AMID the political unconcern over climate change, a tiny ray of hope is shining through. Two party leaders have acknowledged the changing weather patterns. Former prime minister and Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who called the 1999 general election during the monsoon season, said last week: “In 1999, climate change was not that bad. But this time, we know that all over the world there is severe flooding and strong winds and storms. This is a different phenomenon.”
The same day as Mahathir spoke, MIC vice-president Datuk M. Asojan said: “Global warming and climate change have caused weather patterns worldwide to change.” Flooding is now a more widespread yearly phenomenon.
At the previous general election four years ago and at all subsequent by-elections in various states, no politician talked about climate change. We achieved a terrible ranking in the Climate Change Performance Index 2022, with an Overall Score of only 34 and a “Very Low” rating. Compare this with Denmark’s Overall Score of 77 and a “High” rating. Malaysia’s Overall Rank has also dropped to 57, compared with Denmark’s Overall Rank of four. Denmark climbed up the ranks by two positions.
Why are we trailing so far behind, and why is it that no climate activist believes our score will improve? It is because the national paradigm remains largely fixated on race and the racial competition for that pot of gold. Even the media have conceded this point.
Recently, a consortium of media organisations and research firms conducted a survey to gather feedback from Malaysian voters on what they wanted from the 15th general election (GE15).
One of the opening questions of the survey asked: “What is your race?” The question should have been: “What is your ethnic origin?” In human biology, there are no races – only one race of humans. Race is a political term created in the 19th century to separate the whites from the coloureds, so as to justify colonialism on grounds of inherent mental superiority.
Ethnicity is the genuine categorisation as it is based on geographical and cultural origins that contributed slight genetic differences. Our politicians favour the word “race” because this word has emotive content that makes it easier for them to beat the war drums. Politicians want to perpetuate this myth of racial divisions to stoke fears of losing out, so that they can hype themselves as defenders and champions of the race. It is the easiest way to secure loyal voters.
If the survey designers had ditched the word “race”, they would have realised the weakness in classifying Malaysians as “Malay, Indian, Chinese, Others, Bumiputra Sabah, and Bumiputra Sarawak”. Why were the Orang Asli excluded? They are the original inhabitants and occupied the peninsula for a good 40,000 years before the arrival of all the others. Orang Asli should be accorded the honour of being role models for the ideal of living in harmony with nature.
Question four in the survey is also weak in mentioning the religions as “Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Traditional Religion, Others”. Why are two members of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism not listed? What is “Traditional Religion”? If that term means the faith of the aboriginal people, it should be called “Original Religion” because its origins go back 500,000 years to the first generations of humans.
Interviews with the rakyat published by one media organisation show that the main concerns remain bread-and-butter economic and financial issues, as always at every general election. But there is a growing wish list that racial and religious factors should not remain as obstacles to career growth, talent development and national integration.
However, from the dozens of published interviews, only one person – a 22-year-old ungraduate – raised the issue of climate change and the need for the next government to address the lack of will to take bolder actions. Malaysian voters and candidates have still not awakened to the fact that climate change is the defining issue for all nations, because every year of climate deterioration moves humanity nearer to the cliff edge of doom.
Just two weeks ago, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is in “a life-or-death struggle” for survival as “climate chaos gallops ahead” while nations bicker over what actions to take. Across the world, indigenous tribes are pushing to the frontlines of climate change to make their voices heard.
“We are key players to change this process and we have to be brought to the table as decision makers,” says Anita Tzec, a Yucatan Maya speaking on the side at the 2021 climate summit in Scotland.
In Massachusetts, the US, a tribe of Amerindians known as Mashpee Wampanoag has been entrusted with the task of restoring a 32-acre built site to its natural environment filled with indigenous plants and animals. The land had been snatched from them centuries ago by settlers from across the ocean. The tribe has replanted dozens of native species and reconnected community members with their ancestral homeland. Educational tours are also conducted for visitors.
Malaysia has a population of 178,197 Orang Asli, comprising 18 sub-ethnic groups, and the Orang Asli Development Cooperative has been requesting that more land be gazetted for these communities to protect their forest livelihood. The prevailing notion that Orang Asli should give up their lifestyle in favour of civilised living is wrong, because it is the civilised lifestyle that is inducing climate change. We need to bring modernisation to the Orang Asli, and in turn we should emulate their love for the forest.
While we moderns see ourselves as part of a civilisation anchored on its religion or group of religions, the Orang Asli see themselves as part of the worldwide ecosystem, making them the best custodians and stewards of the forest. This is the “Original Religion” of living harmoniously as part of nature.
Eco-friendly practices of the Orang Asli include: Take from the forest only what is needed. If you collect too much, the spirit in nature will tell you that you are doing the wrong thing and there will be sickness. Do not kill animals and plants wantonly, because that is a causal factor that will produce ill-effects. Everything that humans use ultimately comes from nature, and hence, there must be a harmonious existence with the natural environment.
As the Original Religion is anchored on nature, it is inclusive and integrative. This is proven by the fact that all indigenous peoples in the world whose lineages are traceable to the hunter-gatherer tribes share the same original faith in nature, with slightly varying rituals and beliefs resulting from geographical adaptations. In view of climate change, the Orang Asli should be accorded a larger role after GE15.
The writer champions interfaith harmony.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
