Orang Utans, Politicians and Bloggers
A Kadir Jasin
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HAVING had enough of a week of maligning by the bloggers-hating pembesar, I took a brief hiatus from the city yesterday (May 24).
I joined a group of nature loving Sarwakians, Perakians and a collection of other Malaysians plus a solitary European for an afternoon of bonding with our (or rather my) distant cousins, the orang utans.
The occasion was the symbolic handing back of a handful of Perak-born orang utans to the Sawarak State Government for eventual release into the wild.
Back to Sarawak in near future
It’s a story worth telling. It started some time in 1999 when developer Tan Sri Mustapha Kamal Abu Bakar decided to adopt (or rather borrow) three orang utans from the well-known Malacca Zoo and nine from the Sarawak Forestry Department.
Mustapha Kamal, I now found out, is a closet conservationist and nature lover. He is now embarking, with the approval of the Perak State Government, on the development of the Banding Island in the Temenggor Dam in northern Perak as the gateway to the recently gazetted Royal Belum State Park.
Thanks to Mustapha’s corporate and personal financial backing (and now the support of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council) and the dedication of the staff of the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort, in particular the good Dr “Dolittle” Sabapathy, the orang utans have not only been living a blissful life on the 35-acre Pulau Panjang in the middle of the Tasik Merah lake, but have also been joyously procreating.
So there are today 12 new orang utans, ranging in ages from two months to four years, according to Annuar Yang Ghazali, the general manager of MK Land Hotels and Resorts.
Mustapha Kamal, I now found out, is a closet conservationist and nature lover. He is now embarking, with the approval of the Perak State Government, on the development of the Banding Island in the Temenggor Dam in northern Perak as the gateway to the recently gazetted Royal Belum State Park.
Thanks to Mustapha’s corporate and personal financial backing (and now the support of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council) and the dedication of the staff of the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort, in particular the good Dr “Dolittle” Sabapathy, the orang utans have not only been living a blissful life on the 35-acre Pulau Panjang in the middle of the Tasik Merah lake, but have also been joyously procreating.
So there are today 12 new orang utans, ranging in ages from two months to four years, according to Annuar Yang Ghazali, the general manager of MK Land Hotels and Resorts.
A swingging time at Laketown
The plan is to put some of the orang utans through the various phases of rehabilitation with the view of eventually releasing them in their natural habitats in Sawarak – the home to some 2,000 wild orang utans.
Receiving the orang utans on behalf of Sawarak Government was its Minister for Planning and Resource Management and Minister for Public Amenities Dato’ Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and handing them over on behalf of the Perak Government was the State Secretary, Dato’ Abdul Rahman Hashim.
Personally, I have always had great affinity with orang utans and other higher primates. I think we are very much like them -- not the mischievous kera and the belligerent beruk but the orang utans, gorillas and chimpanzees.
I like to tell people that being journalist, I have greater feeling of affinity towards the orang utans and other higher primates.
A well-known businessman, who once worked with me in the New Straits Times, told me (in jest of course) a long time ago that, while the genetic similarity between humans and orang utans is 98 per cent, with journalists it’s 100 per cent.
Seeing how a lot of human beings behave, in particular the insecure and intolerant pembesar and politikus, I am happier being associated with and in the company of my orang utan cousins.
Receiving the orang utans on behalf of Sawarak Government was its Minister for Planning and Resource Management and Minister for Public Amenities Dato’ Sri Awang Tengah Ali Hassan and handing them over on behalf of the Perak Government was the State Secretary, Dato’ Abdul Rahman Hashim.
Personally, I have always had great affinity with orang utans and other higher primates. I think we are very much like them -- not the mischievous kera and the belligerent beruk but the orang utans, gorillas and chimpanzees.
I like to tell people that being journalist, I have greater feeling of affinity towards the orang utans and other higher primates.
A well-known businessman, who once worked with me in the New Straits Times, told me (in jest of course) a long time ago that, while the genetic similarity between humans and orang utans is 98 per cent, with journalists it’s 100 per cent.
Seeing how a lot of human beings behave, in particular the insecure and intolerant pembesar and politikus, I am happier being associated with and in the company of my orang utan cousins.
My orang utan "cousin" and I in 2001
Hopefully, by telling the story of Mike, Camelia, Baboon and other Laketown orang utans, this blog will be deemed less political and, therefore, causes less ire among the pembesar who are against blogs and bloggers while at the same time doing my tiny bit to promote the conservation of nature.
Now you know why some journalists gave up journalism in favour of politics and other higher callings. Unlike me, they do want to be associated with the orang utans, gorillas and chimpanzees!
Incidentally, a USM researcher who was at the function told me that orang utans are not alien to the Peninsular Malaysia. They used to range all the way north to southern China.
Unfortunately, thanks to the destruction of their habitats by European planters and white hunters, they became extinct. The sightings of the last orang utans in the Peninsula were recorded in 1850.
And I think orang utans make better ambassadors on Visit Malaysia Year billboards and posters than the pembesar.
Now you know why some journalists gave up journalism in favour of politics and other higher callings. Unlike me, they do want to be associated with the orang utans, gorillas and chimpanzees!
Incidentally, a USM researcher who was at the function told me that orang utans are not alien to the Peninsular Malaysia. They used to range all the way north to southern China.
Unfortunately, thanks to the destruction of their habitats by European planters and white hunters, they became extinct. The sightings of the last orang utans in the Peninsula were recorded in 1850.
And I think orang utans make better ambassadors on Visit Malaysia Year billboards and posters than the pembesar.
15 comments:
i think most of the moves made by the so called pembesar is plus ça change
Sdr red84,
Ampun!!!! I might have accidentally rejected your fine comment. Please resend. Sorry!!!
Tuk,
1. Pasai apa tuk pakai distance cousin bagi orang utan, sepupu yang jauh, orang macam saya ni, tiada pertalian saudara, adakah lebih hina? Mulia sangatkah binatang tu?
2. Kita yg Islam, yakin, asal usul dari Adam dan Hawa, mengapa tersasul ker teori darwin?
3. Binatang zaman dulu, dinasor dan lain2 mati, pupus, menjadi minyak. Elok lah tu. Mengapa nak kecoh2, orang2 besar tu, nak bagi susu kera dihutan? Lebihkan manusia lar?
Jadi, Datuk boleh apa kiranya Datuk membezakan ciri-ciri yang membezakan antara orang Utans dengan orang Urbans?
-makan gaji.
Ungkapan terakhir dato'
"And I think orang utans make better ambassadors on Visit Malaysia Year billboards and posters than the pembesar"
Setuju sepenuhnya!
Malaysia sebenar amat bertuah kerana walaupun orang utan terdapat juga di Indonesia(Kalimantan),publisiti dan persepsi kewujudan orang utan lebih tertumpu di Malaysia-Sarawak. Haiwan yang comel ini mempunyai potensi dikekalkan sebagai maskot negara Malaysia.
Mungkin pembesar-pembesar telah menjadikan pilihanraya dan politik sebagai darah daging sendiri ataupun sebagai persiapan mencari gambar paling sesuai untuk pilihanraya akan datang , maka tidak dapat membuang tabiat meletakkan wajah mereka di mana-mana poster yang mungkin dapat meningkatkan popularasi mereka.
dato yang suka makan nasi lemak tanglin,
saya menghormati dato seadanya, dan saya juga menghormati paklah seadanya.
menjadi pemimpin bukan satu kerja mudah, dan menjadi rakyat tidak kurang mudahnya.
saya sebenarnya amat bersyukur kerana dilahirikan di bumi penuh rahmat ini.
akan tetapi,
saya berasa amat kecewa dengan barisan pimpinan yang ada sekarang ini dan jentera kerajaan.
kecewa saya bersebab.
saya pernah cuba menjadi peniaga kecil kecilan, berjaja di kaki lima jalanan,dan saya dilayan seperti tiada maruah dan lebih hina dari haiwan.
bukan sebab lesen dato, kerana tiada tempat untuk kami berniaga secara aman.
kata mereka, sudah disediakan tempat. tempat yang mereka bina sebenarnya projek gajah putih untuk mengenyangkan perut kontraktor.bukan mulut orang seperti saya.
apa fungsi UDA?
apa fungsi PKNS ?
PKNS sebagai contoh sebenarnya adalah badan yang sebenarnya sangat bagus untuk menolong bangsa sendiri. tapi dalam senyap mereka sudah menjadi kanser buat kita.
sebab 1
kalau anda berniaga barang binaan, kita diminta membekal kepada SIC.
harga sudahlah ditekan, payment sudahlah lambat.mereka yang buat untung berjuta dan usahawan yang menanggung hutang.
sebab 2
SUNWAY DAMANSARA.
bagaimana dulu tanah milik orang asli diberkan hak kepada sunway untuk dimajukan.?
alibabai kelas pertama.
benarlah MALAYSIA BOLEH.
kalau saya hendak bercerita tentang kekecewaan, sejuta perkataan pun tidak cukup.
kalau emas yang kita cari, emaslah yang kita dapat.
noksokmo,
kalau saudara mengikuti tulisan-tulisan dato' a kadir jasin, sedikit sebanyak saudara pasti memahami pemikiran beliau.
tulisan beliau sinis, tajam dan penuh sindiran. sebab itulah ruangan other thots beliau di dalam akhbar NST suatu masa dulu sentiasa dinanti-nantikan oleh ramai orang kerana buah fikirannya yang tajam tidak dilahirkan secara direct tetapi menyindir. ringkasnya, tulisan beliau lembut tetapi sinis dan tajam! dalam banyak hal juga, beliau melihat sesuatu itu lebih besar daripada bentuknya yang asal.
sebagai seorang Islam, saya yakin dato' a kadir jasin juga macam noksokmo percaya kepada Pencipta. saya pernah terserempak dengan beliau di masjid mengerjakan solat asar dan rakan saya pernah mengerjakan rukun haji bersama-samanya sekitar awal 90-an.
Sdr Mat Kilau,
Saya bersetuju dengan pandangan saudara mengenai penulisan dan pegangan Datuk A Kadir Jasin.
Beliau adalah seorang wartawan yang tidak gentar untuk meluahkan pandangan, teguran, kritikan dan sindiran membina dari dulu hinggalah sekarang.
Bagi beliau, yang salah perlu diperbetulkan dan yang terpesong perlu diluruskan. Ada yang memuji penulisannya dan ada juga sebaliknya.
Tidak hairanlah pelbagai kritikan dan "gelaran negatif" yang diterimanya sejak di NSTP hingga sekarang. Malah kritikan dan cemuhan itu disiarkan dalam akhbar dan majalah yang diterajuinya.
been to bukit merah laketown resort few years back. their "mini zoo" was great and I enjoyed it. credit must be given to MK for that.
But the hotel and water park needs upgrading then.
anyway, kudos to MK and I wish him all the blessings for his great conservation works.
Datuk Abdul Kadir Jasin
Salaam
Dengan Izin
(A word of caution:
If any one can't stomach it, just leave it as it is for if any one should try to then play the jester then it is not I who is the fool)
The Heretic's Poem III
Adam and Hawa, The Monkey, and I
Intro
Ahh, we have got a live one here
You can say it is a glistering, slithering, son-of-a-bitch
if ever there was one
that will as surely hurt you
as you've never been hurt before
that is, if it don't kill you - are you afraid?
Huuh! Subhanallah
You know so very well I am!
Of what, my friend? Of what?
My sanity
my faith
my beliefs
and all that I am
But what are you, my precious little friend?
I am a Muslim!
Are you sure? Then what
are you afraid of?
(It's a trap! It's a trap!
Back off, back off
Don't cross that line!)
Remember the story of Satan and
Isa ibnu Maryam al-maseeh
Surely, you remember that!?
I do but here I am
Oh, how could I not remember
My heart - listen to it's pounding!
the beating of a scared, angry drum
Oh God All Mighty, I am afraid
But I won't step away
and run to fight another day,
No I won't, i shan't
ya Azeez
ya Maulana
ya Kareem
You know what a gambler I am
a risk taker of the highest order
a fool! That's what I am
and yet,
that same strange sensation
that dream of breaking the bank
to chance a peek at
Al-kitaabul-mubeen
By Your Leave
Bi-iznillah
As Isa 'alaihi-salaam had once said
This is a dreamer's dream!
So let it be,
it could break my heart
if not my mind
It is
a dangerous game you play
my silly, silly, little fool
Let us begin!
Bismillah
wa bismillah
wa bismillah,
Oh Allah, My Lord! I shall leap
a lover's leap and follow
the heretic
in me
Guide me, oh Allah, guide me!
and salaam to Yaa Siiin
al-Ameen
Saidil-Mursaleen
Who are they, these skeletal remains
the peking man, the java man
the neanderthals this, the proto-man that
those dinosaurs?
that I have read so much?
Are they a prehistoric joke?
Conjured and cooked by some nutty, evil-minded
proffessor-schmucks - Infidels all!
Or are they real
as you and I - are
that once had lived, and had loved and had roamed this land
this earth. And had passed on
gone on their way
fulfilling a promise
This very same earth
though much younger, then
that Adam and Hawa
my lovely father and my beautiful mother
were cast away to
from our home where we belong
al-Jannah
for a sin that they did
not so much that they ate
from the Forbidden Tree
"The Apple" - they say
putting it in a simple way
but more than that.
They disobeyed - yes, they did disobey
as the Holy Books tell me
at least that is what
the Qur'an tells me
the ulamaks and the wise men, too
tricked by Satan - al-Gharuur
A Command of
The Lord - the One and Only
their Creator - and mine, too
and all of creation
But what happened?
Haah, the heretic!
Are we as curious as the cat
and shall we let the cat out
from the bag?
Are we afraid?
Bismillahir-Rahmaan-nir-Rahiim
Wa bismillahil-Azeezul-Kareem
La eela ha illallah, muhammadur-raasulullah
wa solawatu wassalaamun ala asyrafil anbiyaa-il-mursaleen
wa 'ala aalihi wa sohbihi wassoliheen ajmain
rabbi-zidnil 'ilman
warzuqni fahmaan
Ameen walhamdulillahi
Rabbil-'alameen
Sir,
Tks for the great article. Funny and truthful.
Sdr/Sdri pembahas dan pelawat dihormati,
Do you notice lately that our pembesars love to have their pictures on billboards, posters and banners.
I saw one whose picture is displayed with the lyric of Negara Ku.
I always thought that Negara Ku is associated with God, the King and the country.
I also think that people come to our beloved Malaysia to see the King, the Istana, the orang utans and the orchids rather than the pembesar politik.
Just think!
Dato',
I'm sick and feel nauseas looking at those billboards with our Pembesar's fake smily face. And you noticed not many Pembesar would like their face to be on billboards but this particular Pembesar I've seen way before he became a 'cuti-cuti M'sia 07' minister his face at billboard in Putrajaya & numerous buntings along the highway to Putrajaya.
Orang utans have got more sincere smiles, mind you!
hehe...
tuk,
i agree with ur opinion. lately, our pembesar's political action become more and more ridiculous... sad because i had to watch all these...
tuk, saya setuju dgn pandangan tu... negara adalah negara.. tidak perlu tampal billboard disertakan negaraku dgn pembesar.. hopefully our politician act maturely for their political move...
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