True Partnership

At the end of the day, it is about partnership and collaboration. While many individual or organisations have done an excellent job or performed well in discharging their duties, many have not gone beyond their usual routine simply because of lacking capacity or even ideas or complacency. Hence, smart partnership with others might have changed this limitation of breaking through.


Having said this, at time due to egoism and lack of communication, sincere, workable and equal partnership cannot be formed. Two organisations having strong characteristic and opinion in leadership are always having difficulty to sit down and create a consensus even on common and petty issue.


For partnership to forge ahead and bear result, firstly I think both the partners need to open their mind set and go back to the equal footing first. It is no point of influencing others with own opinion without considering other sides, too are having their priority. However, in most cases, this is what happened at the community level. Negotiation and power play are real at the neighbourhood level. Everyone is trying to impose his/her value onto others and if both are strong in their opinion, then conflict might have occurred. Thereby, agreed to disagree is becoming important and critical.

Partnership is a phrase that everyone is trying to use but it is utmost difficult to achieve if equality and equity is taking into consideration. Leadership that embrace equal and smart partnership is likely the one to achieve desire result and, hence the respect from others.

Well, looking nowadays that people are kept accusing others of foul play and dissatisfaction on issues and proposal brought forward, I am wondered that such thing of smart partnership has been achieved.

Community Service

29th April until 2nd May saw the gathering of 1,400 like-minded people at the LIONS Multiple District 308 Convention in Suntec, Singapore. It is an annual event for electing new leadership and charting the programmes for next fiscal year. It is also a fellowship session to chit chat and share experiences with others on serving the community. As the largest service club in the World, LIONS have been known for their tireless and selfless efforts in serving the underprivileged and unfortunates. Thereby, the gathering also saw those excel in works being recognised and rewarded.

Community service especially on voluntary basis is never an easy task. It is not that difficult to extend our helping hand to the needy, either in cash, kind or passion. The most challenging part to me is getting members to continue and to sustain their energy to serve long term programmes. While many have started an activity well, the activity might have only one off effect and short term gain to the beneficiaries. Some social workers have spoken against the one off activity at welfare homes that will disturb the daily routine of the inmates. It is not uncommon for the inmates to return to their normal life after many days because of excitement created during visits by volunteers. Thereby, it is advisable to have long term project with the welfare homes and it is important too to have schedule visits or activities rather than in piece meal during the festive seasons only.

In order to do so, sustainability in terms of energy, capacity and enthusiasm is critical. While many Lions are passionate of serving, many might have difficulty to stay put longer with a project. Many community services failed because lack of sustaining power or continuity. So, it is important to overcome this challenge by deploying better strategies. Perhaps to synergies and to pool different resources from various stakeholders together for a particular project. It is about smart partnership and sharing of resources.

Innovation in Recycling

Since the inception of Recycling Campaign in Malaysia, we have been told about the 3 colours bins for different type of wastes. However, unless we used to recycled or else we always forget about which colour bin for which type of waste. Having said this, this prototype square bin has managed to implant onto mind of every environmental concerned people especially the children. We are so used to seeing these bins around but time goes by, many people has forgotten about the excitement associated to recycling efforts. We take things for granted that the bins should be there but cannot figure out the reason of having them there permanently.

Definitely some innovation should have been created to further enhance the programme. I was excited to see these recycling bins at the Changi Airport last week en route to my Lions Convention. The bins are designed with specific shape and colours. I think it is easy for many to throw their waste without second thought. I am wondering why can't we have the same innovation?

CSR at Work

I learned a lesson about corporate social responsibility last Thursday. While many corporates have carried on with the CSR programmes for PR purpose and to fulfill minimum requirement on good governance, very few have done with thoughtful and thorough planning. AkzoNobel company proved me wrong.

I have discussion with them over the suggestion of partnering in the River Rehabilitation programme. We are thinking of encouraging community based organisations to adopt the drains and rivers fronting their neighbourhood. The Adoption Scheme involves keeping an eye on the drains, preventing pollutants from the drains, cleanliness and beautification and other activities with community participation. One of the interesting activities was painting mural on the surface of monsoon drain. That's why a meeting was set up with representatives from AkzoNobel to discuss their involvement and contribution.

They mentioned to me the many CSR programmes they have done worldwide. One of the principle strike me the most is their pre-evaluation process in deciding project participation. For example, in order for them to help in the drain adoption project, they will have to send in their Safety, Health and Environmental team for further evaluation. And if they decided to participate, it is not only on kind contribution, but engaging the local to work together with their staff. They will dispatch professional painters to guide local on the proper painting works or even to do in entirely on their own. According to them, they have the duty to educate people on colour and methods of sustaining the painting work. I personally impress with this philosophy of educating people by sharing their experience and know how.

Mega Earth Day 2010

The celebration for 2010 Earth Day was held last weekend at Kota Damansara Community Forest Park, Section 10, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya. The fun-filled Carnival featured a night concert, night forest hiking, mountain bike hiking, kayaking, exhibition booths and sale, children activities and talks. The two-days event managed to attract participation of many youth. And more importantly the many young volunteers helping the organisers. I think it is in the right direction of educating environmental voluntarism at young age. Having said this, the participation of other segments of the society is less desirable. I believe better marketing strategy and promotion drive should be done. The event shall be inclusive and no one should be spare from coming to this last remaining urban forest in Petaling Jaya, more significantly the forest was a target of development 2 years ago. It is time to celebrate the conservation of this nature heritage with announcement of the State Government of Selangor recently. One of the important stakeholders missing from the scene was the aboriginal people who has been displaced and relocated to the modern residential area. I believe by recruiting them and bringing them back closer to the forest will, at least helping to resolve many social problems at their place of living now.

While the exhibition featured NGOs displaying their works and selling of products, it is a pity that not many forthcoming to lender their involvement and contribution. I believe much works need to be done to engage people on contributing towards improving the social cause with environmental flavour.

While the program was an effort of partnership amongst various stakeholders and would not be possible without tireless involvement of them, it was however sad to note that their contribution has not been given proper recognition. No highlight about the contribution by various stakeholders. For sustainable development working, recognition and acknowledgement is very critical. People need to be given words of encouragement and motivation for them to move ahead and perform better. Many people lost interest and sudden death of commitment simply because of lack of motivation.

Let's work together having a more meaningful and inclusive event next year.

Environmental Talk

I was invited to deliver a talk to the parents, teachers and students of Choon Wen Primary School last Friday on environmental issues and challenges. It was attended by about 100 people and ended in 2 and half hours. Apart from showing them the slide, I showed them some documentaries on environmental issues and what actions that can be taken individually or through collective actions. The presentation ended with a quiz and I presume many understood what I have tried to disseminate as most, if not all got the answers right.

I am very impressed with the enthusiasm shown by attendees especially the school authority and parents. The Headmaster spoke about environmental education and initiatives that the school has taken. These include recycling day once a week, campaign on 3R, handicraft making with recyclable items, greenery and planting and etc. I think they are on the right track for the honour of being sustainable school.

Many have shown great interest in learning how to save energy and water resources. One of the interesting thing is many are so passionate of going green, but quite often do not acquire the knowledge and skills of doing it. For example, many are of the view that it is ok for having remote control for electrical appliances such as TV, decoder and air-con but do not realise that it is energy consuming for putting the appliance into stand by mode. Well, perhaps it is for the purpose of convenience.

I am glad of giving the opportunity to share my thought and experience in environmentalism and I hope to do more in time to come.

New Job

Starting 16/4/2010 or at least for the next 2 years, I will no more take charge of Local Agenda 21 Petaling Jaya initiative. I have been seconded to Ministry of Housing and Local Government as the Head for OSC Unit of MBPJ. Well, physically it is still in MBPJ Office, but the scope of works and responsibilities are different. While, formally due to the nature of LA 21 imitative in PJ, I have most of the time deal with NGO and CBO in the field of sustainable development and environmental or social circle. Now, my clientele will mainly the developers, project proponents and consultants who are talking about project viability, from the financial view point.

Perhaps it is such a big challenge now to inculcate value of sustainability amongst this stakeholders as of how to widen their perspective on sustainability. Perhaps, again to sell them the idea of CSR is the way forward.

Although my new job will not give me much opportunity of partnering the NGO and CBO for community development implementation, I am hoping to keep in touch and to try to be involved. It might be tough of sparing the time, but I will try the best.