate scheme for environmental friendly owners, I took the opportunity to talk about the e-assessment campaign, the campaign of asking property owners to agree on not receiving assessment notification from the Council. By doing so, RM 1.44 and 0.29 kg CO2 per bill can be saved per year. Accumulatively, a total of RM 300,000 or 60.5 tonnes CO2 can be saved per year for the whole Petaling Jaya. Although sending bill is not required for under the provision of law and the owners have obligation and responsibility to pay within stipulated time, traditionally this has been practiced since the inception of local authorities’ institution in Malaysia. The residents I spoke to are not willing to forego this "privilege" with the reasoning that without the notification it is always the case of forgotten. They prefer to receive the bill as a form of reminder and proof of payment done. While this view is respected and understood, it also illustrates how difficult to get people to change, to come out from the comfort zone. Nowadays, we witnessed how banks powered over the use of electronic statement for credit card payment in which failing with you will be penalised, how to make it difficult for withdrawing over the counter in which for cash withdrawal less than RM 3000 ATM machine is to be used instead of the counter. Some institutions prefer to provide incentives to customers for transactions using digital platform. For instance, a shopping complex issuing their own loyalty card will charge lower rate for parking and reserve special floor for the card holders. These two approaches, "no choice" or "economic incentive" can evolve changes, if used appropriately. It is only a matter of attitude, I presume.

Professionalism

Professionalism means handling a job with higher code of ethic and technical specification for the optimum return of resources spent. Why are we engaging the expert of doing a specific task that we might not familiar with? This is because we want to ensure that it is done with professional care and worth the money spent. We want to get professional input and advice even though we ourselves might be a professional ourselves because it is always good to have a technical expertise to oversee the project. Further to that, we want to get the best person, best deal, and best work coverage for better return of resources. We always advocate of getting the best person to do the job. So when it comes to preparing and submitting the development layout plan, who is the best person of doing it? Some say the town planners because it was allocated for under the law and by training, planners are trained to do allocation and placement of land use and resources to the optimum level. However, the architect will argue that they can perform equally good or better because they are expert in arranging of building and facilities for better circulation, accessibility and networking. The surveyors by virtue of working with land day in and out claim that they know how to subdivide parcels of land efficiently. All claim they are the best person. For project proponents, they will rate the best person for his ability to deliver with cost effectiveness within the time frame. He might not care about the process of achieving it but rather the outcome that he envisions. For general public, the best person must be the one who safeguard the interest of the community, economically, socially and environmentally. For local authorities, the best person must be the one who come out with a win-win solution that taking care the interest of all parties. The best person must be the one if interest and agenda of the designer, the client, the beneficiaries and the regulator are considered and well managed. Any element of compromising for making good on professionalism is not professional. For example, calculating every inch of open land as green space regardless of its functionality but just for the sake of providing minimum required green land under the guideline, to me is unprofessional. Any designer of fond doing this is not the best person. Project proponents requesting his designer of doing this is not the best person. An authority approving the substandard provision is not the best person. No point of protecting own rice bowl without uplifting the knowledge and skill for performing professional duties and for the greatest benefits of all stakeholders. This is tantamount of asking for compromise in professionalism. Thereby, asking for recognition and entitlement for performing a professional duty is not only a right, but rather a heavy responsibility as well, at least to become the best person.

Green Developer

I attended a meeting discussing the implementation of low carbon cities in Malaysia last week. It was an enlightening experience with the chances of hearing what others have done and also sharing of knowledge and opinion with others on the way forward. One of the particular people impressed me the most must be a young developer with plenty of ideas and actions of going green in his development projects. More than often we hear others of wanting to do it but might not have even started it, but Sam Tan of Ken Property Holding Bhd has so much showcases and good green practices to share. He reckoned that how extra steps and effort have to be taken for enduring green route. His maiden trial was converting an abandoned office project into a service apartment in Bangsar area. The green beginning did not stop there but continue with other development projects having green facade and elements. The green building is not mere compliance of minimum guidelines for being accredited, but a lot of innovation and creative design are incorporated. For example, designing a pathway for flow of natural ventilation in order to reduce capture of hot air and locating space for optimisation in natural lighting are some of the example. Of course, the design has eaten into the bottom line of profit margin. This however does not prevent them to experience with new green ideas and design. Their good gesture was paid back with overwhelming response from the buyers who do not mind to pay extra for getting a green home. After all, in long run, the house buyers are able to save from the green gestures. For example, the pre-installed rain water harvesting tanks will help reduce the water bill. This has obviously brought in new dimension to the property development and construction sector. I wish to have more property developers with such "green and low carbon" features in mind come on board.

Keeping Promise

Practice as you pledged is a famous quote reminding us on fulfilling our promise. We used to promise others on what we would like to do. More than often our words are very promising and convincing that we will not stop until achieving what we have pledged. However, we are also constantly being reminded that saying is easier than done. It is not difficult to promise but keeping the words is tougher. I believe many of us, me includes making many promises, big or small everyday but not all will be carried out. Perhaps 50% out of the total is considered excellent. For example, we promise our boss to complete a task by a date but cannot deliver on time. We told our other half to go back for dinner or to buy some stuff on the way back but are unable to do so. We will always excuse ourselves by saying just forgot. We tell ourselves to be thrift but cannot resist the temptation of buying something while shopping. We promise ourselves not to over eat but unable to do so because it is always good food on the dining table. To some, while this might be a minor promise that will not hurt others or cause big loss and hence is excusable, the habit of doing it very often will lead to other promises being compromise conveniently. Perhaps to impose penalty for non performance of promises will help in reducing the incidence of breaking promise. I attended an assembly last Monday. Every Monday was declared as Green Vegetarian day by the State Government of Selangor. The public agencies pledge to eat vegetables and practice green acts on that particular day. However, the pledge was not fulfilled during the function. Lunch boxes making of polystyrene, containing meat together with plastic bottle of mineral water packed inside the plastic beg were distributed to the attendees. I presume changing behaviour and attitude towards green and sustainable life style still have a long way to go even with the agency leading others in green movement. Well, keeping promise is easier said been done, continuing it is more difficult, I presume.

Privatised Public Area for Cleanliness

I caught two incidence of uncivilised mind set last Sunday. Early morning, while stopping in front of the traffic light, I noticed a driver opened his door and spit on the floor. Later, I saw a girl throwing her used tissue onto the road before hopping into a waiting car. I just wonder if they will do the same if the car was parked inside their house? I afraid not. They will rather using the rubbish bin or wash basin instead of dirtying their own compound. Everyone is protecting their own interest, and in this case the beauty of their private space. Thus I believe the dirty public place we have is not the doing of others, but rather is the doing of all of us, collectively. For example, it is common for people to sweep the leaf onto the external drain. Similarly, for operator of eating outlets to throw food waste at the rubbish chamber.

This showed that perhaps civilisation can be very personal. On one hand we practice high ethic of keeping our own area clean and green, but on the other hand we can be so careless about dirtying public place. The question is why this happen? Why can't we be consistent to ourselves on practicing same code of ethic regardless of for our own sake or for the benefit of others? Why can't we treat the public place as the private place when it comes to cleanliness and greenery? Perhaps it is good to declare privatisation of public place for raising awareness of the people. This might be worked if all inculcate the sense of ownership over public place, or else enforcement might be the only and last resort, I guess.