Bruno Manser

BRUNO MANSER

Question 1: Who was Bruno Manser and what had he done in Sarawak?? Bruno Manser born on 25 August 1954 in Basel, Switzeland was an enviromental activist. He was well-known in Switzerland for his public activism for rainforest preservation and the protection of Indegenous people. Manser traveled to the Malaysian state of Sarawak, where he gradually made his way to the nomadic Penan living in the primeval forest. He was create web site and drew the attention of the international media to this situation and helped the Penan to defend themselves against the loggers by means of peaceful road blockades.
Question 3: In my opinion, Bruno Manser was wrong in his acts but he had the right conscience. Change is inevitable. No matter how hard you try, as the clock keeps ticking, something (even as small as a grain of sand) will change. I believe that everyone has a choice; to be or not to be. Just because a particular space of the Penans were about to be developed, it doesn't entirely mean that they will change. They can choose NOT to. They can choose to live alongside development while keeping their own cultures and traditions. There's no arguing that this will be hard BUT it's not impossible. Sarawak is one of the most beautiful and unique part of Malaysia's identity. why would a leader of a country want to eliminate this element JUST for the sake of development?Bruno wanted to stop the government from developing the jungles of Sarawak. who didn't at that point of time other than those with only dollar signs in front of their eyes?? It's wrong for us to sacrifice mother nature for our own importance. It's wrong for us to commit so much harm to the Earth that gave us life in the first place. But development IS necessary. with the increasing population at that point of time, we needed space for cropping and shelter. I'm sure there were many variables to consider when a leader decides to modernize and develop certain areas; lack of biodiversity, soil erosion, possible extinction of flora and fauna, pollution, etc. Development should be done in a more organized and subtle way. Bruno listened to his heart too much without consulting his reasons and logic. He was wrong to have taken the steps that he did. He could've approached the government and those resposible for the damage about to be done in a more civilised manner. Running around like Robin Hood, escaping the authorities, hiding like a fugitive only made him look uncivilised which is no surprise WHY the contents of his actions were misunderstood and ignored by everyone other than the media.

Batik Malaysia

Generally, Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique on textiles. Due to modern advances in the textile industry, the term has also been used for fabrics which incorporates the traditional batik patterns although not necessarily produced using the batik techniques. Malaysian batik normally displays plants and flowers due to the Islamic culture in the country.
ANY form of art of a specific culture has it's own unique traits. As mentioned above, Batik Malaysia normally displays plants and flowers due to the Islamic culture of our country. Batik is usually the favourite item as a souvenier for tourists (local and foreign). The creativity of our Malaysian artists in producing items with the signature Batik has taken its place on the international arena. As an example, the Batik fashion show; this fashion show took place in Kuala Lumpur. On the runway, you can get a variety of clothing items from something as decent as a baju kurung to something more...modern such as a bikini top.
In my point of view, there is nothing wrong in being versatile. However, when versatility extracts out the traditional beauty of an art, it becomes something else. As stated above, Batik prints can also be found on bikini tops, halter neck tops, etc. Batik is synonymous to innocent beauty. Which is why our Malay women ancestors were viewed as sweet, gentle and beautiful. What you wear shows who you are at times. Therefore, when you turn something innocent beauty into something else JUST for the sake of fame and money, the meaning is lost. Which is why we should just stick to the original products of batik; baju kurung, sarong, kebaya, etc.
Batik portrays the Malaysian culture. Why should we turn it into something modern so that the West would be more aware of its presence??
Batik is something a unique because it not can same design which others. Althought, same cap (copper stamp) and colour used repeat again. To design batik of painting must have patient in self designer,expecially to draw and colouring. It culture, impluse very quickly in our life. In the past, batik commonly used by the women, but now it also use by the man and wear multirasional. Futhemore, the design of the sport jersey, that has use the batik culture. For the example is Kelantan Football Club.
So, we have to protect batik culture from losing in the modern world because batik is something unique that no country except Malaysia have this unique culture.

The Television Media

Problem statement: Some people say TV is bad for children because it discourages them from having exercise and from communicating with other children. However, others say it stimulates the mind and gives children knowledge of the world. Overall, is TV good or bad for children?? Give reasons.
When i received this topic, it got me thinking while walking back to my dorm. It IS true that the television media stimulates their mind and gives them a better picture of the world outside the four walls of their home. But does it discourage them from having exercise and from communicating with other children?? Not really. Television is moderation can actually be a good thing. Provided the parents monitor what their children are watching.
Studies conducted by paediatricians and child psychologists have shown that children who are exposed to good and beneficial contents of this media are more sociable with those of their age. It eliminates the fear of socializing in them. A simple program like Sesame Street or The Barney Show teaches them to make new friends, practice good manners (saying 'please' and 'thank you') and improves their vocabulary. The Disney Channel for example has the Art Attack program each day; it can develop the creative side of the child and even possibly enhance the child's creativity. Basically, preschoolers can get help learning the alphabets, grade schoolers can learn about wildlife on nature shows; there's no doubt t.v can be a good educator and entertainer.
Too much t.v however CAN be detrimental to children. Studies have shown that children who spend more than 4 hours a day are likely to be overweight. Kids who view violent acts are highly likely to pick up these acts (not to mention memorize the swear words to use them when they're fighting with others). Sometimes, TV characters also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes (which are poisonous to the young minds).
However, with adult supervision and monitoring, I'm sure that the young minds won't be stained with such negative pictures and values. THEREFORE, TV IS good for children provided they are exercised to practice healthy viewing habits.

Gender and Life Cycle

This post is based on research and our sources is of course...the internet.


UNICEF -> Early childhood; modern diagnostic tools have made it possible to determine a child's sex in the earliest phase. Where there is a clear economic or cultural preference for a son, the misuse of these techniques can facilitate female foeticide. Foeticide refers to the deliberate killing of the foetus. It does not refer to natural cases of miscarriages.
Motherless newborns are between 3 and 10 times more likely to die than newborns whose mothers survive.

Middle years: It is usually the girls who suffer from educational disadvantage. For 100 boys who are out of school, there are 115 girls who are in the same situation. There's a sad yet stereotypical view since the beginning of time that the female homo sapiens are only useful as home makers and nothing more. This contributes to the reason why girls are mostly kept at home and taught the basic home making skills rather than sent to school. Recent estimates indicates that only 43% of females of the appropriate age are enrolled for secondary education.

Reading all these facts (there's more but I don't have enough time to summarize 13 other sites) made me realize that women are weak. They are subjected to so much discrimination even in developed countries. They are robbed off their ability to speak up and say no to such horrendous acts; female genital mutilation, discrimination, foeticide, domestic violence, etc. Some might say that female genital mutilation/cutting is a religious practice but NO. It is actually a social custom. This is usually carried out in certain parts of Asia and Africa. One of the main purposes of doing this would be to "cleanse a woman for her husband". I personally find this RIDICULOUS. Fauziya Kassindja's story was enough to highlight the obvious; the social custom has to be stopped. Why would a young woman marrying an obese, obscene and ugly man of 40 (who's ALREADY MARRIED WITH A FEW WIVES) perform this act of "cleansing"?? The man should do the circumcission again considering he's not clean for his new wife.

Women are silenced due to fear of men. Or even fear of a necessary change. They are too afraid to leave that comfort zone where "a man leads a family". This has to change.

Listening and Hearing....

Problem statement: Hearing is exercise for the ears but listening is exercise for the brain.

This was the problem statement given to us Future Foresters and we agree with it. Why?? It's simple. Hearing and listening are two different activities. You can be hearing someone talking but you need not necessarily be LISTENING to that person's speech.

Listening according to various dictionaries can be....

1. to give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.
2. to pay attention; heed; obey (often fol. by to): Children don't always listen to their parents.
3. to wait attentively for a sound (usually fol. by for): to listen for sounds of their return.
4. Informal. to convey a particular impression to the hearer; sound: The new recording doesn't listen as well as the old one.

Hearing on the other handbrings forward these meanings...

1.the faculty or sense by which sound is perceived.
2.the act of perceiving sound.

In other words, when you simply HEAR speech, it does not necessarily mean that you're LISTENING to it. Listening actually requires you to interpret what the other party is saying and respond to it thus making it an exercise for the brain.

HEARING however is when you DON'T bother about what the person is saying and just let the words literally in one ear and out the other =)

That is the best explanation we can give =)

Youth Subculture; Goth

As what we have learned in the previous English lectures with Madam Joyce, there are different youth subcultures. Youth subculture is a youth-based subculture with distinct stules, behaviours, and interests. The youth subculture that interests us Future Foresters would be the dark GOTH. Yup. Some may confuse emo with Goth. They DO share the same type of clothing and style (well...almost); the make-up, the black 'do', the half-stoned faces...that's what they have in common. But unlike the real Emos, Goths do not have depression or emotional problems. Let's take a look at what Goth/Gothic really is...
The origins of contemporary goth style are found in the Victorian cult of mourning. Goth fashion can be recognized by its stark black clothing (or hair or makeup).

Goth.net, a resource set up for the "benefit of the Goth community", defines Goths as, "A group of people who feel comfortable within each other's company. There is no specific thing that defines what you need to do or be to fit into the Goth scene (except of course the implied black clothing). People in Goth scene all have different musical tastes, follow different religions, have different occupations, hobbies and fashion sense."

Are violence, paganism and death a part of the goth subculture? The characteristic "Goth" is reclusive and melancholy, yet smart, and many come from educated backgrounds. Goths DO wear mostly dark clothing and share a general dissatisfaction with society and/or a desire to be different. Music, art and literature are also part of the Goth subculture. Music can include a number of dark, tragic and mysterious sounds. Violence, however, is not a part of the traditional Goth scene, with most members describing themselves as pacifistic, open-minded and accepting of everyone. And, modern Goths do not associate with any religion. They are not Satanists, as is usually thought, but instead encompass a wide range of religions, from Christianity to Buddhism.

A new study published in the British Medical Journal says that: After quizzing 1258 young people about self-harm and their links to various youth cultures, it was found that Goths had the strongest link to self-harm. While the rate of self-harm among young people in general turned out to be between 7 and 14 percent, 53 percent of those linked to the Goth subculture reported self-harm, and 47 percent had attempted suicide.

Gothic Poem

Piercings, paintings all over their body,

Would scare any figure walking down the alley,

Haunting your nightmares with that gruesome smile,

Try to forget it but it may take a while.

Satanists, devil worshippers may be what the rest calls them,

But inside is a human who feels condemned,

If we look beyond what lies on the surface,

If we listen beyond what's spoken,

If we choose to understand instead of running,

We'll see that they're just a little different from you and me.

Race and Religion Distribution in Malaysia

Malaysia has more than 25 million people which consists of the Malays (the nation's biggest ethnicity) and other indigenous groups including the Orang Asli, Dayak, Kadazan Dusun, Melanau, Murut and more. Joining them are the large Chinese and Indian populations, and a group of mixed descent, such as the Baba-Nyonya and Eurasians of Portugese and other European ancestry.

Malays: 60%

Chinese: 30%

Indian: 8%

Others: 2%

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic society and has a variety of major religions which occupy an important place in the daily life of its citizens. The country is officially an Islamic nation and Islam is the state religion of Malaysia. However, Malaysia guarantees freedom of religion and Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Sikhism, and indigenous religions are all practiced freely although there are many ways in which Islam is privileged. For the most part, religious affiliation follows ethnic lines. Almost all Malays, the dominant ethnic group in the country, are Muslims and, because Malaysia is an Islamic state, many Muslim schools, mosques, and religious organizations are supported by the state.

The next largest ethnic group, the Chinese, practice a mixture of Daoist, Confucianism and Buddhist beliefs, although a small number are Christians. The third group, the Hindus, practices popular Hinduism; this group is comprised mostly of Indians who have migrated from Southern India and are Tamil speaking. The small Sikh community derives from the British importation of Sikhs for employment in paramilitary and police units and is ethnically homogeneous. Christianity was spread by missionaries and while few peninsular Malaysians are Christians, a higher percentage of the indigenous inhabitants of Borneo have converted to Christianity. Christianity is the one religion which has spread, in small amounts, to all ethnic groups. Many of the tribal communities, in Borneo and in peninsular Malaysia, continue with their traditional animistic beliefs and religious/cultural activities.

The tolerance and acceptance of a variety of religions is clearly shown in the calendar of national holidays in Malaysia in which the most important celebrations of the 4 major traditions are all national holidays. Muslim national holidays include the celebration marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, the end of the Hajj pilgrimage season, and the birthday of Mohammad. Chinese New Year, the Buddhist celebration of Vesak (the day in which the Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment, and died), the Hindu holiday of Deepavali or Festival of Lights, and the Christian holiday of Christmas, are all national and school holidays. However, it is worth noting that Easter is not a national holiday and that each religion other than Islam has only one official national holiday. In tribal areas, other holidays celebrating special events common to that indigenous population, are celebrated as local holidays.