The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion
The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion |
| Preventing the next Lynas or Raub mine Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:26 PM PDT SEPT 6 — Communities around Malaysia have been protesting over development projects such as the Raub gold mine, the RAPID Pengerang refinery, the Lynas rare earth plant, dams in Sarawak, the MRT, and the Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road (KLORR). At the heart of their disgruntlement are fears over the health and environmental impact of the projects, and the potential loss of their homes or livelihood. Most of these projects have been passed without much knowledge of local residents. The technical nature of the dangers posed by such projects is often difficult for communities to comprehend quickly without the help of sympathetic experts. They are initiatives that appear to have been settled at a higher level between developers and government. The often poor communities near these projects usually lack the power and finances to roll back such projects once they are started, although it would be a mistake to underestimate the power of sustained organising and campaigning to change things. It will be tough to resolve these existing cases in a manner that reconciles industrial interests, political patronage, and the rights of communities or nature. The scientific "facts" of the dangers invariably become highly politicised. However, there is a relatively simple solution that could help prevent such disputes from arising in the future. The Environmental Quality Act 1974 requires an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be produced when projects of a certain class or scale are proposed. The EIA is supposed to be a measure that acts to prevent destructive projects, or at least mitigate any harmful aspects. Although focused on environmental factors, it includes social assessment, including some obligation to consult with affected communities. There are two major problems with the present EIA process. One is the independence of EIA consultants, the second is the weak role given to community consultation and approval. 1. Shift full responsibility for EIA process to DOE Currently, the Department of Environment (DOE) requires developers to submit the EIA report. This report is funded by the developers, therefore its independence and objectivity is compromised. Consultants who don't produce a report that ultimately favours the project will find themselves passed over in favour of consultants who can more reliably produce positive recommendations. A better solution would be to require the DOE to have the responsibility of conducting the EIA. Developers would pay assessment costs into a blind fund administered by the DOE. In this case, technical experts and consultants engaged by the DOE would have a fiduciary duty to the DOE and, by extension, to the public interest, rather than a private developer. This is the method taken in the US by its Environmental Protection Agency. Now, just because this happens in the US doesn't necessarily make it an impeccable idea, but from the standpoint of independence and integrity of technical advice, it is clearly better than our present system. Government agencies can still be captured by private interests, but they will still have to reconcile that with their formal duty to the public interest. 2. Implement free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) as part of development process Development that happens without consultation is oppressive to communities. Discovering one fine day that there is highway about to plough its way through your house is upsetting. Having your development project picketed, protested and pilloried in public is also a weight on developers. But that's what happens when you don't consult sufficiently with local people. That's what happens when you think it is sufficient to secure "buy-in" at the political level in order to carry out your project. Free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) is an approach outlined in international human rights law and declarations. It essentially upholds the right for project-affected peoples to be consulted by, and to negotiate with, project developers on the impact of a project on their community. Greater weight should be accorded to a community's right to say "No" to a project. At its heart is the idea that the pre-existing moral and property rights of residents should balance the privileges granted to the yet-to-be-constructed property of a private developer. Instituting such rights within the EQA, or within an equivalent law, will not mean the end of development in Malaysia. It will mean that development planning will not be something that can simply be imposed from "on high", rather it must be negotiated with affected peoples. Implementing these two reforms would go far in improving the integrity and credibility of the EIA process and preventing, or at least reducing, instances where development projects are "sprung" on communities, which leads to campaigns, lawsuits and political problems. Communities can feel much more secure in their rights to property, health, and a clean environment. Developers should have greater confidence that their projects can proceed without significant interruption, delay or reputation problems following adequate consultation. We all know democracy has great room for improvement in Malaysia, but it is strengthening as expectations grow. Granting greater rights to project-affected peoples and communities is consistent with the democratisation of the economy that Malaysians deserve. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| Sejarah Merdeka wajib ditulis semula Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:17 PM PDT 6 SEPT — Sudah menjadi trend, menjelang sambutan ulangtahun Merdeka, akan timbul isu menimbulkan polemik sehingga menyebabkan kita berfikir semula apakah kita hidup dalam sebuah negara yang begitu "banal" dan masih belum selesai perkara asas sebagai sebuah negara bangsa. Heboh seluruh negara apabila media arus perdana memainkan gambar beberapa anak-anak muda mengibarkan bendera "Sang Saka Malaya" — mirip bendera Singapura, Indonesia, Umno dan PAS. Tindakan ini dianggap satu pengkhianatan kepada Jalur Gemilang sebagai bendera rasmi negara, lambat laun, pasti anak-anak muda tersebut ditangkap polis untuk siasatan. Heboh juga apabila terdapat beberapa anak-anak muda memijak gambar perdana menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak dan isterinya, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. Tidak terlepas, gambar pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR), Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof turut menjadi mangsa. Tahun lalu, timbalan presiden PAS, Mohamad Sabu dikecam diseluruh negara selepas memuji tindakan berani Mat Indera dalam melawan penjajahan kolonial Inggeris. Media arus perdana memainkan tentang Mohamad yang dianggap menghina pejuang Bukit Kepong dan menyokong komunis. Akhirnya, kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) kembali terperangkap apabila terdapat sebuah buku terbitan sebuah yayasan di Johor yang mana Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman sendiri menulis kata pengantar, memuji tindakan berani Mat Indera dalam melawan penjajah British. Kebenaran pasti muncul Realiti hari ini, Jalur Gemilang adalah bendera yang diterima oleh majoriti rakyat Malaysia. Seperti yang dikatakan oleh pakar sejarah Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Khoo Kay Kim baru-baru ini bendera sesuatu negara diputuskan oleh majoriti rakyat sesuatu negara tersebut. "Kalau majoriti rakyat nak tukar bendera, bolehlah tukar. "Kalau tidak kita guna sahaja yang sedia ada," kata beliau seperti yang dilaporkan oleh The Malaysian Insider baru-baru ini. Internet telah menyebabkan maklumat yang disorokkan daripada pengetahuan umum sebelum ini, terbongkar dan apabila dimainkan oleh media arus perdana bolehlah kita ibaratkan sebagai "senjata makan tuan". Saya tertawa apabila membaca komen-komen di laman sosial Twitter oleh penyokong Umno yang mencerca anak-anak muda yang mengibarkan Sang Saka Malaya dengan mengatakan bendera tersebut menyerupai bendera Singapura. Mungkin mereka terlalu naif dengan sejarah serta tidak mempunyai inisiatif untuk membaca atau menggali maklumat dalam internet tentang sejarah bendera Umno itu sendiri. "Sang Saka adalah sejarah bangsa, dari zaman kerajaan Langsakuka, Gangga Negara, Sri Vijaya inilah warnanya. "Merah putih adalah motif nusantara. "Motif Melayu Raya, kerana itu bendera Umno, PAS, Singapura dan Indonesia semuanya menggunakan Sang Saka," kata Hishamuddin Rais dalam laporan The Malaysian Insider beberapa hari lalu. Penulisan semula sejarah Buku teks sejarah perlu menulis semua perkara yang berlaku tanpa memihak kepada mana-mana parti politik. Walaupun sedikit sebanyak ia akan mengguris hati sesetengah pihak, namun kebenaran tetap perlu ditulis. Keluarga kepada askar-askar Melayu yang berkhidmat dengan penjajah Inggeris perlu tahu bahawa apa yang dilawan oleh ayah, pakcik atau abang meraka dalam askar Melayu pada ketika itu adalah pejuang-pejuang kemerdekaan yang terpaksa masuk ke hutan menyertai Parti Komunis Malaya (PKM) selepas darurat diisytiharkan oleh penjajah. Darurat datang bersama dengan pengharaman parti-parti politik progresif seperti PKMM, PKM, Hizbul Muslimin dan banyak lagi. Penjajah begitu takut dengan gabungan Putera-AMCJA selepas "hartal" (sejenis protes politik) dilancarkan diseluruh negara pada 20 Oktober 1947 mendapat sambutan besar dari rakyat. Protes politik pertama yang terbesar bagi rakyat Malaya pelbagai kaum. Jika anda mempunyai masa, tontonlah dokumentari bertajuk "Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka" arahan Fahmi Reza yang boleh ditonton dari laman YouTube. Dokumentari ini menceritakan dengan jelas tentang apa yang berlaku sepuluh tahun sebelum British menyerahkan Malaya kepada Umno, MCA dan MIC. Dokumentari tersebut memperlihatkan dengan jelas bagaimana penjajah British menggunakan media untuk melaga-lagakan masyarakat Melayu, Cina dan India yang sebelum itu tidak kenal erti politik perkauman. Untuk terus maju kedepan, kita perlu selesaikan perkara asas. Selagi kita tidak melakukannya, kita akan terus tersekat dengan perkara-perkara warisan penjajah seperti politik perkauman yang menghalang Malaysia untuk terus maju kedepan. Sejarah juga tidak akan melupakan jasa Umno dan Barisan Nasional yang telah memimpin Malaysia sehingga apa yang dicapai hari ini. Patriotisme akan muncul jika rakyat tidak ditipu oleh sejarah yang ditulis oleh golongan yang menang. Pembodohan terbesar dalam penulisan sejarah hari ini adalah Malaya mendapatkan kemerdekaan tanpa menumpahkan setitis darah walaupun sebenarnya ribuan telah mati dibunuh untuk kemerdekaan tanah air. Adillah kepada sejarah yang berlaku dan Malaysia akan maju kedepan dan akan memimpin Asia Tenggara dalam menghadapi persaingan global. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. |
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