by Young Malaysian
Aliran Monthly Vol 25 (2005): Issue 2

	When we don�t plan, everything goes. And what goes is the enivironment: trees, rivers, hills, and animals. Young Malaysian

Today, we are facing a very critical situation. We have droughts, our water resources are depleting and we have to put up with the recurrent haze. The scorching weather is sparking forest fires, which in turn produce haze. We may be able to put up with the haze but what about our depleting water resources? Where are we going to get sufficient water to put out the forest fires?

Well, do you know why this is happening? I believe there are two main reasons for this environment crisis: the economics of greed and the politics of power.

Many of us would like to think that we have a mixed economy system, in which the private sector and the government work hand-in-hand to develop its economy. But have we ever thought about what is pushing these two groups towards unsustainable economic development? It is greed - and we are asking for trouble because economies based on greed are void of moral, ethical values and common sense.

An economy based on greed is not simply driven by profit maximisation and cost reduction. It also engages in wanton destruction of the environment in the name of development. For example, Penangites will no longer be able to enjoy Gurney Drive, as we know it, once the Penang Outer Ring Road is built. Think of the Orang Asli land that is being taken away from the community for so-called development.

An economy based on greed is also based on unplanned development. When we don�t plan, everything goes. And what goes is the enivironment: trees, rivers, hills, and animals. For example, when an apartment is built on a hillslope, we are sacrificing much of our natural resources.

The lack of water catchments today to support our daily water consumption is largely due to our sense of greed and arrogance in dealing with Mother Nature. Why do you think our dams are getting drier by the day?

We are driven by greed and it is this same greed that is �killing� us today. We have built malls, offices, and apartments - but do any of these projects have clear development guidelines from the relevant authorities?

Projects such as land reclamation and landfills are also taking their toll on Mother Earth. We seem to have succumbed to these kinds of projects because of penchant for unplanned development.

Now, there is talk that we might have to resort to water rationing. In Penang?! What next? Drinking bottled water priced at RM1.20-RM2.00?

I remember jokingly telling a friend that I wanted to dip myself in a river due to the hot weather. My friend promptly asked, �Is there a river in Penang?�

We have often heard of the saying �our resources are enough for our needs but not for our greed� - but we seem to be unable to learn anything from it.

The politics of power is a little tricky. We need to ask questions like does this unplanned development aimed at securing votes, do we have enough knowledge and personnel for enforcement, is our Public Works Department up to the job, is our Department of the Environment monitoring and enforcing all laws without fear or favour? If not, what sort of power are we talking about?

If the powers-that-be have no power to stop this wanton environmental degradation, then the reverse is true: it has the power to produce an environmental crisis! So again, what sort of power are we talking about? Power that is not rooted in morality, ethics and common sense?

Our politicians and their political machinery have been used to fuel our economy based on greed. Power is not used to build but to destroy. Instead of respecting Mother Earth, it disrespects it.

The politics of power has been fuelling our economy to such an extent that massive projects can go on without complying with specific environmental laws or EIA reports.

Just look at our Bukit Cahaya park in Shah Alam. Did our politicians really not know what was happening in their own backyards? How was it possible that such development could proceed unhindered without the knowledge of the powers-that-be? Surely, there is something amiss here.

We are paying the price today for all this unplanned development. Dams are drying up, the droughts are getting longer by the year, the weather is scorching hot and the haze will be around forever. We will continually pay the price for our economic and political system that is based solely on greed and power.

A time will come where there will be no turning back. Mother Nature has been swift in reacting in the past. Look at the Highland Towers incident, at the massive landslides along the PLUS highway, the long dry spells and now growing scarcity of water.

We are pushing the limits and, if we carry on this way, an environmental crisis beckons in the near future. It will be too late for any apologies or U-turns then, too late to reverse the environmental degradation.

An environmental crisis is imminent if this vicious cycle of environmental degradation is not stopped.

Please support our work by buying a copy of our print publication, Aliran Monthly, from your nearest news-stand. Better still take out a subscription now. If you prefer to read our web-based edition, please support our work and make a donation.

Young Malaysian is an activist trying to raise social awareness among the youth.

Now e-mail us and tell us what you think. Your comments might be published in the Letters section of our print magazine, Aliran Monthly.