Home Web Specials Be prepared! Boost climate resilience through Asean solidarity

Be prepared! Boost climate resilience through Asean solidarity

Rice farmers at work - Photograph: salafiyunpad.wordpress.com

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Vivien Langford interviews Jeyakumar Devaraj about how Asean nations can cooperate to improve the minimum wage, the taxation system, climate resilience and food security.

Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj lost his seat in the last election but he is exhilarated that the change of government in Malaysia has permitted a new optimism.


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Vivien Langford asks him how a new Bandung Spirit would unleash strong climate action. While waiting and waiting for UN green funds maybe ASEAN nations can work together for a new dispensation.

He says Malaysia shouldn’t have to cut its health budget to plant trees for carbon sequestration. The funds to help developing countries tackle climate change are insufficient but he says even the developed nations are cash strapped and unable to help while their top 0.1% of wealthy corporations evade tax. Malaysians are already experiencing intensified floods and heatwaves.

They produce only 70% of their food so Dr Devaraj has many solutions to protect the population: from flood mitigation to guaranteeing that land is used to produce food first. He is hopeful that new bold laws will enable restoration of forests, rivers and farmlands. Malaysians have witnessed that the unexpected can happen in government and the lesson we can draw is to prepare for the unexpected. Have the projects and blueprints ready. This fits in with the reasoning behind Beyond Zero Emissions and broadens our awareness to our near neighbour.

A Beyond Zero Emissions production

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
  1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
  2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
  3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
  4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
  5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
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Jeyakumar Devaraj
Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, a long-time Aliran member and contributor, served as Member of Parliament for Sungai Siput from 2008 to 2018. A respiratory physician who was awarded a gold medal for community service, he is also a secretariat member of the Coalition Against Health Care Privatisation and chairperson of the Socialist Party of Malaysia.
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