Combat Loaded & Mission Ready!

Letter to the Editor: Regulate the Pet Industry

2011-12-13T23:55:00.000-08:00

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
REGULATE THE PET INDUSTRY

The proposal by local animal welfare groups to regulate the pet industry is a timely and necessary one (“Groups barking up the wrong tree, say pet shop owners”, 12 Dec 2011). Pet store operators understandably have vested interests to protect in objecting to any such initiative on grounds of lack of fairness, as their profit margin from the sale of pet supplies and providing boarding and grooming services would be smaller than from the sale of pets.

At present, the licensing of pet shops falls under the jurisdiction of local councils. There are no adequate guidelines to ensure the health, safety or welfare of the animals or the humans who come into contact with them.

Animals for the pet trade are frequently raised in deplorable conditions, and wildlife is often passed off as legitimately captive-bred animals without any verification procedure or animal or environmental protection criteria being set. The absence of guidelines and regulations in the pet industry often means that customers have no redress if they have purchased inbred, ill, diseased or disabled animals. These animals thus frequently end up being abandoned or euthanised.

A flash flood in downtown Kuala Lumpur several years ago, which saw hundreds of animals drown in their cages at a pet store in Brickfields, as well as a more recent incident involving the abandonment and starvation of over 300 pet cats left at a pet store and boarding facility in Damansara, are testimony to the shortcomings of the current laws governing the pet industry.

Pet store operators argue that better regulation and enforcement of pet stores and breeders would be a better option than an outright ban on the retail sale of pets. However, a ban would have several advantages over mere regulation. Pet breeders would be compelled to comply with health, safety and animal welfare standards in order to register their operations as businesses, and the fact that potential pet owners would now have to deal directly with breeders would enhance transparency and accountability in the pet industry. There would be fewer impulse purchases of companion animals if potential customers were privy to the actual living conditions of breeder animals. A ban would also help reduce stray overpopulation, as there will be fewer opportunities for the indiscriminate breeding and dumping of animals. Potential pet owners would also be more inclined to adopt from animal shelters and rescue groups, which are generally stronger advocates and practitioners of vaccination and neutering than pet stores. This will in turn reduce the public costs of managing stray animal populations.

It must also be taken into cognisance that most existing pet stores, being shophouses and retail outlets within shopping complexes, are unsuitable and unsafe housing facilities for animals, in the event of a fire, natural disaster or disease outbreak. A ban on the retail sale of pets would therefore be in the best interests of animal welfare as well as human health and safety.

It is foreseeable that if such a ban were to be imposed with immediate effect without a grace period for compliance, many animals would end up abandoned or culled by pet breeders and stores. However, if sufficient time were given for compliance, breeding facilities and pet stores would be able to get themselves properly assessed by the authorities for licensing purposes. Animals past breeding age could be neutered and existing animals could be rehomed before the ban takes effect.

Progressive and compassionate communities around the world, including in San Francisco and Toronto, are urging their governments to ban the retail sale of pets. A growing number of cities, including Albuquerque and Irvine in the USA, have successfully implemented such a ban. Animals are not merchandise, but sentient beings that are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. In recognition of this fact, the call for a ban on the retail sale of pets and better legislation to regulate the pet industry is one that should be applauded by all right-thinking individuals.

WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

Letter to the Editor: Put More Thought Into Coordinating "Green" Events

2011-10-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
PUT MORE THOUGHT INTO COORDINATING "GREEN" EVENTS

I had the pleasure of participating in the Cleaner Marina Day clean up of Klang River on Saturday, Oct 15 ("1,250 volunteers come together to clean Port Klang", Star Metro, Oct 17). While I must commend the organisers of this event for managing to mobilise such a large number of volunteers in a relatively short time, it would be hasty to deem the event a "great success".

The organisers claim that "tons of rubbish" were collected by the volunteers, but tons of rubbish were also generated during the event in the form of styrofoam food packets, plastic packaging, PET drinking water bottles, and "goodie bags" filled with advertising and promotional material. When queried about this by some of the more environmentally-aware volunteers, the organisers claimed that they had no control over the packaging and distribution of food and freebies as the said items were provided by sponsors.

It is averred that the organisers and coordinators must set the direction of an environmental event. An environmental event should instil positive change in vendors, sponsors, participants and attendees, while meeting community expectations. Sponsors and vendors should be advised to minimise waste and costs. Minimising waste improves efficiency at an event and reduces the need for sponsorship. Too much money, time and resources are being channelled towards the collection, storage, removal and transportation of rubbish as it is.

At a cleanup campaign such as the Cleaner Marina Day event, the following measures could have been taken to reduce the use and wastage of resources in the first place:

(i) Eliminate the need for goodie bags and t-shirts. Volunteers can be advised to come in old white-shirts and can be given adhesive paper labels to stick on their shirts to identify them as volunteers.

(ii) Almost all the volunteers came with their own drinking water bottles. As such, water refill stations could have been set up to eliminate the need for individual PET drinking water bottles. A bucket of reusable plastic cups can be provided for those who came without water bottles.

(iii) Food should have been provided on reusable tableware. This isn't a very big challenge as the services of a canteen operator or caterer could have easily and just as inexpensively been engaged to supply food using reusable tableware and cutlery. Dirty tableware and utensils can be deposited into bins to be transported back to the canteen or other facility for washing.

(iv) Vegetarian food should have been made available for vegetarian attendees. Food served at an environmental event should ideally be vegan or vegetarian, in line with the principles of a low-impact lifestyle, environmental responsibility and non-violence.

(v) The waste collected and generated at the event should have been separated for recycling and possible composting. Clear signage placed high will help inform attendees of the availability of recycling and waste separation facilities.

(vi) Certificates of appreciation can be e-mailed in soft copy format to sponsors and volunteers, as many may not require a printed version. Instead of giving out promotional and advertising literature in goodie bags, vendors and sponsors can be encouraged to e-mail printable discount coupons and vouchers to volunteers on the mailing list or social network site instead.

Further, the organisers should have not merely advised participants to take public transport and/or carpool, but also educated the boatmen not to leave their boat engines idling for long periods of time while waiting for the participants.

The success of an environmental event should not be measured by the number of sponsors and volunteers, but by the educational value of the event and the permanent changes it makes in the lives of the volunteers and local community. Attendees must be able to make the logical connection between the packaging they dispose of and the rubbish they fished out from the river. The objective of an environmental organisation should never be to have ever-increasing numbers of volunteers to clean up litter from public places, but to achieve such a high level of public and governmental awareness that one day we may never again have a need for a cleanup campaign.

While we acknowledge that planning a large-scale environmental and volunteer-based event is never an easy undertaking, better planning and coordination is needed to ensure that such events in future do not end up becoming mere greenwashing opportunities or feel-good excursions with little benefit to the environment.

WONG EE LYNN
COORDINATOR
GREEN LIVING SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY

Hooks and nets for collecting rubbish with at the back of a pickup truck.

Breakfast served in styrofoam containers. Great, innit? This event generated as much rubbish as it collected.

This is the kind of rubbish we had to collect on Saturday morning. The other kind of rubbish -- we have to vote them out of Parliament.

Boats coming to pick up the volunteers to transport us to our respective stations and areas.

Posing with bin liners -- it's the "in" thing to do at every cleanup campaign.

Me, Petri, Laila and Shawn in our One-Size-Fits-Nobody lifejackets.

Shawn with his Catch of the Day.

Volunteers returning to shore with the rubbish.

You talkin' trash to me, punk? You talkin' trash to me?

We're a bunch of treehuggin' nutjobs! Talk dirty to us!

Do away with the canopies, goodie (i.e. junk) bags, t-shirts, certificates, PET drinking water bottles and styrofoam clamboxes and you might just actually have a truly green event.

Drafting An Effective Letter To The Editor

2011-09-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

GREEN LIVING ADVOCACY: DRAFTING AN EFFECTIVE LETTER TO THE EDITOR

(This blogpost will be published as a 2-3 part series in the Malaysian Nature Society monthly newsletter. All rights reserved by author alone.)

Much as Green Living is about sharing and disseminating information on environmentally responsible choices and putting these choices into daily practice, we must understand that lifestyle changes must go hand-in-hand with political advocacy. It is important to live a lifestyle that is consistent with our environmental values. It is hypocritical, for instance, to call for a ban on the construction of new dams when we fail to manage and reduce our water and energy use. But personal lifestyle changes alone cannot be a substitute for political action. As environmentalists and concerned citizens, we should all strive to keep ourselves informed on environmental issues and to be able to articulate our grievances and ideas in a way that is meaningful.

For many people who have never drafted a letter to the editor, this can seem like a daunting and time-consuming task. But like any other undertaking in life, a bit of planning, a fair amount of research and a good deal of determination is all it takes before you become a regular writer of letters to the editor. Letters to the editor vary greatly in quality. Some are forgotten almost as soon as they are read, some need to be refuted, some are impressive in their pomp and some are worth a second read. If you are a beginner, here are some basic pointers on how to draft a letter to the editor that is more likely to be published and therefore more likely to be read and considered by those with the political and economic leverage to make necessary changes:

1. HIT THE GROUND RUNNING WITH YOUR INTRODUCTION

If you are quoting a newspaper report, article or someone else’s letter to the editor, try not to start your letter with “I refer to your report, XXXX, dated XXXX” or a similarly predictable and bland opening line. Make a stand from the beginning. Let your reader know, in the same sentence that you are bringing their attention to another article, whether you are for or against the article you cited.

Examples of statements that express agreement include: “I concur with the views of…” and “I commend the XXX State Government for…”. Examples of statements that express disagreement include: “I was disappointed to read that the Federal Government has approved plans to....” and “The National Solid Waste Management Policy falls short of …”

If you are referring to a specific incident, for example, open burning or the felling of trees in your area, then start off your letter with a narration. Use the “5 Ws of Journalism” as a rough guide. In your introduction, address:
- What happened?
- Where did it take place?
- Who is it about/ Who does it affect/ Who witnessed it/ Who was responsible for the incident?
- When did it happen?
- How did it happen?

For example, following a reef clean-up project, you could start a letter thus: “Following a recent coral reef clean-up project off the coast of XXXX conducted by volunteers from the Malaysian Nature Society, we found to our dismay that most of the litter consisted of fishing lines and broken polystyrene foam coolers left behind by the local fishing community.”

2. ADDRESS THE CORRECT PARTY

“The Government should do so-and-so” is a statement that is best restricted to coffeeshop conversations. When you are drafting a Press Statement or a letter to the editor, identify and address the party responsible for rectifying a problem or implementing a solution to an issue.
- Waste management, local community, and recycling issues = Ministry of Housing and Local Government
- Open burning = Dept of Environment
- Marine issues = Dept of Fisheries and Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry.
- Tree felling, green lungs = National Landscape Dept and Ministry of Housing and Local Government
- Pet stores, animal welfare, stray animals = Dept of Veterinary Services
- Wildlife = PERHILITAN and Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.
- Fuel, vehicle ownership and public transport = Ministry of Transport

3. GO POINT-BY-POINT

If you are writing in response to a letter, report or article, analyse the article you are referring to. Break it down into specific issues that you wish to refute or express agreement with. Be specific.

Here is an example of a point-by-point response to arguments raised by the Malaysian Plastics Forum:

“The plastics industry also attempts to argue that such a ban would result in unemployment. It is, however, unforeseeable to us that any industry, much less the plastics industry, would be so lacking in resilience and resourcefulness that it could not adapt to changes in consumer patterns and legislation and could not come up with alternative or better products to meet market demands.

Further, the plastics industry feigns concern for the environment by arguing that the solution lies in instituting more measures to recycle plastic bags and polystyrene packaging. This is in defiance of science, economics and common sense, which demonstrate that it costs more to recycle a plastic bag than to manufacture one from raw materials, that even the recycling process generates waste and pollution and consumes fuel, water and energy, and that many types of plastic products cannot be safely or feasibly recycled.”

You must be able to explain why you agree/disagree with a statement, and support it with facts. This is more effective than merely saying “Plastic bags are not good for the environment.” As any lawyer will tell you, a failure to refute / challenge someone’s allegation or claim will be taken as an indication of acquiescence!

4. USE EXAMPLES AND COMPARISONS WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

“Leaving your car engine idling while you wait is a waste of fuel” sounds less compelling than “For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses about the same amount of fuel it takes to go about 1.6 km”. Examples, comparisons and illustrations all help to communicate ideas more effectively to your readers, as it will appeal to their imagination and memory. However, be sure to check your facts and references to make sure they are corroborated by official or academic sources.

5. CHECK YOUR REFERENCES

Always cite references whenever possible, e.g. “Relying on the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s and CO2 Balance’s carbon emission calculators, it is determined that a return trip for just one person from Tokyo to KLIA would generate an estimated 2.51 tonnes of carbon dioxide.” Cite specific laws and guidelines, whenever possible. In this age of information technology, there is hardly anything that you could not speedily locate using search engines.

This is especially important if you hold a position of leadership in your organisation and you are writing in the capacity of a representative of your organisation. All information cited should be reliable and relevant.

Just as importantly, check your references. Each statement you cite should be corroborated by more than one source type. For example, a newspaper report should be corroborated by an official statement in a Ministry’s official website. Be careful about citing blogs, Wikipedia or statements and claims made by NGOs of dubious reputation. Check the veracity of their statements. Is it corroborated by any other reliable party? Some sources may not be objective, and be based on personal opinions and prejudices.

Steer clear of “round trip” sources, where secondary sources begin to cite each other (e.g. a Chairman of an NGO cites his own article in their newsletter, and the newsletter quotes him in return) and “mirror corroboration”, where secondary sources all cite one source, creating an illusion of corroboration. You can tell that statements constitute “mirror corroboration” when it is difficult or impossible to verify and does not cite authority. A veteran oil industry executive produced an ad that claims: “There is no scientific evidence that CO2 is a pollutant… higher CO2 levels than we have today would actually help the Earth’s ecosystems”. Your “Mirror Corroboration/Round Trip Corroboration” alarm bells should start ringing by now.

6. USE THE “SANDWICH APPROACH” WHEN APPROPRIATE

When dealing with authorities and parties whose cooperation and assistance you require, it is often helpful to use the “Sandwich Approach” in presenting constructive criticism and feedback. In the sandwich, praise is the bread, and constructive criticism is the filling. The person giving feedback begins by praising strengths, then suggests improvements, and ends with further praise.

An example of how to use the Sandwich Approach in a press statement or letter to the editor:
Bread 1: “Like many citizens, I appreciate the State Government’s concern for the welfare of the people”
Filling: “However, it is submitted that reduced water charges will not help water conservation efforts, and may contribute to a water crisis in the state”. (Provide reasons to back up your statements.)
Bread 2: “I am positive that the State Government would be willing to consider adopting water-saving technologies and practicing better management of our water resources, all of which will help our state reach its developmental goals without sacrificing the environment or the people’s welfare.”

7. TAKE A STAND, BUT BE BALANCED IN YOUR VIEWS

Appreciate that whenever you are expressing your views on one issue, there will always be a percentage of people who hold a different view. Not everyone will be as enthusiastic about cloth shopping bags, taking public transport and using vegetable enzymes as you are. For every tree that you may wish to protect, there may be a fearful houseowner convinced that dead branches will fall through his roof at any time. Try to find a common ground, and then present a balanced and fair argument. Help your opponents address their concerns. Try to reach a compromise and propose solutions whenever possible.

8. PROPOSE AN ALTERNATIVE OR A SOLUTION

An eloquent letter goes nowhere if it ends abruptly without offering alternatives and solutions. Put your research skills to good use by finding alternatives, especially ones tried-and-tested in other jurisdictions. Offering alternatives encourages discussion and communication. Here is an example of how to put forward multiple alternatives in a letter to the editor:
“In order to mitigate the problem of overfishing and at the same time, ensure food security, we must consider alternatives to commercial fishing. These include:
i. Promoting aquaculture and fish farming methods that are sustainable and limit the risk of infection, zoonosis and pollution;
ii. ii. Establishing fishing quotas so fishermen can only legally take a certain amount of fish; and
iii. Declaring certain areas of the sea "no-go zones" and make fishing there strictly illegal, so the fish in that area have time to recover and repopulate.”

9. BE PASSIONATE, NOT EMOTIONAL

Many people mistake being emotional with being passionate. It is best never to write when you are feeling too angry or emotional. A letter that declares: “The poachers should die for this!”, “How could they do this?!?” or “This is crazy!” might be able to get public attention, but is less likely to be taken seriously than one that says: “Legislators must take immediate steps to safeguard our fast-vanishing natural heritage, while PERHILITAN and other bodies entrusted with the regulation of the wildlife trade must be more circumspect in the issuing of permits and be more vigilant in the monitoring of wildlife displays.” Remember that your letter or press statement will reflect on you, your organisation and the cause you champion. Be professional and considerate of other’s views and sensitivities always.

10. NEVER ISSUE THREATS OR ULTIMATUMS

A prolific petition writer has a tendency of making demands and issuing ultimatums in his petitions and press statements. “We demand that the police investigate this matter and bring the culprits to book within 24 hours”, ends one press statement. 24 hours went by, and nothing happened. What can the petition writer do? Threaten to migrate to another country? Threaten to vote in a new government? Terminate the entire police department?

Never write cheques that can’t be cashed. You will end up antagonising the parties that you should be making your allies, and you will end up looking ridiculous.

11. MIND YOUR GRAMMAR, SPELLING AND REFERENCES

Please take the time to proofread your draft, and if possible, get a helpful associate to review it for you. A poorly drafted letter indicates a lack of professionalism. If you don’t take your letter seriously enough to want it to be as free of faults as possible, then chances are, your readers will not take it seriously either.

Cat Boarding Hell & Raya Roundup

2011-09-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

This blogpost was supposed to be about something else (read: something totally mundane and uninspiring), but the emails and text messages flooding my Berry last night impelled me to add my two cents worth to the topic of the pet boarding facility which breached its contract with its clients and left its clients' cats unattended without food and water for an extended period.

I was in the midst of planning a break-in at an apartment unit in Jalan Kuching (with the approval and help of the police and the apartment management corporation, to make it legit) to rescue several abandoned cats when news reached me of the raid on the Petknode Cat Boarding Centre in Damansara Damai by the police, animal rescue volunteers and animal caregivers. I am glad that the police and our ever-reliable Bukit Lanjan State Assemblywoman have stepped in and that the animals have been removed from the terrible premises, but everything else is a merry chaos.

The SPCA Inspectorate was only informed this morning about the raid, break-in and removal of the suffering cats, so our work is as good as done. All the evidence has been tampered with. As anyone with a little bit of experience in investigative work and anyone who has attended our GAWS-SPCA Animal Welfare Legislation and CSI Workshop will tell you, even if you are armed only with a cell phone camera (who doesn’t have one nowadays?), you should take sufficient photos to help establish a causal link between the acts or omissions of the perpetrators and the harm suffered by the animals. The simplest procedure should be to:
(i) Take a photo of the exterior of the building showing the signboard and the address;
(ii) Take a photo prior to entering the room, so that an objective viewer will be able to see that the room being photographed is part of the interior of the building whose exterior had been photographed;
(iii) Take a photo of the room before anything is moved or touched.
(iv) AND ONLY THEN take pictures of the poor cats in various stages of illness, dehydration, starvation and distress. Take close-up photos of chains/leashes, cages, litter trays, empty food and water bowls, wounds and sores, closed windows, mail piling up by the door and anything that can help establish neglect, abuse and/or abandonment. Keep your photos in a memory card without editing anything, so that if you are called upon to give evidence, the photos you took will be acceptable as documentary evidence in a court of law.

I don’t know if the police or any of the distraught pet owners had the presence of mind to do this before they removed all those cages full of poor cats, but if they hadn’t, it could spell trouble for the prosecution team.

It shouldn’t be too difficult to establish cruelty to animals in this instance, but since the penalty for cruelty to animals under the current Act is such a derisory slap on the wrist, the best option would be to go for other offences under the Penal Code as well, including Section 418 (Cheating with knowledge that wrongful loss may be thereby caused to a person whose interest the offender is bound to protect – maximum penalty: 7 yrs in prison or fine or both) as well as Section 428 (Mischief by killing or maiming any animal of the value of five ringgit – maximum penalty: 2 yrs in prison or fine or both).

But above all, the important thing for us to remember is do something constructive with our outrage. Sign the Petition to stop animal abuse, if you haven’t already. Voice your thoughts on this issue in a letter to the Press. Ask your MP to vote for an increased penalty under the new Animal Welfare Act when it gets tabled in Parliament next year. Call your MP the day before the reading of the Bill in Parliament, introduce yourself as one if his/her constituents, and express your hope that he/she will vote for the Bill.

Malaysians, in general, tend to forget easily. We respond to incidents. We express anger and outrage when something bad happens, and then forget about it when the furore dies down. Let’s be the exception to the general rule. Let’s speak up. Animals and the natural environment have no suffrage. We do. Help them with your voice and your votes. National Day was merely a week ago. If we want to do something meaningful in commemoration of our country’s independence, then we should exercise our freedom of expression and free thought. Let’s make this country better for all its citizens – human, animal and plant.

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Raya Roundup and Project Second Chance Updates:

My big bandaged finger and I go visiting on the first day of Hari Raya. Pak Idrus and Makcik Asmah's home is always a joy to visit. Their hospitality, warmth and sincerity always make one feel very welcome. This photo is courtesy of Pak Idrus.

(Note: Further proof that the world is full of friends -- I met at least 4 other mutual friends at Pak Idrus' Raya Open House, and made at least 3 new friends.)

Chatting with my new friends Kevin and Choy, with whom I am currently executing a plan to bring in the stray cats of Ampang Jaya to the SPCA for spaying. I meet up with them tomorrow to set up the cage and carrier, and maybe we'll meet up again to discuss eco-tourism and volun-tourism ideas. This photo is also courtesy of Pak Idrus.

What a jovial lot we are! An especial thanks go out to Makcik Asmah for her thoughtfulness in making sure there are vegetarian dishes, and to Pak Idrus' daughter Lin for her delicious cakes! Heartiest thanks to our wonderful host, Pak Idrus, for bringing friends, old and new, together. What need is there for political slogans and self-conscious attempts at "unity" when there is genuine friendship, acceptance and openness?
(Photo credits: Pak Idrus)

Here is the injured 'community dog' that Kevin and Choy wanted me to see. Something injured him so badly that there is a wound going through his snout right through his upper jaw. You could see the exposed bones and the mouth through the wound. The poor dog was very scared and skittish and would not come to me. I begged the SPCA for a can of wound spray and brought it back to Choy. Choy reports that the dog dislikes the spray but does not try to run away, probably because he knows Choy is trying to help him get better. The wound is healing and there is less risk of parasitic infection now that it has been sprayed with antiseptic solution.

A big, bold kitty at the SPCA lets us know just what he thinks of the Malaysian mainstream media. You tell 'em, Kitty!

Tigger and Cali (both 3 months old) are vaccinated, dewormed and toilet-trained. They will be spayed at the age of 5 months. They are still in need of good homes. You will help me spread the word, won't you please?

~ Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Eid Mubarak, Happy National Day, Happy Vinayagar Chatturthi and Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all ~

Yeah, Well, Bite Me!

2011-08-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

The past month has convinced me that the world is an insane, arbitrary and chaotic place. It doesn't help that my daily schedule is insane, arbitrary and chaotic. Every day is an endless stream not of cigarettes and magazines, but of research papers, assessments, volunteer commitments, needy rescued animals in need of medical treatment, local political issues, world political issues, home repairs, car repairs, housework, yardwork, animal care work, Trap-Vaccinate-Neuter-Rehome arrangements and promises and favours that I was wheedled into agreeing to. My flabber is totally gasted.

As for the title of this blogpost: I was bitten by a dog at the SPCA on Saturday while trying to break up a particularly vicious dogfight. I was in the midst of giving the Sick Bay dogs baths and tick treatment when a fight broke out between Bubbie (the victim) and Paris, Suki and their gang. We tried to separate the dogs using mops, brooms and streams of water from the hose, but it didn't work. I jumped into the affray because one dog had Bubbie by the ear and another dog had her by the neck. I was afraid Bubbie was going to die so I grabbed her and held her and tried to carry her to the surgery. Somehow I got bitten and sustained a very deep wound in one of my fingers. Now my finger has been cleaned up and stitched, but it is still in a lot of pain and I can't apply much pressure on it, so this adds to my irritability. Trust my hand to get injured when I have so much to do. Tsk.

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August 6, 2011:

Have you ever had the feeling that you have known a blogging buddy all your life, even though the two of you have yet to meet in real life? Have you ever felt that a blog friendship was somehow more supportive and more real than some of the acquaintances you have made in real life?

Zara and I felt that way about our friendship from the time we started blogging (on another hosting site) in 2002. We found more and more in common with each other after she graduated from law school and started legal practice. So when she disclosed her plans to visit Malaysia with her boyfriend a few months ago, I was elated. We finally got to meet a few weeks ago and she was every bit as I had imagined her to be. I was thrilled to play host and tour guide and I hope Zara and Rohan enjoyed the time they spent with me as much as I did with them.

Zara came bearing gifts of a huge bundle of Amar Chitra Katha comics and a box of soan papdi from Mumbai. I was overjoyed with her gifts -- it was like my birthday, Christmas and Lunar New Year all rolled into one. She didn't leave empty-handed either, as I had already purchased gifts from the Malaysian Nature Society gift shop for her, along with a copy of Lat's "Kampung Boy" and lots of zany band-aids, which are not available in India.

Our first stop for the day was Batu Caves. Despite the fact that the Battletank's radiator had a leak, we managed to arrive safely at a workshop and spent a few hours exploring Batu Caves while waiting for the radiator to be repaired.

I drove everyone crazy with my questions: "Why does Lord Muruga have a poonal? Can a deity be a Brahmin? If Brahmins are humans who are believed to be imbued with divinity, but the reverse is not true, then how can it be that Muruga wears a poonal in this image of Him? True, some humans can be incarnations of deities -- Krishna often appeared in human form -- but he is still an incarnation of Vishnu. Here, Muruga appears as himself. Not as a human incarnation. Why, then, does he wear a poonal?" I guess I'll have to ask the temple priests that one.

Taking a breather in the cave temple. This photo was taken by a young man we met in the temple. Trust Zara to find herself a stalker almost as soon as she arrived in Malaysia! The young man tried to maintain contact with me. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I am 7 years older than he is, and the terms of endearment he used were way out of line.

Guess who's up and about! Rohan finally overcame his jet lag and managed to meet up with us. Here they are outside Tugu Negara, the national monument.

Zara and Rohan at the ASEAN Sculpture Gardens.

Zara and me outside Central Market.

Rohan and me at their room in Trader's Hotel, with KLCC in the background.

Although the time they had in Malaysia was so short, I believe that we shared good memories of the time we spent together. I hope we'll get to meet again soon. Until then, my dear friends and I will harass each other on Facebook. Here's to friendship and Facebook!

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Project Second Chance Updates:

Napoleon the Puppy thinks my full-time job is to play with him. I must go and visit him again soon. Thank you to everyone who contributed towards his medical bills. You saved Napoleon's life. He is a "mere stray" no more. Whenever confronted with the choice of doing the easy thing and doing the right thing, always try to do the right thing, even if it costs more and is more inconvenient. If you have the determination to do it, you will almost always succeed.

This is the face of the little dog who was almost euthanised due to his injuries. Thanks to everyone's kind donations, Napoleon the Puppy now has a new lease of life and can look forward to a life as a happy, healthy pup in a loving home. Next mission: A good home for Napoleon!

Keeping warm at the SPCA shelter on a rainy Saturday afternoon, Aug 13. I was in the middle of cleaning cages and kennels when these 2, Fajar and Sherry, decided to come and keep me company.

This Mama Cat gave birth to her litter in the back alley behind my friends Seng and Carol's house. My friends sought my assistance and so I brought the whole brood to the vet for vaccination and am currently fostering and deworming them in my home. I posted adoption notices in PetFinder, a local non-profit pet adoption portal, and found homes for 2 of the kittens almost immediately. The kittens are now over 2 months old and well able to eat on their own, so I will be getting the Mama Cat spayed this coming weekend.

Right now besides the Office Feral Cats that I am trying to trap for neutering and Mama Cat and her remaining two kittens, I am also providing post-neutering care for the cats who live with the Burger Stall Couple.

Somebody. I need help. I am turning into the crazy neighbourhood cat lady that your mother warned you about.

Shine On For The Fireflies of Kampung Dew

2011-08-12T11:16:00.000-07:00

I attended the inaugural Malaysian Nature Society Firefly Festival at Kg. Dew, Taiping, to support the conservation and environmental education efforts of our counterparts in Perak. I also had to reconnoitre the event for the purposes of Selangor Branch's very own Firefly Conservation Festival to be held this October.

Kg. Dew is located along Sg. Sepetang, around 20 minutes away from Taiping Town, where firefly-watching activities on a limited scale are being carried out by some boatmen from the nearby villages.

I managed to persuade CovertMum and CovertDad to join me. I told them:
"There's nothing you won't like about this trip. There's nothing dangerous, difficult or dirty about it. There will be fireflies. There won't be any leeches, snakes or crocodiles (Disclaimer: As long as you follow our safety instructions). I won't make you hike, swim, climb or camp. I will take care of you. Trust me."

And so we had an idyllic and enchanting weekend away from the city at Kg. Dew and Taiping Town. I trust ecotourism events such as this Firefly Festival will bring a glimmer of hope to firefly populations and encourage local communities and the authorities to conserve firefly habitats, maintain cleanliness and eliminate threats to firefly populations. Like birds, frogs and many other specie that are frequently taken for granted, fireflies are a good indicator of the environmental health of an area. A healthy and thriving ecosystem will benefit human, animal and plant populations.

Kg Dew is a tiny village mostly planted over with oil palm.

Booths and a banquet tent in the middle of the little village.

Display materials with natural history information.

Samples of mangrove flora at the exhibition booths. The local community also took the opportunity to produce handicrafts and local snacks for sale.

The local community took the opportunity to set up refreshment stalls.

A mangrove charcoal kiln! This is the first time I have ever been in one!

Charcoal is traditionally produced in these beehive-like charcoal kilns. It smells awesome. Like a combination of hashish, opium and mesquite barbecue. I feel sorry for the poor charcoal-maker's lungs. All that soot.

Kg. Dew jetty with its little passenger boats. It is commendable that MNS decided to carry out its ecotourism project here. The river was rather polluted with litter, and the local community needs to be educated on waste management and sustainable tourism. They don't know the gold mine that they are sitting on.

CovertDad and me at the jetty, waiting for the safety briefing and our lifejackets after the official opening ceremony.

Moon River / Wider than a mile / I'm crossing you in style / Some day.

CovertDad and CovertMum finally get their lifejackets. What an awesome boat ride it was. The firefly population at Kg Dew is at least 3 times denser than that of Kg Kuantan, Sg Selangor. There are over 133 Berembang trees along the 6km stretch and the trees lit up like parade floats when the fireflies did their synchronised flashing. From afar, the trees looked like they were generating lightning. All the participants and passengers agreed that it was a magical experience and expressed surprise at the density of the firefly population. Let's hope it stays that way.

We checked out the Taiping Lake Gardens the following morning. Our hotel was located within the Lake Gardens. Here I am, walking purposefully in search of vegetarian food, surrounded by majestic raintrees (Samanea saman). Inexpensive and nutritious Chinese vegetarian food is widely available at the food courts in Taiping Town.

The branches of the raintrees formed a natural tunnel for motorists through the Lake Gardens.

Taiping Lake Gardens, with the Titiwangsa Mountain Range in the background.

Paddleboats for rent. Look at the reflection of the mountains in the lake.

An old-timey snack stall on wheels at the Lake Gardens parking lot. Makes me feel like buying a cold garishly-coloured cordial drink, a box of DingDang (a new toy every week!) and a packet of "potato chips" that doesn't have very much real potato in it. Please raise your hand if you know what I am talking about!

Traveller's Palms at the Lake Gardens.

The view from our hotel room window. Love the midday shadow of that tree over yonder.

A colonial building with neoclassical features and nature-inspired Art Novveau plaster mouldings in Taiping Town.

Another colonial building with neoclassical features in Taiping Town. Note the Art Deco horizontal banding and the Deco archways, which suggest at an inchoate sunburst motif.

Interested in visiting Taiping and Kg Dew? Click on the links or follow the contact information below:

Kg Dew Firefly Ecotourism
Website: http://fireflyzone.blogspot.com/2009/08/promosi-eko-pelancongan-kelip-kelip.html
Contact person: Khairul Salleh Ahmad
Mobile Phone Number: 012 514 5023

Flemington Hotel, Taiping Lake Gardens
Address: No. 1, Jalan Samanea Saman, 34000 Taiping, Perak Darul Ridzuan,
Malaysia.
Telephone: +605-820-7777
Fax: +605-808-0177
Email: info@flemingtonhotel.com.my
Website: http://www.flemingtonhotel.com.my/contact.htm
My ratings: 4 stars out of 5, absolute value for money.

Rest in Peace, Darling Hopscotch

2011-08-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Rest in Peace, Darling Hopscotch
(April 2011 - 3rd August 2011)

Hopscotch came into my life in late May 2011. I named him after the blog title of my dear departed friend, Louis Sellier. I found Hopscotch in the space behind the condenser of one of the air-conditioning units in my office.

He was a sickly kitten, and full of fleas. I had to treat him for the fleas before I could bring him home. He survived the flea bath. I took him to the vet for his first vaccination. He survived the vaccination. He couldn't eliminate waste properly. So back to the vet we went, and after being treated with laxatives and dewormers, he was finally able to use the litter tray. Then other problems flared up. Poor little Hopscotch had such a high worm load that he could hardly eat and digest his food. So I had to administer the highest safe dosage of deworming medicine possible.

Once Hopscotch was clear of worms, I started worrying about his weight. He seemed unable to gain weight or grow, and was rather quiet and pensive for a kitten of his age. Still, he was an affectionate and loving kitten who was content to sleep against my neck or arm all night.

I left him in the good hands of my dear friend, Nicole, when I left for the Asia for Animals Conference in China in June.

Upon return from China, we found that Hopscotch had lost some weight, perhaps due to anxiety in my absence. We tried to make it up to Hopscotch with more cuddles, attention and yummy food.

When Topsy and Turvy, the rescued kittens, succumbed to parvovirus, I wasted no time in getting Hopscotch a full medical checkup and antibiotics to stop the secondary infection, even while I was still grieving for Topsy and Turvy. I was determined that Hopscotch should live, and I was pleased to see how well he socialised with other cats and humans. He was, to me, the ideal kitten.

Hopscotch's condition continued to deteriorate in July and soon he was practically skin and bones. I was horrified and soon vet visits became an almost daily affair. Hopscotch was constantly dehydrated and needed intravenous injections of glucose and fluids to stay alive. With grim determination, I pledged to spend less on my own needs and to direct all my resources towards saving Hopscotch instead.

Hopscotch was hospitalised for the final time last Saturday, 30th July. By then, he was so weak he could hardly meow. His gums were white and his pupils dilated. His body temperature was low. He was severely dehydrated despite all the vitamins, supplements, good food and filtered water that I provided him with. His lymph nodes by then were starting to show signs of enlargement. Amidst fears that he may have feline leukaemia virus, I begged the vet to put Hopscotch back on drips and keep him warm until the good vet was able to draw enough blood to test him for feline leukaemia virus and other retroviruses.

Hopscotch responded to the drips and antibiotics and started eating again in the next few days, but his breathing remain laboured and his kidney function was poor. A blood sample taken from an ear-prick showed that Hopscotch's white blood cells have not mutated, thus reducing the possibility of feline leukaemia virus. However, Hopscotch was so frail and his blood vessels so weak that a better blood sample could not be taken for confirmation. Still, there were enough signs for the vet to give a preliminary diagnosis of congenital polycystic kidney disease. Hopscotch's kidneys were failing in stages, and it really was the drips, medication and our love and care that was keeping him alive.

The vet called me this morning with the unfortunate news that my darling Hopscotch was no more. Never again will he lie on my tummy as I type out my assessments on my netbook. Never again will I get to feel him curl up against my neck as I sleep. Never again will I rush to prepare his wet food in the mornings and evenings and watch with satisfaction as he eats it at his own slow but steady pace.

My little Hopscotch is suffering no more. He is free of pain now, and he probably understands that I did the best I could afford for him, and loved him unconditionally.

Hopscotch, dear, if you ever get reborn as another cat or other animal, I would take you back and care for you all over again, in a heartbeat.

Rest in peace now, my beloved Hopscotch. I will never forget you.

Letter to the Editor: Johor State Zoo -- A Crying Shame!

2011-07-28T01:05:00.000-07:00

Paloh the Baby Elephant -- subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Her only crime is that she has the bad fortune of being housed in Johor Zoo.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
JOHOR STATE ZOO – A CRYING SHAME!

Johor state Local Government, Housing, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Zahri Jamil’s defence of the Johor Zoo (The Star,“No reason to shut down state’s iconic park, says exco man”, Monday July 25, 2011) is flippant and preposterous. The zoo’s long history, low ticket prices and high number of local visitors are neither justifications for cruelty to animals nor indicators of the Zoo's animal welfare standards or educational value.

The recent outrage over Johor Zoo’s cruel treatment of Paloh the baby elephant is only the latest in a long line of complaints against the zoo for wildlife offences and animal abuse and exploitation. As recently as 2010, Johor Zoo was openly selling illegal wildlife in a shop within its premises, and in 2011 the Zoo made the headlines again with Shirley the chain-smoking orang-utan.

In May 2011, it was reported that all wildlife establishments would now have to undergo auditing under new guidelines drawn up by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. (The Star, “Audit on all who keep wild animals” Friday May 6, 2011). This move is a timely and welcome one, and any progress on the implementation of the said audit guidelines would be highly appreciated.

With the enactment of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 (Act 716) in
December 2010, cruelty to wildlife is finally recognized as a criminal offence, and enforcement agencies such as Perhilitan are now endowed with the power to monitor wildlife displays and wildlife in captivity. The closure of the Saleng Zoo in June 2011 demonstrates that Perhilitan is capable to taking positive action against errant zoos and wildlife facilities. It is therefore imperative that Perhilitan requires all zoos and parks, including Johor Zoo, to comply with the standards set by the Malaysian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (MAZPA), failing which permits and licences may be revoked or not issued. Although these guidelines are not legally binding, they would provide direction in ensuring that zoos are professionally managed and will advance the cause of animal rights and welfare.

Johor Zoo needs urgent reform, if not a complete closure until a new management panel can be appointed, in order to protect the safety and health of the animals it houses. It is critical that Perhilitan and other NGOs and zoo associations be allowed to inspect and audit Johor Zoo and offer recommendations to be implemented immediately to prevent further harm to the animals. Failure to comply with the recommendations should result in the suspension or closure of Johor Zoo, the revocation of its licence, and the seizure and transfer of its animal residents to better facilities. If the Johor State Exco views tourist numbers as the main indicator of success, then it is submitted that improvements to the animals’ welfare and living conditions would greatly increase the number of visitors and positive feedback.

Zoos, aquariums and animal parks should be educational facilities that provide both humans the opportunity to learn about the natural history of wild animals and the need to protect and conserve the natural habitats of wildlife, and captive animals the opportunity to learn survival and social skills natural to their specie. Exploiting wildlife under the guise of preserving endangered specie is reprehensible and goes against the goals of conservation and environmental education.

WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

Please come and sign the petition too! Send Baby Paloh To A Sanctuary!

Football's Coming Home

2011-07-26T03:29:00.000-07:00

Despite the events I had written about in my previous blogpost, the Liverpool FC vs Malaysia XI match on July 16 was still one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had.

Over 34,800 fans turned up for the training session on Thurs, July 14. Audrey Q and I took half the day off to go to the National Stadium to watch Liverpool train. It was exciting for me to finally get to see my childhood heroes, Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish, in the flesh.

Watching the training session on a sweltering Thursday evening. We made new friends, did the Mexican Wave, caused injury to others with our vuvuzelas and cheered ourselves hoarse.

Over 34,800 fans turned up just to watch Liverpool train.

Rushie waved at us!!!!

Even watching our team warm up was fun.

It's Phil Thompson AND Kenny Dalglish! What LEGENDS!!!

Saturday was the day of the match proper. I went to the SPCA in the morning to attend to some shelter work and have breakfast with Kitties-From-Sydney's Mama and left by afternoon to pick Audrey Q up. We loaded the Battletank with a cooler full of cold drinks and potato chips and went on our way to the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.

A sea of red greeted us on the match day.

Two super excited fans. Audrey was tired and in some pain by then (see previous blogpost) but she is one tough cookie and mustered enough energy and enthusiasm to cheer and yell. Thankfully, she didn't have to stand much and didn't have to jostle for standing room, as we sat in the designated seating area for the differently-abled area. When the shoving and blocking got too much, we used our vuvuzelas to scare the able-bodied ruffians away. HONK!!!

Man on! Man on!

Liverpool FC vs Malaysian XI, July 16.

GOAAAAAL!!!!! I snapped this right before the ball went in!!!

Okay, he dribbled it through, so he's not offside, see?

6th goal from Liverpool, scored by Kuyt! Got this right after the ball went in! See how dejected the Malaysian team looks! The Malaysian goalie looked like he didn't want to get up off the ground anytime soon!

... and the crowd goes WIIIIIIILD!

Thanks for the memories! You'll never walk alone!

A sweaty, stinky and triumphant fan after the match.

Letter to the Editor: The Disabled Continue to be Marginalised at Sporting Events

2011-07-18T01:41:00.000-07:00

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
THE DISABLED CONTINUE TO BE MARGINALISED AT SPORTING EVENTS

Malaysia may be a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and may have enacted the Persons With Disabilities Act 2008 (Act 685), but in reality, our laws, society and institutions fail to commit to the genuine inclusion of disabled individuals in all aspects of living.

At no time was this more evident to me than during the Liverpool FC vs Malaysian XI match on July 16, when I was not allowed to park at the designated parking space for the disabled, or even allowed to approach the entrance to allow my disabled friend to disembark from my car. Our polite request for access to the parking space for the disabled was dismissed by the traffic police stationed around the National Stadium, and they told us in no uncertain terms that the disabled was not allowed to park in the stadium car park as the entire parking area was reserved for VVIPs and members of royalty. The event management company personnel and traffic police shrugged off our questions with an air of impatience and insensitivity, and the unspoken message seemed to be that the disabled should know their own limitations and should not have come to watch a sport that they could not participate in.

We ended up having to park over 1km away in front of the Astro headquarters and had to walk to the National Stadium. My friend was exhausted and in considerable pain and distress when we finally arrived. To make matters worse, the designated seating area for the disabled was occupied by able-bodied spectators and I spent most of the match requesting the other spectators not to push my friend or stand in front of her. During our walk back to our car after the match, we witnessed another spectator in a wheelchair attempt to manoeuvre his wheelchair along the uneven sidewalks and road shoulder as motorcyclists rode dangerously close to his wheelchair.

The official website of the National Sports Complex boasts of designated parking spaces and seating areas for the disabled, but this is mere tokenism as there is no sincere effort to ensure that the disabled have reasonable access to the said infrastructure, not when the disabled are barred from parking at the disabled parking zone and have to struggle to get a seat at the disabled seating area.

Malaysian society tries to pass itself off as a compassionate one, but it is, in essence, feudalistic. When the need to impress the wealthy and powerful in our society overrides the safety needs and basic rights of our disabled citizens, we know we have a lot of soul-searching to do.

WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

To Have Loved And Lost

2011-07-15T05:58:00.000-07:00

Life has pretty much settled into its old routine of work, social and volunteer commitments after my much-needed 2-week break. I returned from the Conference in China with fresh ideas on streamlining processes and procedures at the SPCA, and campaigns and projects for the SPCA, Bentong Farm Sanctuary, Malaysian Nature Society and Project Second Chance.

I found time to reconnect with family and friends in the past month, following the completion of the MNS Open Day and several other projects and the conclusion of the Conference. Impromptu drinks and conversations with dear friends and unscheduled dinner dates provided comfort and companionship at a time when I needed it most.

The past month has also been a busy one for Project Second Chance. Upon my return from China, I learned that Nicole was fostering 6 sickly kittens found in a dustbin, and so I offered to foster 2 for her.

Despite numerous visits to the vet, my two fosters, Topsy and Turvy, succumbed to feline panleukopenia 2 weeks after I took them in. They never had an illness-free day in their short lives. I tried everything within my means but failed to save them. I think of them often and hope to do better by them in another lifetime.

The very least I could do for Topsy & Turvy in this lifetime: I donated blood again on 12th July and did the pattidana puja to transfer the merit of this act to them (as well as to Little One, Baby and Sneakers, the other 3 kittens from the batch fostered by Nicole, who didn't make it either) that they may be blessed with better karma in another lifetime.

I am told it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. I am glad I had Topsy and Turvy to love and care for, if only for a week or two. I take some comfort too in the knowledge that they died in a safe place, surrounded by love, and not in the dustbin where their pain and suffering would have gone unnoticed.

Hopscotch, who was named after Louis Sellier, continues to live with me until I can find him a good home. Despite all the vitamins and supplements I feed him with daily, he remains painfully thin, although he is active and has a reasonable appetite.

Please help me spread the word to find Hopscotch a good home! He has been dewormed 4 times, vaccinated, given flea baths and housetrained. I plan to have him neutered in 3 months. He is playful, sociable, intelligent, affectionate, has a good memory and enjoys playing with other cats.

A more interesting Project Second Chance update comes in the form of an abandoned white spitz that Covert Twin discovered in a vacant house. After finding out from the neighbours that the poor dog has been left to fend for himself for more than a month and upon determining that the doggie needs medical treatment for his sores and eye infection, I managed to engage the assistance of the wonderful SPCA Inspectorate team to rescue the dog from the abandoned house.

Kelvin of the SPCA Inspectorate Team picks up the relieved but fearful spitz from the abandoned house on 1.7.2011

The spitz, estimated to be around 4 - 5 years old, has since been renamed Rembrandt and is currently under my care. He has since been dewormed, vaccinated, groomed, given anti-tick/flea treatment and neutered. I am rehabilitating him in my home and training him to get used to loud noises, strangers, and being on leash and collar. He is quite nervous but is responding to affection and is quite eager to please!
Please help me spread the word in order to find him a good home.

Every animal deserves a second chance. Please help me make a difference by letting your friends know about my lovely Hopscotch and Rembrandt, who are in need of good permanent homes. Thank you most kindly!

Chen-Du, Zhao An! Ni hao!

2011-07-09T02:38:00.000-07:00

When I first learned that the Asia for Animals Conference 2011 would be held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, I assumed, perhaps unfairly, that we would have our work cut out in a country known for abuses against animals, particularly wildlife, and that vegetarian food would not be available outside of the Conference venue. I even flew to China with over 10 kilogrammes of instant aloo gobi, granola bars and instant mashed potatoes in my rucksack.

Chengdu exceeded my expectations, but perhaps it was only because I was in very good company. Here are photos taken while exploring Chengdu on foot and by Metro with my gang.

Chinese cyclists and motorcyclists. For a communist country, China sure is lawless! Nobody wears a helmet or a seatbelt and they all drive in any damn direction they please. It was like being in a blender, with vehicles going in all directions at high speed.

Chairman Mao at Tianfu Square. Outside the Sichuan Museum of Science and Technology. Very commie. Even the musical fountains are ludicrously commie.

A cart selling fresh peaches outside a convenience store across the road from a bank. Gloriously cheap, at only 5 peaches for 5 yuan. It would have cost me 3-4 times the amount back home.

A petty trader on his overladen bike. This is the kind of stuff you see in those "Only In China" e-mail forwards.

Ha! A Chinese child soldier! I don't think he was forcibly conscripted. He looks too pleased with himself.

Blown sugar animals on sale at a stall in Jingli Street! No animals were harmed in the process of making these treats!

Sugar animals for sale, also at Jingli Street, a tourist attraction. The sugar animals were made using molasses poured over a flat surface.

Shadow puppets at Jingli Street.

Jingli Street, illuminated by lanterns at night.

Animated light displays at Tianfu Square. So this is what our coal-fired power plants were providing so much energy for!

Waiting for our food to arrive at Loving Hut Vegan Restaurant. Good thing we eat 3 hrs after the average Chinaman has dinner, so we had the cooks and waitresses all to ourselves. I stretched my linguistic abilities to the utmost in China as I had to play the role of translator to my friends from India.

Yeah, in case of emergency, evacuate the schematic drawing at all costs. To hell with your passports and valuables.

Another vegan restaurant that we loved very much and frequented for the entire week, located in Wenshu Monastery. The food was spicy and delicious.

Classical Chinese architecture in Wenshu Monastery. Check out the multi-inclined roofs!

An obliging Chinaman helped me take this photo. I went out to play with the temple cats within the compound of Wenshu Monastery while waiting for our food to arrive.

We ended up watching the Sichuan Opera on our second last night there. A bit like the noisy affairs we get every Seventh Month of the Lunar calendar. Only pricier.

The whole play, I was obsessing over what feathers those were (peacock? silver pheasant?) and how they were extracted from the bird. Once an animal activist, always an animal activist!

"Changing Faces", known in Mandarin as "Bian Lian". I used to be obsessed with lion dance and bian lian performances when I was young. Until I learned that most of the bian lian masks were made of silk. Poor silkworms!

Yearling pandas at the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research base. I felt sorry for them because their enclosures reminded me of the SPCA Sick Bay kennels.

Cheeky red pandas at the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Base. At least there is more enrichment in their enclosures.

Tian Tian, at age 20 (60 in human years), is a senior citizen at the Panda Breeding and Research Base.

With my buddies outside the main prayer hall in Wenshu Monastery. May we always continue to work towards improving the welfare and lives of animals everywhere!

Fly Me To The Moon Bears

2011-07-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

UK expatriate, Jill Robinson MBE, founded the Animals Asia Foundation when she discovered how thousands of Asiatic black bears (a.k.a. Moon Bears) were being raised in factory farm conditions on Chinese bear bile farms (the bile is sold for use in traditional medicines). After years of tireless campaigning, the Moon Bear Rescue Centre was established in 2000 following an unprecedented agreement with the Chinese authorities to release 500 farmed bears. The Moon Bear Rescue Centre is open to the public, and visitors travel for miles to see the bears experience freedom after spending decades in tiny crush cages.

The delegates of the Asia for Animals Conference 2011 were privileged enough to be taken on a day tour of the Moon Bear Rescue Centre in Chengdu, Sichuan. It was a moving and magical experience for all of us.

Moon bears may have to spend up till 30 years of their lives in small, cramped cages in unsanitary conditions for the bear bile trade. It is a myth that bears for the bile trade are raised in hygienic and comfortable conditions. Fresh food and water is rarely available and the conditions are unsafe, unsanitary and cruel.

Caged moon bears frequently bash their heads against the bars of their cages in an attempt to stimulate their intelligent minds.

Moon bears are made to wear metal jackets which crush their torsoes in order to facilitate the extraction of bear bile.

A legal breakthrough for Jill´s team. And this is how the Moon Bear Rescue Centre came to be...

Caged farm bears being transported to the sanctuary.

Veterinarians performing life saving surgery on rescued bears. The bears suffer a wide range of ailments and injuries in the bear bile farms and need immediate medical attention.

Living in cramped cages often result in extensive scarring.

RIP Little Mouse. I cannot get his gentle face out of my mind.

Thank you, dear readers of Daily Mail, for your generosity!

Bears kicking it at their clubhouse. Humans not invited.
Bears love to climb trees, and so the sanctuary staff have to install bamboo sheaths around the trees to prevent them from climbing certain trees. If the tree were to break, the bears might fall against the electric fence, or over the fence and into the enclosure of other bears, posing a safety threat.

One of the living quarters for the quarantined/ aggressive / antisocial bears. They will be let out on their own later when the other bears are inside. As you can see, this den is enriched with stimulating toys, too.

Dr. Monica, one of the chief veterinarians, briefing us upon arrival at the Rescue Centre.

What is bear bile used for?
To con gullible Chinamen into parting with their money, that's what. Pshaw.

Do we need bear bile?
We DON'T! There are better, safer, humane alternatives to bear bile!

Bear bile might be harmful to you! It's definitely harmful to the bears! Boycott the bear bile trade!

Farmed bears face not only physical but psychological trauma and this may present problems in the rehabilitation and reintegration process.

Ooooh, itchy! Skritch, skritch!

"Boo!"
These friendly bears approached us for a closer look. I am amazed at their capacity for forgiveness and love, given the horrifying ordeal they had to go through in bear bile farms.

Another friendly and curious bear approaches us, much to our delight.

A moon bear conga line!

This sweet bear kept making clucking noises at us. Dr. Monica explained that this could indicate curiosity and friendliness. The bear didn't see us as a threat.

Bear playground -- perfect for a real-life Teddy Bears' Picnic!

Sowmnya and me and and bears in the background.

Sathya and me and bears in the background.

Strike a pose! What a handsome fellow this bear is!

To learn more about the Animals Asia Foundation, please visit their official website.

If you plan on visiting the Rescue Centre on your next trip to China, please click on this link.

For a map of the Rescue Centre, click here.

What Can You Do To Help End The Bear Bile Trade?

(i) Boycott bear bile products (no matter how low the percentage of authentic bile in the product) and advise your friends to do the same.

(ii) If you are recommended bear bile products while on tour abroad, decline firmly and politely. THEN send an email to the travel agency upon your return, expressing your displeasure and disappointment and expressing the hope that they will take that particular destination out of their future tour itinerary.

(iii) Do you know of any traditional Chinese medicine shops offering bear bile products? Then please report it to the Wildlife Crime Hotline at 019 356 4194 or report@malayantiger.net. Send them a text message or e-mail with particulars on the product sold, the location and address of the shop, and your contact information.

Together, we can put an end to cruelty.

Coming together for Animals and Our Community

2011-06-26T02:57:00.000-07:00

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
~ Mahatma Gandhi.

The theme for the previous Asia for Animals Conference was "Effecting Long-Term Positive Change", which speaks of our resolve to implement changes and produce results which will improve the quality of life of all living things. We have seen much progress and positive changes in the last 18 months since the Asia for Animals Conference in Singapore in 2010.

The theme for the Asia for Animals Conference 2011 in Chengdu, Sichuan, China is "Out of the Box – bringing animal cruelty to an end", with the objective of spreading ideas, highlighting achievements and exploring solutions on how the exploitation of animals can be reduced and ended.

It was another inspiring, moving and productive Conference for me. I acquired new friends and knowledge and felt more empowered to bring positive change to the natural environment, my community and the animal world by making improvements to help the animal world.

There was an air of optimism, shared moral courage and triumph at this Conference that I didn't feel at the previous two Conferences. I am confident that change is stirring in all of us. In the years to come, we will see greater improvement in animal welfare and protection laws and changes in society's mindset. Animal welfare will very soon be part of mainstream thought and beliefs. In the 1960s, the hippies were ridiculed when they talked about recycling, pollution, the ozone layer and Silent Spring. Nowadays, no one questions the wisdom of environmental responsibility and the sustainable use of resources. I believe the day will come, very soon, when we can see an end to inhumane practices such as the use of performing animals in zoos and circuses, consumption of dog and cat meat, animal testing and big game hunting. I am optimistic that ideas such as humane farming methods, vivisection-free medical testing and humane and sustainable zoos and animal sanctuaries will one day be part of mainstream thought.

The Conference once again brought together animal welfare professionals and volunteers and celebrated activism and volunteerism.

The main purposes of animal shelters are:
- Reunification (of missing companion animals and human caregivers)
- Adoption
- Rescue and treatment
- Sterilisation
- and Humane Education

Is there a necessity for animal shelters in future if all these roles can be assumed by rescue groups? Project Second Chance can provide all the above service on a small scale with higher standards of care.

Engaging everyone:
- Tell people about your work and the results that you have.
- Tell your partners so they value you.
- Tell your sponsors so they continue to support you.
- Tell your employees and volunteers so they can be proud to be part of your team.

Pre-Conference Workshop 1:
Designing our own animal shelter. I have Dr Heather Bacon on my team so nobody had better say anything about our shelter design!
Oh and no prizes for guessing who added the waste composting facility, rainwater harvesting tank, solar parameter lighting and waste separating area. Hahaha.

Jill Robinson with our very youthful and immensely popular animal welfare ambassador, Karen Mok, during the opening ceremony. Karen, you rock!

Opening Ceremony: Celebrating 20 Years of the Dr. Dog Animal Assisted Therapy Programme.

Andrew Rowan of Humane Society International gets down on his knees to play with Dr. Yao Yao too. There goes the previously orderly, dignified delegation! Everyone went crazy when the dogs arrived.

Dr. Yao Yao to the rescue! Whether it's high blood pressure, anxiety, depression or high cholesterol levels, Dr. Yao Yao can help you get better!

Bear enrichment toys at the Animals Asia Foundation exhibition booth.

TSS checks the breathing of Critical Care Jerry, a veterinary education tool, at the InterNiche Booth. What's the prognosis, doc?

Alternatives to animal testing in education:
- Film and video
- Models, mannekins and stimulators
- Multimedia computer simulation
- Ethically sourced animal cadavers and tissues
- Clinical work with patients
- Student self-experimentation
- In vitro labs
- Field studies

Nick Jukes of InterNICHE with an injection pad, where medical/veterinary students can practice subcutaneous and intramuscular injections.

Winds of Change in China: Youths in China campaigning against the public listing of a pharmaceutical company which produces bear bile products.

With Wai Pak of the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre and friends from the Singapore Cat Welfare Society.

With my new friend Laurence from Hong Kong, with whom I stayed up till 2 a.m. discussing community stray TNR (trap-neuter-release)campaigns. Thanks, buddy!

TSS receives the Andrews Award for Outstanding Contribution By A Volunteer during the Gala Dinner.

The Cat Welfare Society of Singapore receives the Andrews Award for Outstanding Contribution By A Community-Based Programme or Campaign.

A Quick Pictorial Update

2011-06-06T05:15:00.001-07:00

I leave for the Asia for Animals Conference in China the day after tomorrow. I will be reunited with my Special Someone then. A quick pictorial update of my week is all I can manage at the moment.

Hopscotch, the Little Kitten That Could.
Hopscotch came with so many health issues -- fleas, worms, digestive problems -- that he almost didn't make it.
He has since been vaccinated, dewormed (3x), given flea baths (2x) and treated for tummy trouble.
Raise your hand if you or someone you know would like to adopt this handsome, active, affectionate and trusting kitty!
Hopscotch is about 3 months old, and I will attend to his neutering when he is 6 months old. Please help me spread the word!

4th June 2011
At the SPCA Booth at the Malaysian International Pet Expo.
Any takers for this cute puppy? He is up for adoption at the SPCA!

4th June 2011
At the SPCA Booth at the Malaysian International Pet Expo.
Kelvin giving Nicole's foster kitten, Baby, some TLC.

My buddy Nicole (right) is interviewed on animal cruelty issues and the animal protection petition on an 8TV Mandarin news programme, "Eyes on You".

4th June 2011
MNS Selangor Open Day / World Environment Day Celebrations at the Lembah Kiara Recreational Park.

4th June 2011
MNS Selangor Open Day / World Environment Day Celebrations at the Lembah Kiara Recreational Park.
Li-Li and Li-Kim's mum (in yellow tee) was a great help to us at the games booth.

4th June 2011
MNS Selangor Open Day / World Environment Day Celebrations at the Lembah Kiara Recreational Park.
Keats' storytelling session gets interactive. The kids get in the act, too.

4th June 2011
MNS Selangor Open Day / World Environment Day Celebrations at the Lembah Kiara Recreational Park.
I managed to persuade Keats to do the Single Rope Technique and she climbed all the way to the top (the tree branch was the height of a two-storey house)
Here she is, all smiles while abseiling down!

Our MNS Nature Guides -- Wonderful, dedicated and passionate, as always!
(Photo credit: Gary Phong)

See you all in two weeks!

Tree Stories

2011-05-31T04:40:00.000-07:00

"Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky,
We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness."
~ Khalil Gibran

Just when I thought that I could not possibly fit another item into my already packed weekend schedule, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Nature Guides announced that it was holding another botany workshop, entitled "Getting To Know The Local Stars of FRIM", conducted by my friend, FRIM botanist Lim Chung Lu. And so in between organising the office departmental retreat, the MNS Selangor Open Day and doing animal care work at the SPCA, I managed to arrive at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) in time for the much-anticipated workshop on indigenous flora.

Jelutong
(Dyera costulata)

The Jelutong is a tall deciduous tree with relatively light and soft wood. Its wood is used in pencil production, and its resin is chewed as gum. The leaves of the jelutong are spatulate in shape and whorled in arrangement from the end of the twig.

The stingless bee frequently chooses the trunk of the Ironwood (Local name: Tembusu Padang, scientific name: Fagraea fragrans) to build its home due to the deep fissures in the bark.

The Ironwood (Local name: Tembusu Padang, Latin name: Fagraea fragrans) has deep, steep-ridged fissures in its trunk. Its wood is hard and frequently made into chopping boards.

The Damar Minyak (Agathis borneensis) tree has dippled bark and ovate leaves. It produces softwood timber, and its aromatic resin is said to ward off black magic and evil spirits.

Intact male pollen cones of the Damar Minyak (Agathis borneensis).

The Belinjau / Meninjau (Gnetum gnemon) tree, from which we get our belinjau crackers.

The Mata Lembu (Firmiana malayana) has tri-lobed leaves with a heart-shaped base. It sheds all its leaves during the dry season.

Upun Batu
(Upuna borneensis)

The Upun Batu is a dipterocarp with heavy hardwood. Its bark has a cracked and flaking appearance. It is listed in the IUCN Red List as endangered.

So that's where the smell of garlic toast came from! The fruit of the Kulim / Bawang Hutan tree (Scorodocarpus borneensis) smells strongly of garlic, and is said to have antimicrobial qualities.

"Skorodos" is Greek for garlic.
"Karpos" means fruit.

There was an immediate and perceptible drop in the temperature when we stood under the trees. Each part of the tree plays a role in climate control. Leaves absorb or deflect solar heat and improve air quality. Foliage density has an effect on wind speed and direction. Root systems act as a watershed and reduce storm runoffs. Never forget that trees are our friends.

Some asked how to tell if a mushroom is poisonous to humans.

According to my SAS Survival Handbook, you must break off a piece and rub it on your underarm. Wait an hour.
If there is no allergic reaction, break off another piece and rub it on your chin. Wait an hour.
If there is no allergic reaction, break off another piece and rub it on your lower lip. Wait an hour.
If there is no allergic reaction, break off another piece and chew it and spit it out. Wait an hour.
If there is no allergic reaction, break off a small piece, chew it and swallow it. Wait two hours.
If there is no allergic reaction, you can presume the mushroom is safe to eat.

I wrote back to the author and told him I would have died of starvation by then.

The most recognisable tree in the rainforest.

Tongkat Ali
(Eurycoma longifolia)

Compound leaves with terminal leaflets. Crowded at twig tip. Lovely to look at. Tastes awful as heck.

Daun Payung (Literally, Umbrella Leaf)

(Johannesteijsmannia altifrons)

Most railroad sleepers are made of Kempas, a durable hardwood. Disused railroad sleepers are often reclaimed by the construction, furniture and landscaping industries.

Penaga Lilin pyrotechnics!

The most distinctive feature of the Penaga Lilin is its leaves, which crack and pop when burnt. This is due to the fact that its elliptic leaves have a waxy white underside (to reduce water loss by transpiration) which acts as a waterproof sealant. The trapped air-space pops and cracks when burnt.

"Trees have always been talking to us but we have forgotten how to listen."
- Michael Roads

Volunteer Power on Vesākha!

2011-05-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

"However innumerable sentient beings are, I vow to save them.
However inexhaustible the defilements are, I vow to extinguish them.
However immeasurable the dharmas are, I vow to master them.
However incomparable enlightenment is, I vow to attain it"

~ The Four Great Vows in Buddhism

Although I profess the religions of Theravada Buddhism and Hinduism, I spend very little time on scriptures and worship. But what I do know intuitively is that religion should give us hope, strength, courage and a moral compass. Religion should never promote suffering and sacrifice. My primary role is to be a good human being and to put my values and beliefs into practice. What is good for others must necessarily be good for me. And due to the strength of my beliefs that I am living my life in the way that my religions would want me to, I feel no guilt about the fact that I go to the temples so infrequently.

This year I spent even less time on prayer than usual on Vesākha, as I had made prior arrangements to volunteer with Sampah Masyarakat in a joint cleanup and greening project with another environmental organisation, TrEES (Treat Every Environment Special), at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields.

Despite the fact that Vesākha ("Wesak Day" is really just the Sinhalese name for it) is a national public holiday, it wasn't a UN holiday this year and so I was at work all day and could only volunteer for the 1900h - 2300h shift. Still, I managed to reach the Vihara at 1830h and complete my shift by 2330h, and I was pleased with all that we have accomplished in one day.

The Buddhist Maha Vihara cleanup and greening campaign was far more successful and orderly than the Thaipusam Mega Cleanup. The two organisations set up recycling bins throughout the Maha Vihara temple complex and stationed volunteers on shifts to ensure that the public and temple staff sorted their waste and disposed of them in the correct bins. I doubt we would have received the same level of cooperation and understanding at the Batu Caves temple complex!
(Photo credits: Shyam Priah)

Volunteers Melvin and Leela from TrEES collecting used cooking oil for reuse. Well, you know who to thank for not clogging up the drains of Brickfields with cooking grease!
(Photo credits: Shyam Priah)

Sampah Masyarakat volunteer Hariharan sorts food and plant waste for composting.
(Photo credits: Shyam Priah)

The beautifully illuminated Vihara, when I arrived for my shift in the late evening.

The main prayer hall all aglow.

Devotees lighting joss sticks and candles and offering prayers at the numerous shrines throughout the Maha Vihara temple complex.

A revolving, colour-changing lantern display in the Vihara grounds.

4 of the Sampah Masyarakat volunteers: From left, Hariharan, Shyam (the founder), me and Petri.

Leela of TrEES sorting the waste for recycling at the basement. I am awed and humbled by her dedication and unflagging energy.

Guess how long it took 3 of us to cut open, flatten, stack and transport this mountain of cardboard boxes?
No more than 10 mins.

Recyclables waiting for collection in the basement.
"Vow #1: "However innumerable the recyclables are, I vow to save them from the landfill."

Mat and Leela of TrEES sorting and bagging up the recyclables. They amaze me. They've been at it since 0600 hrs.

I finished my shift at 2330 hrs and was about to leave when I saw a troupe of Kandyan dancers making their way into the Vihara. What fun and excitement! It was an unexpected but fitting reward for the hours of hard work.

I trust that the good people at the Vihara will continue the legacy of good waste management practices started by TrEES and Sampah Masyarakat, as they demonstrated examplary cooperation, interest and enthusiasm. I wish all faith groups would place as much emphasis on creating a safe, healthy, clean and livable environment for all living beings and ecosystems.

A Thor-oughly Good Time

2011-05-15T03:31:00.000-07:00

Film Review: Thor

Superhero movies generally follow one of several tried-and-tested formulas. The initial part of the movie normally revolves around one of three plots, namely:
(i) The superhero is of extraterrestrial or mutant origins and is imbued with superhuman powers from the start, and later decides to use this power to the benefit of the human race, unworthy souls though we may be. (Superman, Hellboy, Thor)
(ii) The superhero acquires special powers through some accident, extraterrestrial encounter, exposure to radiation or scientific experiment gone awry, and spends a significant amount of time getting used to these powers before he is able to use these powers to his advantage. (Spiderman, Hellblazer, The Incredible Hulk, Wolverine).
(iii) The superhero is a mortal with no super powers and is equipped with nothing more than a superior intellect and the resources to build fantastic gadgets. He normally also possesses crime-fighting skills befitting SAS commandos and martial arts grandmasters. These superheroes are usually also playboys and heirs to untold wealth. (Batman, Iron Man, Green Lantern).

The later part of the movie usually revolves around the superhero’s efforts to incapacitate the evil machinations of a super villain or to stop a chain of events with particularly dire consequences on Planet Earth or the human race. There is usually also a romantic subplot involving the superhero’s efforts to conceal his alter ego from a mortal love interest, which is usually successful, proving that a mask, a pair of glasses or a different hairstyle is often all you need as disguise in the fantasy world.

Often linked to this subplot is another subplot revolving around the superhero’s weakness, be it the love interest, who is susceptible to being kidnapped, or an external object or resource capable of compromising the superhero’s powers (e.g. Kryptonite).

“Thor” doesn’t deviate from the standard superhero movie formula. What makes it worth watching, then, apart from the fact that it has breathtaking special effects, and a physically appealing protagonist?

“Thor”, to me, is more than a movie about using one’s special powers for the greater good. To me, it isn’t even a movie extolling the virtues of humility and grace. It isn’t a movie about the protagonist’s journey of self-discovery and self-realisation. It is a movie about the triumph of friendship and loyalty over treaties bound by lesser ties. It is a movie not just about loss and sacrifice, but also about teamwork, responsibility and leadership. Most importantly, to me it carries a strong message about the necessity of circumventing bad laws, and the courage to defy weak, corrupt and oppressive leaders. The God of Thunder isn’t the only hero in this comic book adaptation. To be honoured and applauded are Heimdall the valorous gatekeeper, and Thor’s stout-hearted companions, Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun and Sif. And this is what makes the alliance of warriors in “Thor” heroes after my own heart.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Weekly Roundup With Photos:

The past week has been a family-oriented one, partly to make up for the fact that I spend so much time on work and volunteer commitments. I had spent the last two Saturdays at the SPCA as usual -- bathing and tickwashing dogs, cleaning the catteries and kennels, drafting press releases, training new volunteers, and counselling potential adopters and people who wished to surrender their animals. There has been many reports on animal abuse and cruelty cases in the media lately, and so we have our work cut out both trying to engage the authorities and trying to placate the outraged and emotional public. Seems to me like no one else knows how to draft something that sounds neutral and rational and which offers solutions. Everyone else seems to think that being dramatic, emotional and accusatory is the order of the day. I have been driven to the point of exasperation on many occasions.

With only 3 weeks to go until the Malaysian Nature Society Open Day, there are also volunteers to be recruited, official approval to be obtained, equipment to prepare and prizes to source.

I had spent Mothers’ Day cleaning the parental home and treating Covert Mum to a facial session. I had later taken the parents out to a nearby cafe for dinner to avoid the crowds in downtown restaurants. I took Friday off to take the parents to watch “Thor” and to have lunch at one of their favourite restaurants before going back to the office in the evening to clear a few files and complete some research. My canine and feline children, including the Project Second Chance rescues, are doing well. For these small blessings, I consider my life fortunate beyond measure.

Oscar had a bad case of mange when he first came to me. After undergoing 3 courses of Ivermectin, he is now a handsome little heartbreaker.

Oscar has been vaccinated, dewormed and given 2 flea baths. He should be ready for neutering in a month. I hope we are able to find him a loving home.

Hopscotch was very sick with worms and fleas when I first found him behind the air-conditioning unit in my office. I had him vaccinated and I treated him for fleas and worms myself. The worst is over, and Hopscotch will survive, although he remains extremely thin.

Hopscotch eats 2 bowls of wet food and kitten milk replacer a day, and has consumed his weight in Nutrigel, Liv .52 and pet vitamins, yet he looks positively skeletal. I will need to deworm him again soon. I hope he will gain sufficient weight and strength in a month when I put him up for adoption.

The SPCA shelter dogs observing the visitors observing them.

The SPCA shelter dogs find a quiet corner to rest in after their bath.

Here’s lookin’ at you, kid.

A belated birthday celebration for my buddy Nicole at Marco’s Pizza last night. Nicole attempts food photography after we had started on the penne.

Our yummy thin-crust vegetarian pizza.

The velvety, rich and absolutely decadent tiramisu, which our birthday girl enjoyed.

Covert Operations, Out.

Kickin' It In Singapore

2011-05-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."
~ The legendary Bill Shankly.

When the weight of ennui in one's daily life becomes unbearable, you know it's time to throw yourself into team sports. Football resumed being the top priority in my life 2 months ago, and football helped my life stay structured and sane during a very difficult time. Although there were days when I felt as though the dark clouds in my mind would never lift, mustering the self-discipline to get up and leave the house to play football helped me focus my energies on being part of a team and putting the team first.

All the practice and training my team and I underwent was for the Annual Bench and Bar Games between the Malaysian Bar and the Singapore Law Society. Although Malaysia often faces little difficulty in trumping Singapore in the Games, Women's Football is an event in which the Malaysian side has yet to experience victory. Still, this does not discourage us from doing our best.

Our match took place at the SAFRA Tampines sports grounds on Labour Day, and I had travelled to Singapore by bus. I stayed with Covert Big Bro and Covert Sis-In-Law for the 4 days that I was in Singapore and spent a lot of time catching up with my friends, both 4-legged and 2-legged.

Hello again, SPCA Singapore! I've missed you! It's good to be back! It was a rather wet Saturday morning but I had arranged to meet up with my buddies, Mun Yee and Rachel, at the SPCA. I took the MRT to Bartley Station and arrived at the SPCA even before it had opened to visitors for the day.

Cats taking five in the Cattery. I asked the SPCA if I could be of use in the Cattery, but they said that I am not allowed to clean litter trays or baskets unless I have undergone their Volunteer Induction Programme. Ohhh-kay. So they want to make sure I haven't got a previous conviction for stealing soiled kitty litter.

Sad Puppy: "I is bored. I wants to come out."
Me: "Okies. Out you come."
Puppy: *Gnaw gnaw gnaw*

"Cos we are baaaack together again! And we are a force to be reckoned with!"
(From left to right: Rachel, me and Mun Yee)
I had missed Mun Yee when she took up a job offer in Singapore. It was good that we were able to stay in daily contact especially with the help of social media networks.

Mun Yee the dog bite victim seems unfazed by the attack on her by Casey, a Siberian husky-cross.

Here we are at the hotel lobby getting ready for physical training on Sat. I remember telling our goalie Soo Lung that we'll play catenaccio defence, but during the match the following day, everything was really chaotic and nobody stayed in position. Nothing new here.

At the hotel lobby with Coach Lanti (in the blue polo) on the afternoon of our match. Malaysia was leading by one point on Sat afternoon. Before we stumbled at cricket and women's football, that is. But we still won the Games in the end!

Clowning around on the team bus to the match grounds. I knew by now, with a good dose of self-realisation, that the only way we could even hope for a draw is to pray for a lightning storm that would stop the match. All I can say is that our team does not have the tenacity, commitment and drive seen in our Singaporean counterparts. We were informed that they trained as a team all year round. We, on the other hand, could not even muster 6 players for our practice matches and had to "import" players from other clubs. The younger players have never even worn their studded boots onto the pitch until the day of the match.

Grumpus Wumpus getting ready on the bus to the match grounds. I had lost one of the velcro straps to my shin guards and had improvised with surgical tape.

... And the referee is left eating dust.
Everything looks a bit crazy from where I was standing in the Reserves. Someone playing dirty, someone getting a headbutt, a rugby scrum going on somewhere in our third of the field. Same old, same old.

Bit of confusion there. I think it's our ball for the throw-in.

A team photo is in order even though we lost by a wide margin. Better luck next year, if we can get the juniors to come for practice often enough, that is.

Jac-Jac having a fit on the bus after the game. No, not really. She pulled a muscle in her left leg. We didn't spare her the ignominy of being ribbed. "Amputate her leg, Coach, amputate!" we chorused.

Jac-Jac, me, Rachel and Mun Yee waiting to be seated at the Orchid Country Club where we were to have our farewell dinner.

The football team has had enough of dressing up in identical outfits and rose to the occasion for the farewell dinner.

The food was appalling but the company was genial. Singaporean food is just Malaysian food washed under running tap water. I was given many dishes with mock meat in it. By the time the 3rd course arrived, I had to decline it as I could feel my blood pressure hitting the roof due to all the sodium and monosodium glutamate.

A parting haiku for the aolo bus ride home:
A reluctant rain
Anoints green-crowned sentries in my
Chiaroscuro world.

PetFinder Charity Fair Weekend

2011-04-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

I have been in a state of perpetual melancholy since Louis' demise. The daily thunderstorms and the fact that I am overwhelmed with responsibilities do nothing to improve my mood.

Every week is an endless stream of football matches, reports, research papers, housework and volunteer commitments.

I am currently providing treatment and care for 2 kittens, Toby and Oscar, under Project Second Chance. If it weren't for the fact that I have to be in Singapore this weekend to play in a football match, I would be bringing home another 2 from the office, Hopscotch and Duchess, for medical treatment and vaccination. In the meantime, my colleagues will have to help me feed the two feline waifs until I am back from battle.

Last Sunday had been another wet and blustery one. It started raining when I was in the middle of giving tick baths to the SPCA dogs, so I moved on to cleaning the kennels and cattery instead. However, as the floodwaters kept rising, I decided there wasn't much point in cleaning and disinfecting the floor, and started checking on the animals in the lower-lying parts of the shelter instead. After securing tarps over the cages and making sure our drains and rain gutters were clear of obstructions, I barrelled over to Sunway Pyramid to join the SPCA Marketing & Communications team at the PetFinder 3rd Anniversary Charity Fair.

PetFinder is a local online portal with the objective of rehoming animals and reuniting lost pets with their human guardians. Unfortunately, there are no restrictions as to who may utilise its services, so it is widely used by backyard breeders and pet stores as well as rescue groups and animal welfare organisations. Still, any effort to rehabilitate and rehome animals is better than none.

The beneficiaries of the Charity Fair are:
- SPCA Selangor;
- PAWS Animal Welfare Society;
- HOPE;
- Save A Stray;
- MYAnimalCare.Org;
- Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better and Malaysian Cat Care Project; and
- Paws Mission.

While many recognise SPCA and PAWS as registered organisations and MDDB/MCCP and MY Animal Care Org as established animal rescue groups, organisations like Paws Mission and HOPE are new volunteer-run animal rescue and care groups that operate out of the homes of members and volunteers with the help of vets, much like how Project Second Chance started 3 years ago.

The Charity Fair was a resounding success, as the photos below attest:

Nicole and Kelvin attending to customers at SPCA Selangor's merchandise and outreach booth. This is Nic's standard pose.

These puppies were brought in as mascots and have already found homes. Here, the puppies receive some much-needed tender loving care from kind visitors.

Adorable Henry Cats mousepads, keychains and magnets for sale to raise funds for Paws Mission, an animal rescue and welfare group based in Old Klang Road.

Mr. Brownie the Chow-Chow raising funds for his less fortunate brethren.

Case histories, with before and after pics, from MYAnimalCare.Org.

MYAnimalCare.Org is an animal rescue & welfare organisation that also does pro bono public education and awareness work and produces publications for distribution.

"All Lives Are Precious", avers this beautiful sticker produced by MYAnimalCare.Org. I acquired one for That Special Someone and one for myself.

Bola, the 5-month-old Pomeranian, helped to raise funds for his less fortunate canine and feline friends.

"Rescued" may be my favourite breed, but I couldn't resist giving Bola a squeeze.

Adorable cell phone pouches for sale to raise funds for PAWS Animal Welfare Society. The PAWS Animal Shelter (yes, it's still running and it's
still located in Pillmoor Estate) also houses dogs captured by the Shah Alam and Subang Jaya local councils.

Easter cupcakes given out to volunteers at the end of the day. Yummers. I had the blue one and Nic had the pink one.

Escaped helium balloons adhering to the ceiling. Save-A-Stray was offering a balloon for a minimum donation of RM5, so that's RM35 over there stuck on the ceiling.

The fundraising canine team all ready to go home after 2 days of hard work. Poor doggies hardly had any rest. All the visitors wanted a photo opportunity with them.

A group photo of the representatives of the various organisations for posterity.

Cash donations amounting to RM20,362.70 were collected and distributed to the aforementioned organisations, and the organisations collectively made over RM15,000 from the sale of merchandise over the weekend. Heartiest Congratulations to PetFinder on their 3rd Anniversary and many thanks for the funds raised for these deserving animal welfare organisations.

A Final Letter to A Dear Friend

2011-04-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

Louis Michael Sellier

16th Feb 1937 - 16th March 2011

Dear Louis,

I trust this letter finds you well and in the company of your beloved Elena. I don’t know what your beliefs on the afterlife are, but I do know that someone as good as you cannot die.

You left us exactly a month ago, Louis, and I didn’t find out until today. For that, I am racked with guilt. Forgive me, my friend. Right now my grief is so huge that it is choking me and crowding out every other concern in my mind. I have to wake up at 0500h tomorrow for a football match in Seremban, and right now I have a rescued kitten, Toby, screaming for attention in the kitchen and another rescued kitten, Oscar, who is outside in Bravo’s old cage wanting to come in but he is not allowed to because he is still under treatment for mange, but all my thoughts are filled with you.

I can’t share my sorrow with anyone else, Louis, because as far as others are concerned, I know you only through e-mail and our blogs, and therefore you aren’t a “real friend”. And your loved ones probably don’t know of my existence, or perceive me to be nothing more than another commenter in your blog, and therefore not important enough to be notified of your death. I don’t blame them for this, Louis. For who else could understand and appreciate how real our friendship is, and how much you mean to me?

How could I expect those who haven’t had the good fortune to have known you appreciate what a kind, gentle, considerate, intelligent and supportive friend you are to me as well as others, and how could they understand how much I looked up to you? I wish I could have told you when you were still alive how much I wanted to be as wise, insightful, compassionate and thoughtful as you, and how much I want my future marriage to be as full of love and strength as yours and Elena’s. No one could have understood how much your emails and your comments in my blog nourished me emotionally and encouraged me to do better. You never gushed or overpraised – you know I would have hated it and seen the insincerity in it, and besides, you couldn’t be dishonest or hypocritical if you tried. Your views were always balanced; always full of humility, kindness and empathy. In this troubled world of ours, where there is so much anger, hostility and self-righteous airing of opinions, I look up to you as someone who is fair-minded and principled.

The last time you wrote to me was on March 3, before you left for Arizona, and you had expressed your intention to come to Malaysia. I had told you of my plans to plant a tree for Elena and informed you that I have managed to secure a plot for Elena’s Tree in the Kota Damansara Community Forest, and you had requested to be there for the tree-planting ceremony. I had looked forward to your visit, and had planned to take leave from work so I could take you to all my favourite places during your visit.

Your silence since then had left me uneasy, but I had attributed it to you being on holiday and therefore away from your iPad and PC. It was not until Pak Idrus and Pat expressed the same uneasiness that we started asking other bloggers and netizens in earnest if they had any news of you.

I did think of you on March 16, Louis, but it was an optimistic thought, with no premonition of your passing. I had been having dinner at Vegelife Cafe with Vegan Eugene and other friends. It was a restaurant I had reviewed before, and you had described my review as “appetising”, and on March 16 I had thought of the dishes I would recommend to you when you came to Malaysia. I guess I won’t have the chance to buy you dinner anymore, will I?

I have never believed that relationships end with death, Louis, and I will never believe that you and I will not meet again. We will meet again, someday, and until then, I will do my best to keep your legacy of gentle wisdom alive.

So long, buddy. I will never forget you.

P/S: I guess I will be planting 2 trees now, instead of just one.

P/P/S: The next animal I rescue will be named Hopscotch, in your honour.

P/P/P/S: I know you will be watching me at football (i.e. soccer) tomorrow. Just don’t laugh when I fumble or screw up, okay?

Hodge Podge

2011-04-12T11:51:00.000-07:00

What with the Sarawak State Elections, work, letters to the Press to be drafted, volunteer commitments, animal care duties and football practice every other day, I didn't have the time to post a blog entry last week.

A Fortnight's Roundup, In Photos:

26th March 2011: The 6th CETDEM Hari Organik was held at the SS2 public park. The objectives of Hari Organik are to encourage consumers to purchase and consume local produce, to help new organic farmers/traders establish their market, to promote healthy and environmentally-conscious living, and inculcate community spirit. Visitors and consumers were encouraged to bring their own shopping bags and food containers to the event to minimise packaging and waste.

26th March 2011: Children "fishing" out cards bearing the photos of vegetables to help them learn to identify and recognise local and seasonal vegetables.

26th March 2011: I purchased more organic vegetable seeds than I needed but was fortunate in that there were many takers for the seeds. My friends and I now have a seed network started. It's only a matter of time before we can start harvesting our own vegetables.

Bird Plant (Pedilanthus bracteatus) finally in bloom in my parents' garden. Can you spot the bird-like inflorescence?

Chilling out at Sunway Lagoon on 1.4.2011 with two of my best friends, Glyn and Nicole (i.e. Glycol) before Glyn's return to the UK. Here they are waiting for the arapaima fish that never surfaced.

1.4.2011: Making Zoo Check observations and notes at the Sunway Lagoon Wildlife Park after I have had enough of splashing around and swallowing chlorinated water at the water park.

This is my latest rescued kitten, Toby. I found him wandering in my office car park with skinny limbs and a belly bloated with worms on 4.4.2011. We are very lucky in that we have already found him a home through my network of friends. Thank you, Chelvi K., for offering to adopt Toby!

Latest rescued kitten, Toby. Age: 2-3 months. Breed: Domestic Short Hair Medical History: Dewormed on 7 & 8 April 2011 Given flea bath on 5.4.2011 Vaccinated on 9.4.2011.

When I brought Toby to Dr. Steven Yoon of Healing Pets Animal Clinic for vaccination, the doctor and his wife very generously gave me a bag of pet food and treats for the SPCA animals when they realised that I would be going there to help out in the afternoon. Here are their kind contributions sitting in the shelter office.

12th April 2011: It's time for another quarterly visit to the National Blood Bank! I requested statistics this time around and was very pleased to learn that there was almost zero wastage of blood at this facility. Due to the high demand for blood in government and community hospitals, almost all blood donated is put to good use, and the only blood destroyed is tainted or diseased blood.

12th April 2011: One of these days I'm gonna steal me a kidney dish and serve Chex Mix in it.

12th April 2011: A gift, for me? Why, thank you! It's...umm... a little splotch of blood. I'm absolutely charmed! How very kind of you.

Covert Operations, OUT.

Letter to the Editor: Crow-Shooting Inhumane and Ineffective

2011-03-30T05:48:00.000-07:00

The morons from the MPAJ Municipal Council wouldn't even let me bathe dogs in peace at the SPCA on Saturday, what with the pellets whizzing past my head and the dogs and cats yelping with fear and diving for cover, so I have decided that I would bring out my secret weapon, and prove that.... The Pen May Indeed Be Mightier Than The Pellet Gun!!!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
CROW SHOOTING INHUMANE AND INEFFECTIVE

The peace of the residents of and pedestrians at Ampang Jaya was disrupted on Saturday, 26th March, when MPAJ municipal council officers roamed the area with pellet guns in a crow-shooting operation.

Shooting as a means of controlling the population of crows is cruel and inhumane, as death, if it happens, is often not instantaneous. Birds are often maimed or injured by the pellets, and even if the shooter is an expert marksman, it cannot be denied that accidents may occur, causing injury to non-target birds and other animals. In addition, if the justification for the shooting operations is that the crows have become a nuisance, then it cannot be refuted that the shooting operations also constitute a nuisance. The noise from the pellets fired startle and distress people and other animals, as well as cause other birds to eliminate waste in fear, creating further hygiene problems in locations that are already besieged with cleanliness issues. Shooting crows is also impractical and time-consuming, as the crows take flight after the first shot is released and the shooters then have to cover great distances on foot to look for roosting crows again.

It is not without reason that some areas are more beset with scavenging crow and rodent populations than others. Crows are a symptom and not a cause of the problem of cleanliness. Crows congregate in areas such as hawker centres where food waste is left in the open and where well-intentioned but poorly informed residents leave food out for birds, macaques and other animals. Homeowners and local authorities in North America managed to resolve the problem of scavenging animals by switching to raccoon and bear-proof food storage units and waste bins, thus reducing human-animal conflict. We can adapt these tried-and-tested methods by enforcing regulations to ensure that all household and commercial food waste is disposed of in secure and covered receptacles. Unsanitary eateries and markets must face penalties for failing to comply with these requirements, and consumers must be educated not to patronise eateries that leave food and waste matter exposed. Grills and drain covers can be installed over drains to deter hawkers from pouring food waste into the drains, a dirty habit which leads to water pollution, flash floods and an increase in disease vector populations. Once these food sources are no longer available to crows, their population will disperse and reduce in number.

Despite popular belief, crows are not prolific breeders. They breed between April to July each year, mostly in large trees with big crowns. Understanding the natural history of the common house crow is essential if we are to find ways to manage their population. Municipal workers can be trained to identify crow nests and eggs and remove and destroy the unhatched eggs instead of killing adult crows.

There are many non-lethal alternatives to shooting, poisoning or trapping in managing the crow population, the most important of which is to improve cleanliness and to eliminate food sources. Property owners can repel crows from their premises with the use of recordings of the cries of hawks or the distress calls of other crows, which will lead crows to believe that there is a predatory bird in the area. Shiny, reflective objects such as unwanted CDs and holographic tape can scare away crows, as does the installation of plastic owls, scarecrows and bird ‘spikes’ that prevent crows from perching and roosting in one’s compound. It must be remembered that crows are highly intelligent birds that do not remain afraid or gullible for very long, and property owners and municipal officers must alternate between methods and pick different locations from time to time.

The local authorities and Ministry of Health must appreciate that areas with a high population density will always generate more waste, thus attracting more scavenging animals. The key to reducing human-animal conflict is not to continuously cull the population of animals deemed to be a nuisance, for the temporary vacuum it produces will only create opportunities for other scavenging populations to expand. The key to reducing human-animal conflict lies in reducing opportunities for disease vectors and unwelcome specie to breed, feed and reach adulthood in the first place.

WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

(Note: Please do not ask why I chose to use the cover of Ted Hughes' "Crow". The late Mr. Edward James Hughes and I go back a long way. All the way back to 1996, in fact.)

GAWS-SPCA Animal Welfare Legislation & CSI Workshop

2011-03-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

When animal welfare hits the headlines, everyone rightfully demands action, but how many people actually know what animal protection laws are in place in Malaysia?

Who has the powers to search, seize, arrest and prosecute in a case of animal cruelty? Following the recent incidents in Malaysia in which a man was filmed using harsh and abusive methods to train a poodle named Sushi and another incident in which a young woman's depraved act of killing stray kittens and abusing a mother cat was caught on a CCTV, the SPCA has been urged by poorly-informed members of the public and Netizens to "find Sushi's abuser" and "catch them and punish them".

More worryingly, some internet users made attempts to carry out vigilante justice by identifying and vilifying individuals who they believed were the animal abuser in the former video clip, causing great distress to the maligned party and great inconvenience to the police and the SPCA, and actually hindered our investigations.

The aforementioned members of the public and internet users, though well-intentioned, caused great harm when they decided to play the role of judge, jury and executioner, without having clear and conclusive evidence.

What is evidence, and when is evidence not evidence that can be used in Court? How can you, as an animal rescuer or member of the public, get involved? If you choose to carry out your own investigations, do you know how to do so safely, legally and accurately?

Global Animal Welfare Solutions and SPCA Selangor conducted 2 Animal Welfare Legislation and CSI workshops on 19th & 20th March in an attempt to answer just these questions.

The workshops were aimed at animal rescuers who might want to gather evidence to make a police or DVS report, veterinary surgeons who wish to know more about how they can provide expert evidence, and members of the public who wish to learn more about animal welfare issues both in Malaysia and overseas.

I had a minor role in the workshop as Glyn's co-facilitator and I covered the topic of "Animal Protection Laws in Malaysia", namely:
i. Animals Act 1953 (Act 647);
ii. Penal Code (Act 574);
iii. Wildlife Conservation Act 2010; and
iv. Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171)

This was followed by a discussion on how and to whom to report offences against any of the abovementioned acts.

Glyn's sessions, which came after mine, were far more interesting, practical and engaging, and covered the following topics:
i. What constitutes evidence, how to collect and present it in a legal manner. How to write a police report, veterinary statement and record investigation information.
ii. Photographic evidence and Crime Scene Investigation.
iii. Animal Welfare Investigation Techniques.

The Saturday session was attended by 21 participants (my personal target was 15, so I would consider this a resounding success), most of whom are professionals such as veterinarians, personnel and volunteers from other SPCAs and animal welfare organisations, lawyers and pupils-in-chambers, an individual from the film industry, journalists and a veterinarian cum lecturer.

The new SPCA Education Centre, with furniture and furnishings very kindly sponsored by HSBC Malaysia.

Glyn starts his workshop on gathering and evaluating evidence.

That's a bit of a dog's tail and two bits of twist-ties, in case it's not clear to you.

Stick to the facts and stay accurate! Don't rely on conjecture or express opinions!

Big dog, overturned cage, tangled chain, lots of poo. Speaks for itself, doesn't it?

A close-up look at the poor dog reveals flesh wounds caused by the choke chain cutting into the dog's neck.

Glyn taking more questions from the floor.

Glyn and I handing out certificates and CSI Animal Welfare baseball caps to participants who successfully completed the workshop.

Front view of the first sample of the CSI Animal Welfare baseball cap. Photo taken by Nicole. I haven't collected my own cap yet.

A group photo for posterity.

If you missed the workshop, but would like to learn more about animal cruelty investigation techniques, you can purchase a copy of the Global Animal Welfare Solutions Animal Cruelty Investigation Field Manual from Glyn or me.

The workshop and manual are recommended for animal rescuers, veterinarians and animal lovers who want a better idea of how animal cruelty inspectors work and how they, as concerned Good Samaritans, can assist in investigations and court proceedings.

Come Together: Raptor Watch 2011

2011-03-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

What is it about animal migrations that fascinates humans so much? Could it be that we are awed and humbled by the distances animals are willing to travel, relying only on their instincts, and the hardships they are willing to endure just to ensure the survival of their species? Could it be that the sight of large-scale animal movement evokes emotion in us because it brings back certain atavistic memories of a time when human communities too indulged in large-scale movement and relocation, driven by changes in climate and scarcity of food and water sources? Or could it just be that animals have in themselves such beauty, grace and intelligence that observing them engaging in natural behaviours and partaking in journeys fills us with joy and the reassurance that we are all part of something larger than ourselves?

It didn't always use to be this way. As I have previously mentioned in my 2008 Raptor Watch blogpost, raptor migration used to be a phenomenon that was of interest only to the scientific community. It only became an event of mainstream interest due to the efforts of the Malaysian Nature Society in educating the public, mobilising and capitalising on mass media and lobbying the legislators and elected representatives.

Raptor Watch 2011 saw a number of improvements compared to previous years. There was better media coverage and education and awareness initiatives. We had a higher turnout of visitors, especially from schools and the local community. We maintained and improved on ideas that worked -- water refilling stations and recycling bins, for instance -- and eliminated ideas that didn't work, such as having corporate sponsors hijack the event. We generated very little waste but a lot of positive attention and publicity. It was a memorable and enjoyable weekend for all.

I was again part of the organising committee for this year and my contributions including emceeing together with Lillian, conducting an admittedly tough Green Living Quiz together with Cindy and organising The Raptor Watch 2011 Amazing Race, where teams of 2 race to solve clues and complete a series of 5 challenges.

What did we get for all our hard work, besides the feeling of satisfaction that comes from a job well done? For me, it wasn't merely a weekend of hard work but also one of parties and camaraderie with my friends in the Nature Guides and of strengthening my commitment to and bond with Mother Nature.

Video from the official MNS Raptor Watch Website: Raptors (mostly Oriental Honey-Buzzards) in flight over Tanjung Tuan.

My Nature Guide buddies, Pasu, Rangamal and Karthik, at their booth on Saturday, getting ready to register participants for the Forest Walks. We saw a marked increase in visitors registering for all our guided walks this year, and this kept all our Guides on their toes until late on Sunday afternoon.

Visitors checking out the various attractions at our booths. Our
booths offered everything from merchandise, games and educational activities to opportunities to be involved in conservation issues in Malaysia.

Here I am, playing the Can Knockdown game at one of our funfair-type game booths before we packed up on Saturday. Most of our games used discarded materials for the games equipment and props, such as egg cartons for the ball toss game and the cardboard cores of adhesive tape for the ring toss game.

Visitors engaging in beach activities such as kayaking and banana boat rides at the cove outside our event grounds.

Visitors watching an uncharacteristically late flock of over 1,000 Oriental Honey-Buzzards flying in around 1700 hrs on Saturday. Raptors usually prefer to fly around noon, when there are more hot-air thermals.

A group photo of the volunteers for posterity.

Lili and John taking a breather at the deck chairs by the beach at Casa Rachardo, where we were staying, before dinner on Saturday night.

Ilham Resort looked like a fairyland at night.

We adjourned to Pasu's house for a party after the Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at Ilham Resort on Saturday night.

The Raptor Watch Amazing Race was flagged off on Sunday morning. I am full of praise for the 10 volunteers who learned up their roles as Race Marshalls within 5 minutes. The Race went well and Christa, one of the participants, is seen here trying to complete the final challenge, which involved trying to identify birds. Christa and Raj came in second in the Open Category.

Rodhi and Mary try to solve the final challenge in the Amazing Race. They came in third in the Race.

My friends Ilyas and Tina beat everyone else to come in first in the Open Category of the Amazing Race. They won a camping bag containing 2 sets of holiday vouchers, Bros water bottles, jackets, recycled paper products and some other goodies.

Renowned bird artist Mr. Teh Yew Kiang offered a lesson in sketching birds and still life objects on Sunday afternoon. His 2-hour art workshop was very well received and highly appreciated. I hope he volunteers to give us an art lesson again next year.

Along with other participants of the art workshop, I learned the finer points of shading and highlighting still life objects. When Mr. Teh learned of my interest in cartooning, he gave me valuable pointers in illustrating cartoons as well. "Exaggerate the features", he advised. "Make the eyes bigger, the snout shorter, the nose upturned for a cuter look". I was thrilled with the results.

In the early evening after the close of the event, I took myself on a walk up to the Cape Rachardo lighthouse. The paved trail through the forest reserve was full of daytrippers, mostly young families and gaggles of college students. I was pleased to see people getting in touch with Nature.

The lighthouse greeted me like a faithful old friend.

A view of the sea from the lighthouse.

We repaired to Pasu's house in Port Dickson again on Sunday after Raptor Watch, and had a cookout in her lovely garden. What fun it is to eat smoky charred vegetables and corn-on-the-cob in the company of one's friends! Everything tastes better when you are tired but contented.

Karthik and John play a game of one-on-one football after the meal. What a high-energy ending to a high-energy weekend!

Fab Foods and Flash Floods

2011-03-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

Appetising and salubrious vegetarian food may be widely available in Malaysia, but not so at my workplace, where choices are rather limited. One can only take so much spaghetti napolitana each week. And so it was a blessing to me that I discovered Omfood, a vegetarian food delivery service, in mid-January. I was introduced to its services by my fellow vegetarians at work, and this helped alleviate some of my greenie guilt over the issue of the fuel miles that my food had to travel. Since the motorcycle delivery boys were already delivering lunch tiffins to my colleagues and to homes and offices in the area, my subscription to their service would be consistent with the principles of fuel economy.

I haven't been disappointed by the food either. Lunch became something to look forward to. Each day, I can expect to receive generous portions of spiced rice, low-sodium curries and wholesome, delicious vegetables.

And so when I received a call from the food service operators 2 weeks ago that the food delivery service would be suspended for a week due to staff-related issues, I was a bit dismayed. I didn't want to have to go back to eating insipid pasta after 2 months of terrific sambhars, rasams and vegetables.

I didn't go back to cafeteria pasta. I started packing my own bento lunches to work for the entire week instead. The result? My colleagues are never going to let me live this down.

My friends could hardly believe that their tough-talking, camouflage-trousered buddy packed these dainty hearts and stars for breakfast.

The cherry-tomato balloons, cucumber blossoms and cheese-and-carrot stars had my friends laughing and exclaiming in surprise.

... and this is the chain store that inspired such whimsy in my packed lunches. Daiso's kitchenware department has a wide variety of bento kits, cookie cutters and fancy fruit picks that makes lunch-making an art form.

The food-themed novelty erasers at Daiso's office and school supplies section also provided bento-packing ideas.

Only the Japanese can make dying vermin look cute. It's all in the packaging.

Bento boxes aside, there's nothing to stop me from playing with my food. I made this to cheer up That Special Someone:

"I am the Darth Vadai! Come with me to the Dhall Side!"
That Special Someone was suitably amused.

Food preparation and making my own lunches, however, will never supplant volunteering as my pastime of choice.

I arrived at the SPCA on Saturday afternoon after football practice to find that Rose, Sarah and several other volunteers have already bathed and tickwashed most of the dogs.

Adoption rates remain encouraging, and this adorable silver kitten that Amelia and I played with found a new home the same day.

Here's a photo of Amelia taken the previous week, with the panda puppy that was surrendered together with his sleepy brown twin. I was informed both puppies have been brought home for fostering by one of our volunteers.

Banjo Dog insisted on following me around the shelter even though I informed him that I would not be giving him a bath. There was a definite chill in the air and it threatened to pour with rain.

Look how overcast the sky was! The raintrees behind the shelter creaked and moaned in the strong winds.

... And rain like the clappers it did! I continued cleaning cages and kennels unfazed...

... Until the water level started rising rapidly. Much of the shelter is below street level, and despite all the improvements we have carried out to our drainage system, the combination of mud, silt and stormwater exceeded the capacity of our drains, thus resulting in a flash flood.

I was stranded in the food preparation area by the rising floodwaters, and cleared a space on a ledge for the dogs and I to stand on. Here I am huddled together with the dogs for warmth. Somebody, please send us an Ark!

Fortunately, flash floods are named flash floods for a reason. We have kept our drains clear of obstructions and the water levels went down after an hour or two, leaving behind a frightful mess of foul-smelling mud and litter. I didn't want the shelter to be dirty on a Sunday morning, when large numbers of visitors are regularly expected, and so I got to work cleaning and disinfecting the shelter. Everything smelled fresh as a daisy when I was done.

Global Animal Welfare Solutions and SPCA Selangor will be proceeding with our Animal Welfare Legislation and CSI Workshop on 19th and 20th March. Participants at the course will receive a folder containing the current legislation and print outs of the power point presentations and a selection of blank forms and templates along with an 'CSI Animal Welfare' baseball cap and a certificate. Come book your place and learn animal welfare investigation techniques from the experts!
(I'm not one of the experts, I'm just the boring old fart who does the presentation on Malaysian animal protection legislation).

Black Swan, Angry Birds and Weekly Roundup

2011-02-27T00:48:00.000-08:00

(Promotional movie poster reproduced without permission but in accordance with the principles of fair use.)

When we internalise our insecurities, do they remain merely as unspoken fears, or do they grow, evolve and develop lives of their own? Can our anxieties take on physical forms and become something menacing, sinister and destructive?

Enter the competitive and neuroses-inducing world of professional ballet.

Natalie Portman is exquisite in her role as Nina Sayers, the overprotected, highly-strung, fragile ballet dancer who “just wants to be perfect”. As the innocent, fearful, conflicted White Swan, Portman is consummate; but it is her portrayal of the sensual, fiendish Black Swan that makes one realise her depth as an actress.

Nina Sayers’ descent into insanity is revealed to us not in the form of subtle clues, but in flashing red lights and sirens that scream “Nutjob!”, “Mental Case!” and “Fruitcake!” From her bulimia, displays of obsessive-compulsive behaviour, kleptomania and nervous habits of scratching herself and biting her nails, to the fact that she is unable to grow up and move out of her oppressively pink bedroom, we understand, with a good dose of dramatic irony, that Nina is a far more troubled young person than the people around her realise. The “sweet girl”, under pressure to be compliant and technically precise on the one hand and to let her emotions out on the other, is just a tragedy waiting to happen.

What makes Black Swan such an effective and compelling psychological thriller is also the characterisation of the other supporting players in this drama. Barbara Hershey is both exasperating, creepy and, at the same time, pitiable, as the hovering single mother obsessed with her daughter’s career and personal life. Mila Kunis is charming and believable as the reckless, confident, forthcoming and seductive Lily, embodying everything that Nina is not. Winona Ryder is unrecognisable as the bitter, rejected erstwhile Swan Queen. But it is Vincent Cassel’s assumption of the role of the passionate, masterly and hot-blooded artistic director, Thomas Leroy, that delighted me the most. With Cassel, you simply cannot dismiss the liberties he takes with his female protégées as sexual harassment or old-fashioned sleaze. Instead, you think, “He’s French! He’s an artist! He’s brilliant!”

Ultimately, this is what makes Black Swan such a winner – all the characters come together to deliver a Kafkaesque fantasy that titillates, provokes, horrifies and discomposes.

Weekly Roundup In Prose and Pictures:

And so, being on schedule at work, I took Friday afternoon off to take the parents out to a movie and dinner. We enjoyed Black Swan so much that we discussed it all through tea.

“Don’t see why her mother had to overreact and threaten to dump the whole cake in the trash”, averred Covert Mum, referring to a scene in the movie. “She could have just cut it up and put it in Tupperware and given some to the neighbours, the cleaning lady, the gardener and the postman.”

“That’s because she’s not Asian and pragmatic like you, Mum”, I pointed out. “Moral of the story is that if you do too much ballet, you turn into an Angry Bird”.

This is a sly dig at the fact that I had to endure 2 months of ballet lessons when I was 8. From what I could recall of my childhood, I had declined when my parents asked me if I wanted to take up piano, because lessons were expensive, we couldn’t afford a piano for me to practice on, and it just sounded like too much hard work. However, for some strange reason, I was talked into trying out ballet because someone had outgrown her outfit and was willing to give it to me, the lessons were inexpensive and I had a few other friends in ballet class. I was so hopeless at it that it was a relief to everyone when I decided to quit, a decision that was wholeheartedly supported by my parents. For the record, I didn’t manage to do a split until I took up taekwondo at 13, so ballet couldn’t have made any lasting impact on my flexibility or agility.

“No, the moral of the story is that one should never strive for perfection,” advised Covert Mum. “You do understand that, don’t you?” Covert Dad queried. I looked up from my French toast in surprise. “Don’t you think you push yourself too hard all the time?” Covert Dad wanted to know. It was like being interrogated by the LTTE, where only one answer is acceptable to your inquisitors. Why would my parents think that their trash-talking, tone-deaf, clumsy, free-spirited ragamuffin of a daughter strives to be perfect? “Disagree,” I asserted, reaching for more butter and syrup. “I would be happy to be reasonably competent and even-tempered. Not perfect.” How little my parents understand me, if they think that my happy bustle of activities and achievements is an attempt at perfection, if they think that my packed schedule is a substitute for some other void in my life!

Moseyed around the shops and department stores a bit before I saw the parents off. It was a rainy Friday evening, and the weekend has just begun. Life is good, it really is.

Mobile Uploads:

My canine sibling, Amber, now lives with me at the bachelor pad because she and Chocky no longer get along. She is thrilled that she gets to go on walks with me twice a day. I am pleased to receive the news from Anthony that Bravo is now a loved family member. Now all I have to do is to collect Bravo’s vaccination and neutering records from the vet so that Anthony can apply for a dog licence for Bravo.

Saturday was a busy day at the SPCA shelter, as our Jumble Sale was to take place in the shelter premises the following morning. I was kept busy all afternoon with animal care work, briefing the new volunteers and cleaning the shelter. Rose and I managed to bathe and tickwash all the dogs in Maternity Kennels 1 & 2 and the Pound. Here I am, on my way to transfer two rescued puppies into a kennel with 2 other recent arrivals.

A closer look at the two puppies. The panda one is the more robust of the two. I pray that they find good homes soon. If the vets are of the opinion that they should be fostered for another week or two, I would be happy to take them in to improve their chances of survival and rehoming. Amber will just have to learn to share me with other animals.

Adoption rates have been stable, and Saturday was an extraordinarily good day for adoption, as 15 cats and dogs found homes. Some adopters have sensibly decided to adopt two of a set of siblings so that the animals can keep each other company. A young couple adopted this cheeky feline pair, and I helped them ensure that the kittens remained inside the box until they got to their car, as they had forgotten to bring their pet carrier with them.

The animals go home two-by-two, hurrah, hurrah. A senior couple turned a personal tragedy into an opportunity to do a good deed by adopting this otherwise-forgotten pair of dogs from Kennels A. Their own dog went missing shortly before the Chinese New Year holidays, and they had come to the SPCA to put up Missing Dog flyers. They decided to adopt two adult dogs from the shelter, and so this pair of siblings was given a chance to live a better life with the kind couple. “And if your missing dog returns?” I asked them. “If she returns, we would of course welcome her home with open arms,” they declared. The couple was kind enough to grant me permission to say goodbye to the two doggies and to take a photo of them through the car window. Goodbye and good luck, sweeties!

That Old Gang of Mine

2011-02-22T03:20:00.001-08:00

It's not merely wedding bells that are breaking up that old gang of mine. Matrimony, motherhood, work commitments and health issues has made it harder and harder for my friends and I to continue playing for the Malaysian Bar Ladies Football Team. Several have left the country for greener pastures. Others have left legal practice. With the departure of several senior players, other (mostly younger and fitter) players have come to take their place. I had to stop playing football with the team in 2007 when lymph node infection left me almost at Death's door in Nov 2006. It took me a few years before I felt I had the strength and confidence to participate in high-impact activities again.

The past year has been good to me. I was fortunate enough to succeed in climbing to the peaks of Mount Ophir and Tabur East (Klang Gates Quartz Ridge) in 2010. Thanks to the encouragement and support of That Special Someone, I decided to play football for the team again.

The team as it was in 2005, at the lobby of Rendezvous Hotel, Singapore. Grow old along with me, my friends. The best is yet to be.

Exhausted but in high spirits after our match against the ladies of the Singapore Law Society in Langkawi, 2006.

I was touched and grateful to receive a warm welcome from my friends on Saturday when I attended football practice with them at Sportsbarn Petaling Jaya. Of our original team, only 4 attended practice last weekend. Still, I see it as an opportunity to meet and befriend my new team members and to try to fall back into my old position as a last-line defender.

Post-game gossip session at Sportsbarn. As this photo attests, time did seem to rush by in a blur!

The years have been kind to my veteran teammates and I, and our stamina has not suffered greatly. We have all, without exception, lost weight over the past 3 years, though mine did not come from exercise but from falling in love. Nothing can burn calories as efficiently as having my heart do somersaults and having stars come out of my eyes.

We had a scrumptious brunch at Kanna Curry House after our game and made arrangements to meet up again for practice the following weekend.

I went to the SPCA Shelter after football for my customary 4-5 hours of bathing and tickwashing dogs, treating minor ailments and injuries, counselling potential adopters, training new volunteers and cleaning the shelter.

In light of the recent Poodle Abuse Incident, Glyn will be conducting an Animal Welfare Legislation and CSI Workshop, and I am to assist him with the presentation on Malaysian animal protection laws and procedures. I'd appreciate any positive publicity for this workshop, so if you know of anyone who might be interested in learning how an animal cruelty investigation is conducted, please help us spread the word.

The weather has been quite unpredictable, and due to an unexpected downpour on Saturday evening, I was not able to attend a Frogging Workshop with my herpetology companions in the Malaysian Nature Society or go to the plant nursery in Sungai Buloh to pick up a rambutan sapling for one of my latest "special projects". I did, however, manage to bathe 3 - 4 shelter cats with ringworm and other skin ailments in the afternoon, which aroused the curiosity of the shelter staff. Many people have inquired as to how I manage to bathe stray cats, shelter cats and my own Rowdies without being scratched or bitten, and so I'd like to share my cat-bathing tips here:

HOW TO GIVE A CAT A MEDICATED BATH:

(1) Get an escape-proof bathroom ready. Secure the windows and bathroom cabinets, remove all breakable items and toilet paper and get an old towel and the medicated shampoo ready.

(2) Stroke your intended feline victim to reassure him or her. Pick cat up and put gently into an empty cat carrier. Bring to bathroom.

(3) Cats are unlike dogs in that they don't respond well to negative reinforcement. If you corner a strange dog and manage to loop a leash or choke chain around his neck, he will probably go into submissive mode and trot sullenly to the wash stand/bathroom with you. If you were to corner and leash a cat, on the other hand, the cat will pull harder in the opposite direction out of fear and may strangle himself, eliminate waste or go into shock in the process.

Shut the bathroom / shower stall door and let cat out of the carrier. Cat will probably look nervous and may start yowling. Do NOT grab or leash the cat. Let the cat explore his or her surroundings but beware that cat may get hurt if he/she tries to escape, so be watchful and firm.

(4) Use the shower to spray the cat with warm water. The flow of water should be gentle and not forceful. Cat will yowl and walk around the bathroom, trying to find an escape route. Do NOT grab the cat or hold him/her still. Let the cat think that he/she is the boss and is in control of the situation.

(5) Once cat is wet and miserable, lather and rub cat with medicated shampoo. Once cat is completely covered with shampoo suds, open the carrier door. Cat will usually enter the carrier without much coaxing, as it appears to be the darkest, smallest and safest place in the whole terrifying bathroom. Keep cat in the carrier for 10-15 minutes to allow the medicated shampoo to take effect.

If you have another cat which requires treatment and another empty pet carrier, now is a good time to get the second cat into the bathroom for his/her bath. By the time you are done lathering Cat #2, Cat #1 will be ready for rinsing.

(6) Once the 10-15 minute soaking period is up, let cat out of the carrier and rinse with warm water. Cat will probably be quite subdued by now and quite willing to let you wash the offensive-smelling shampoo off. Again, do NOT grab the cat! Let him/her find a comfortable spot to sit and sulk as you follow him/her with the showerhead. Talk to the cat and use firm strokes to reassure and comfort the cat. The key here is always to let the cat find a place where he/she feels safe and not so threatened. This often means higher surfaces like the toilet seat or the bathroom sink. There's nothing wrong with this. The toilet will be wet anyway, and you can always rinse it clean later.

(7) Dry cat off with a towel and let cat out of bathroom to go sulk somewhere else.

Until my next weekend adventure beckons, I bid you Adieu and Good Day.

Love Is The Answer

2011-02-15T12:40:00.000-08:00

“Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer”
~ England Dan and John Ford Coley, “Love Is The Answer”

In my youth, I have always been a rare one for participating in competitions. As I approached my 30s, I ceased submitting entries for slogan-writing and other such contests for a very sensible reason – I didn’t know what to do with the prizes anymore. Almost all the prizes offered consist of merchandise I have not much use for, vacations that I never have the time to take, and tickets to events on weekends that are already packed with volunteer commitments. Looking for last-minute takers for the prizes became more than a minor annoyance and after several vouchers and hotel stays expired unnoticed and unmourned, I decided to take a break from taking part in contests.

My last two weekends, however, were unusual in that they were not packed with some frenetic activity with an immutable date and deadline. The parental home had been cleaned so vigorously that it could pass any white-glove test, the SPCA shelter had been scrubbed and disinfected and the neediest dogs have been bathed and tickwashed, my own Rowdies have been bathed and dewormed, our rescued dog Bravo has found a loving home with Anthony and family (thank you, dear Tony!), my work is ahead of schedule and all the necessary documents and correspondence I needed to produce for various organisations have been drafted.

And so when I saw a newspaper slogan-writing contest giving away tickets to John Ford Coley’s concert at the Genting Arena of Stars, I jumped at the opportunity to see one of my favourite singers in the flesh. The tickets I won were originally intended for my buddy Nicole and me, but due to some pressing family commitments, Nicole had to regretfully decline. With a heavy heart, I invited other friends to be my partner and guest. There was no shortage of England Dan & John Ford Coley fans and I finally settled for my friend and fellow volunteer Shyam. I have not been to Genting Highlands, Pahang , since 1991 and was really quite grateful when Shyam offered to drive. To save on costs, we decided to pack a picnic and camping gear and camp out in the car. Shyam packed spicy noodles and a guava, while I brought papaya, mandarin oranges, soda, sweets and munchies. And though I missed Nicole all weekend, Shyam provided good company and the weekend turned out to be a memorable one.

We parked at the open air car park in front of the unmistakable First World Hotel, which looks as though it had engaged Jackson Pollock as a colour and design consultant.

This is the lobby of the First World Hotel, with decorative lighting made of reused PET bottles. Too bad they didn't put in as much effort into reducing energy use.

A video I took on my Blackberry of John Ford Coley performing “Soldier In The Rain”. He also performed other ED & JFC staples such as “I’d Really Love To See You Tonight” and “Sad To Belong”, as well as non-ED & JFC numbers such as Bread’s “If”, Dan Hill’s “Sometimes When We Touch”, and Phil Medley and Bert Berns’ “Twist and Shout”.

The audience was a largely middle-aged crowd but none were as loud and appreciative as Shyam and me.

Shyam and I posing in front of the stage after the concert, with the kind permission of the staff of Resorts World Genting.

Mr. Coley signing autographs for his fans. The queue snaked all the way up the stairs. They had run out of CDs by the time I got there.

I was too macho to bring a jacket and was shivering with cold when I saw this palace-like facade to one of the commercial establishments. We ended up drinking hot coffee and watching the Man Utd vs. Man City match at a canteen for cabbies and bus drivers.

Shyam riding the Rio Float with me at the First World Hotel indoor theme park after the concert because I wanted to take some aerial-view photos.

An aerial view of part of the indoor theme park, which is still very much in the Chinese New Year mood.

I’ve always loved Ferris Wheels. They are sturdy, old-fashioned and predictable, just like me, and don’t spin off their axles and perform infarction-inducing corkscrews and 360-degree loops.

Pole-dancing, lion style! I thought this particular lion looks a bit Christmassy.

The black lions came forward to receive "lai see" from members of the audience.

Here, Lion! Good Lion! Here, take the cash!

I told Shyam that it is good luck if the lion accepts money from you and gives you a token of appreciation (usually just orange segments) in return, and that you're supposed to stroke the lion's mane and beard for luck.

The "Fu" fortune charms that Shyam and I received from the lions.

I wonder what fortunes and adventures await me in the Year of the Rabbit! Perhaps more concerts, thanks to the generosity of sponsors like Resorts World Genting, and perhaps fewer weekends spent oscillating from one hectic activity to another. And maybe, just maybe, I’d get to meet Mr. Coley again.

This Old Town

2011-02-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

“Heard a siren from the docks,
Saw a train set the night on fire,
I smelled a spring, on the smoky wind,
Dirty old town, dirty old town.”

~ “Dirty Old Town”, The Pogues

Nothing of especial importance took place during my Lunar New Year celebrations this year. All I remember of it was the customary increase in the amount of housework I had to do, the shuttling back and forth between Rawang and Petaling Jaya (due to the fact that Bravo, my rescued dog, is still living with us in our bachelor pad in PJ), the files I managed to complete on my computer (which makes me wonder why I bother leaving the office at all), the hours spent volunteering at the SPCA (especially bathing and tick-washing the much forgotten Sick Bay dogs) and the unpredictable and volatile weather.

Last year’s Lunar New Year bike rides led me to document the neighbourhood that I grew up in (See this post). This year, I thought of taking a few photographs (merely of cellphone quality, mind) of a few of the remaining landmarks that are of any sentimental value to me in the old town.

My parents, who were originally from Penang, the Pearl of the Orient, came to Rawang to teach in the 1970s following their graduation from the teachers’ training institute. Rawang Town has its roots in the tin mining and rubber industries, and remains a largely working-class small town with little to offer visitors. Mining pools dot the landscape, and the “town centre” used to consist of only 2 roads, Jalan Maxwell and Jalan Welman. The cement factory, then known as APMC (Associated Pan Malayan Cement), dominated much of our small town life, especially since we could not ignore the rock-blasting exercise which was carried out every Monday and Thursday at their limestone quarry.

Most of the buildings and landmarks that were of any significance to me have already been demolished in the name of development. There was a provision store we called the “Bengali Roti Shop”, due to the fact that they baked their own bread, near the old marketplace, that the younger population of Rawang Town used to hang out in because it had comic books and magazines galore. Tired of grubby fingers pawing through the pages of latest issues, the shop owner would leave one copy unwrapped and charge us 10 sen to read all the unwrapped copies of magazines and comic books that we wanted. Where that charming little shop once stood, a row of faceless shoplots now stand, offering knockoff tees and cell phone accessories. Rawang “New Town” was built on the site of our town library, football field, basketball court and a handful of picturesque post-colonial bungalows which served as government offices.

Jalan Welman is made up of over 40 shoplots on each side, and now consists mostly of Indian restaurants and provision stores. I remember that there were 3-6 shops in a row all selling school uniforms, schoolbags and school supplies. In our teens, we would try to get temp jobs at these shops during the school holidays, especially during the back-to-school rush. We were paid by the hour and we blew the money on – what else? – comic books and beer.

Jalan Maxwell is just as shabby, but it did have the only supermarket in town then (Bintang Supermarket, opened in 1987), the only KFC outlet (I was never much of a meat eater so I went there for the soda floats) and the town Post Office (where my Primary 5 class teacher, Cikgu Ramlah, lived, as she is the postmaster’s wife). I still find it quaint that my teacher lived a floor above the Post Office.

Rockman Inn, in Jalan Maxwell, was the only boarding house in town back then. It occupied the 2 levels above the town’s only 7-Eleven convenience store and was located next to the very grotty bus station. I used to spend a lot of time at the 7-Eleven outlet in my teens because one of my male friends worked shifts there and would let me read the magazines for free. Sometimes he offered me chewing gum or Slurpee and claimed that he had palmed it, but looking back on it, I think he paid for it out of his own salary and told me he nicked it just to impress me. My schoolmates and I would ride on the smelly buses to KL to attend intensive tuition classes before major exams, and my friends and I learned a lot about the birds and the bees from the lewd graffiti at the back of the bus seats.

The Sun Cinema, located in a back alley running parallel to Jalan Welman, screens mostly only Tamil and Hindi movies these days to cater to the majority Indian population. It was closed down at one point and converted into a pool parlour. I remember this back alley for the stray dogs that chased our bikes, the scrap metal collector who lived among his piles of soda cans, the schizophrenic male who would rail and rant at the world in the middle of the road and the shops and clinic that I found temporary employment with during my school breaks. The said shops and clinic faced Jalan Welman, but this was the back alley that I rode my bike up to on my way to work.

And here’s the cinema that I actually patronised! It has since been converted into a tacky shop selling kitchenware. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, it was called ‘Rex Cinema’ and screened mostly English and Cantonese movies. My parents weren’t too happy with us frequenting the cinema as it was dirty and had an unsavoury reputation as the site of at least one rape incident and another murder incident, but I don’t think parental disapproval has ever stopped any youngster from doing anything they wanted! Not even finding a flasher behind the cinema stopped me from spending my allowance watching Batman movies at this grotty place. (The flasher wasn’t as dangerous to us as we were to him – my 2 female taekwondo teammates and I chased the flasher down on our bikes, yelling and whooping like Apache braves. The flasher stumbled and fell several times and almost got involuntarily castrated when his pants got caught on something. No-one ever saw the flasher again). My parents were right – the cinema was filthy to a fault. The flip-up seats were full of wood lice and the floor was full of sunflower seed shells that were never swept up. Sometimes, in the middle of a movie, rats would come out to eat the crumbs on the floor and we would be able to see the rats silhouetted against the cinema screen when they stood between the screen and the projector. I found the rodent shadow play hilarious and occasionally more entertaining than the actual movie. The cinema didn’t have a proper snack bar, but there were mobile (and probably unlicensed) concession stands that offered insalubrious treats such as garishly-coloured preserved fruits, cordial drinks that were probably nothing more than food dye and lots of sugared water, and crisps with enough monosodium glutamate to make all your hair fall out.

The Sri Veerakathy Vinayagar Temple has undergone a facelift in the last decade. My parents still dutifully visit this temple annually on Vinayagar Chathurti, or Lord Ganesha’s Birthday, which usually falls around August-Sept each year. I wouldn’t be so contemptuous of the current temple committee if they’d only try not to make a circus out of Vinayagar Chathurti by setting off firecrackers and having neon light displays on a day of meditation and prayer.

All roads lead back home – well, not all roads, but the old market road which passes by the front of two houses of worship leads to Old Waterfall Road, which in turn, leads to my neighbourhood. The Chinese Quan Yin temple marks the end of the town and the beginning of the residential areas.

As a teenager, I spent a lot of time on the school field and unpaved rural roads practicing running, for I represented my sports ‘house’ in cross-country running and the 400m, 800m and 1200m track events. In retrospect, my love of long-distance running symbolised my desire to run away and flee from the small town ties and mindsets that tried to hold me down. A small town is no place for a young person with ambitions and ideals. At the age of 17, I saw my opportunity to run, and I did, never looking back. 16 years later, I don’t have to run any longer. I can’t say it feels perceptibly good to return, or that I feel any pride in this provincial town. But I can look back with a smile and a shrug, and remember the good times and good friends I had. There’s a life to be lived, and places to explore, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.

Letter to the Editor: Cleanliness A Critical Issue At Batu Caves During Thaipusam

2011-01-31T02:55:00.000-08:00

LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
CLEANLINESS A CRITICAL ISSUE AT BATU CAVES DURING THAIPUSAM

I commend the Selangor State Government for enforcing its directive against having entertainment and gaming activities in places of worship ("Taking the fun out of the fair", Metro, Jan 19). Not only does the annual Thaipusam funfair at the Batu Caves temple complex pose a hazard to human safety, it also generates excessive noise and light pollution in an area known for its natural beauty and as a religious sanctuary.

Another pressing concern at Batu Caves and most other tourist destinations in Malaysia is that of litter and waste management. On Saturday, 22.1.2011, I joined a multiracial band of volunteers called "Sampah Masyarakat" to clean up the Batu Caves temple complex. Our group of 50 volunteers collected approximately 12 tonnes of rubbish in under 4 hours. Although following Sampah Masyarakat's cleanup campaigns in previous years, the Batu Caves temple complex committee has responded to our requests to provide more rubbish bins, it is noted that the volume of rubbish still exceeded the bins' capacities. Rubbish consisting mostly of food waste that was piled up next to bins remained uncollected, while plastic bags and styrofoam packaging were carried all over the temple complex by wind and rainwater due to their lightness. Despite the greenwashing propagated by the plastics industry, plastic bags and styrofoam are not recyclable, especially when contaminated with food, and so the waste collection contractor engaged by our volunteer group was unwilling to collect the styrofoam packaging which made up the bulk of the litter collected.

The solution to the problem of litter and waste management is not to have ever-increasing numbers of volunteers to clean up public places after major festivals and events. The solution lies in finding ways to deter littering and to create incentives for waste reduction. My recommendations include:

1. Restricting the sale, distribution and use of plastic bags and styrofoam packaging during the Thaipusam festivities through public education efforts to encourage devotees and visitors to bring their own food and beverage containers, and by instructing stall owners to use less packaging and alternative packaging such as brown paper, banana leaves and washable tableware;

2. Initiating anti-littering public education efforts targetting schools and faith groups prior to major religious festivals;

3. Providing more rubbish bins within the temple complex and making frequent announcements over the P.A. system to remind devotees not to litter in a place of worship;

4. As most of the stalls and shops were found to have left large amounts of litter and waste behind the stalls and on the playing field of SRJK (T) Batu Caves, measures have to be implemented to issue summonses to stall owners who fail to dispose of waste properly. Stall owners must be made responsible for the cleanliness of the immediate surroundings of their stalls and must transport their rubbish out of the temple complex premises at the end of each trading day;

5. Instituting a nationwide deposit system for recyclable items such as aluminium cans, PET bottles and beverage cartons. The cost of purchasing packaged food and beverages in Malaysia does not reflect the cost of disposing of them and managing the waste generated. If a 20-sen deposit were to be charged for each unit of recyclable packaging, which will be claimable at designated recycling centres, it would create an incentive for people to collect and redeem their recyclables for cash, and this would also hopefully translate into less litter ending up in places of natural and cultural interest.

Litter reflects how a society views and values itself, and is a form of anti-social behaviour. Measures to inhibit littering must include both penalties for littering, as well as motivations to reduce waste and to encourage the public to take pride in their surroundings. It's time we take ownership of our community and public spaces by taking responsibility over them. It's time we discard the mindset that someone is paid to clean up after us. At the next religious festival, let's make ourselves worthy of the houses of worship we visit by making a conscious effort to keep it clean.

WONG EE LYNN
PETALING JAYA

Weekly Roundup, In Photos:

Me with Big Boy, Nicole's latest rescued cat, at the SPCA. Apparently he shouldn't be manhandled so soon after neutering, but he seems to like me and fell asleep in my arms.

The SPCA gang has yet another potluck party, this time at Jacinta's house. I am having a great time cuddling Jacinta's baby, Isabel. Babies and children love me almost as much as animals do!

Gorgeous Mummy Jacinta with Adorable Baby Isabel!

My buddy Amarjiet returns for a visit from Canada. Here I am having tea at the roadside on a Friday evening with the gang.

I passed the Bandar Utama Central Park on Saturday evening after the SPCA and saw a dog obedience class taking place at the Park. This is an initiative supported by the Malaysian National Animal Welfare Foundation to create good canine citizens.

People Power and Community Cleanups

2011-01-24T03:40:00.000-08:00

Sampah Masyarakat is a multiracial, apolitical community initiative founded by my friend, Shyam Priah.

Our mission is to foster awareness on creating a litter-free society and to empower volunteers to be agents of change.
Sampah Masyarakat isn't about picking up other people's rubbish.
Sampah Masyarakat isn't about doing the work of local council contractors.
It's about changing our mindset and attitude towards cleanliness.
It's about taking back our community and public spaces.
It's about creating awareness by taking action and walking the talk.
It's about valuing ourselves as a society.

Each year, Sampah Masyarakat organises community cleanup campaigns in public places after major festivals and events. This is Sampah Masyarakat's third year of cleaning up the Batu Caves temple complex after the Hindu festival of Thaipusam. I am proud to be part of Shyam and Petri's team of volunteers in the incredibly challenging task of cleaning up the temple complex on Saturday, 22nd Jan 2011.

The Batu Caves temple complex receives approximately 1.5 million visitors each Thaipusam. One can imagine the amount of litter and waste generated during an event of such a large scale.

Visitors to the temple complex, unfortunately, seem to think that rubbish is someone else's problem, and that there are contractors paid to remove their rubbish. If we can't even keep a place of worship clean on a religious holiday, what does it say about us as a society?

The fairground that springs up within the compound of the temple complex is another source of waste. Plastic bags, Styrofoam tableware and disposable packaging pile up at every corner, overflowing out of bins. Styrofoam and plastic bags, due to their light weight, are carried by wind and water into drains and other places.

Our team of volunteers proceed from the Meeting Point at the foot of the Lord Muruga statue to the football field to be greeted by this depressing sight.

People, THIS IS US.
This is how we view ourselves.
This is how we view our community.
This is how much we value our public spaces and recreation grounds.
This is how we see ourselves as a country.

There's nary a patch of grass that doesn't have rubbish on it.
How little we must value ourselves as a society if we could do this on hallowed grounds!

Undaunted by the challenge ahead of us, volunteers start cleaning up the football field.

(Photo credits for the above 5 photos: Fellow volunteer Stephen Nah.)

Forget Barisan Nasional propaganda.
When volunteers of all faiths and backgrounds come together to reclaim, rehabilitate and clean up community spaces, we know something good is happening. A revolution is taking place within all of us. Can you feel it stirring in you too?

Our pile of rubbish begins to grow. It's easy to ignore the heat, stench and filth when you're feeling good and making new friends as you work!

All I can say is that their parents are doing a great job with these young'uns!

Rakes and shovels help keep the rubbish in place and the pathway clear for other volunteers.

I managed to cover most of the south-east side of the field in the first hour.

Ta-daa! Petri and Chun Lee transport the remaining rubbish from the north-east side of the field. Compare the green litter-free field behind the guys with earlier photos -- what a difference we made!

Ye Gods and Little Fishes -- it's a manual ferris wheel made of solid wood! Looks like something right out of rural Nepal or somewhere similarly quaint and charming!

An old-timey merry-go-round (with an Indian parasol thingamajig on top) with flying horses and swing seats and florescent light tubes chained to the support pillars -- I don't think this contraption has passed any safety standards, but it sure looks like fun!

Thank you, Shyam, for this initiative, and for believing that we can make a difference! We can! We did! We have!
Thank you, Petri, for your passion and good nature and can-do spirit!
I am proud to have you guys as my friends!

Our team of volunteers, although only 50-strong, managed to collect over 12 tonnes of rubbish in 4 hours. If we could double the number of volunteers, we could easily collect twice the amount of rubbish, or halve the time taken to do this.

Our goals for our subsequent cleanup campaigns are as follows:
1. To get the local community involved and to request the participation of students from the neighbouring school and Sri Murugan Tuition Centre.
2. To work with the State Government and local councils to put measures in place to reduce waste and deter littering in the first place.
3. To generate more publicity for the cleanup campaign to gain more support for and encourage participation from a higher number of volunteers.

My next step as a Sampah Masyarakat volunteer would be to write a Letter to the Press on the issue of littering, to submit written recommendations to the State Government on managing waste during public events with high volumes of human traffic, and to contact local Buddhist youth groups and Boy Scout/Girl Guide troops to assist in our next cleanup campaign at the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields during Vesakha Day.

Why do we do what we do? One of my heroes, Julia Butterfly Hill, sums it up most succintly of all:
The environmental crisis is the outward manifestation of what is inside of us. The outer landscape is the reflection of our inner landscape. A simple way to see that none of us are immune or free from this disease is to look at a prevalent statement like when we say we are “going to throw something away.” Where is “away?” There is no such thing.

There is no "away".
This is our country.
This is our Planet.
This is our Home.

Survival Smarts

2011-01-19T02:10:00.001-08:00

I spent most of the last weekend at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park for the Malaysian Nature Society's Strategic Plan Workshop for Council Members and Secretariat staff.

Among our team-building activities are the Marshmallow Challenge and a Survivalist Simulation Test. Of the latter, only 3 out of 44 participants passed the test, and only 1 team out of 4 passed it. I passed the test as an individual, and although the rest of my team did not pass it, as a team, our collective decision received the best score and we managed to pass the test.

How do you think you will fare in the Survival Simulation Test? Look at the scenario below and try to take up the challenge without using cheat sheets or looking up external websites for the scoring system!

Borneo Survival Scenario

"You have just survived the crash of a small plane. You were travelling from Pontianak when your plane came down on the steep slopes of a mountain near the Kalimantan and Sarawak border. Both pilots died in the crash. It is January, and you are in the centre of Borneo. The temperature is 30 degrees Celsius by day and due to wind chill and humidity, effectively 10 degrees or less at night. The jungle around the mountain is high ridge and ravine with many streams. You remember flying over a Kayan longhouse about 15 minutes previously. Your group of survivors managed to salvage the following items:
- A bag of fine steel wool
- A parang
- A loaded 9mm automatic pistol
- A tin of ghee (clarified butter)
- Newspapers
- Empty cigarette lighter
- Extra shirt and trousers for each survivor
- A 7m x 7m piece of heavy-duty plastic sheeting
- A 1:100,000 aviation map of Borneo laminated in plastic.
- One litre of Napoleon brandy VSOP
- A compass
- Family-size chocolate bars (one per person)

Choose the 5 most important items for your survival. The other items will then no longer be available to you. Choose 5 items first for yourself and then in consultation with the group. You must come to agreement as a group."

Which 5 items would you choose from the list above, and why?

Once I begin receiving responses to the test, I will post the scoring system and the answers to the test in the comments section below!

Until then, Happy Thaipusam and enjoy the Weekly Roundup!

Weekly Roundup, In Pictures

Donating blood at the National Blood Bank on 11th January. I am grateful for my good health and hope to remain eligible for blood donation for many more years to come.

First Earthquake (8 scoops of ice cream with 8 different toppings. Half-price on Tuesdays!) of the Year at Swensens with my buddies, Lili and Yanty.

Cuddling 2 of the new feline arrivals at the SPCA. The kittens are currently being fostered at home by my friend Amelie until the tiny fuzzies are strong enough to be put up for adoption.

One of the dogs at the Maternity Kennels not looking too happy at having to have a bath. I managed to bathe and tickwash all the Maternity Kennel dogs that afternoon.

Shelter dogs Lulu and Sherry came out to play in the front area after I had completed washing and disinfecting the shelter in the evening.

TeckWyn and Kanitha's team doing the Marshmallow Challenge during the Strategic Plan Workshop.

My team and our freestanding marshmallow-and-spaghetti sculpture! I wasn't looking at the camera because the marshmallow suddenly LEANED over to one side!

The MNS Strategic Plan Workshop participants decide to go on a short trail walk before dinner.

View of the herons and egrets from the 4th storey of the watchtower at the Kuala Selangor Nature Park.

What To Do When A Bird Flies Into Your House

2011-01-11T00:22:00.000-08:00

(This article was originally drafted for the Malaysian Nature Society Eco Kids Column, after a tearful friend called me for help when a bird hit the ceiling fan in her home and died of its injuries. I felt frustrated that too many people did not know what to do with injured and lost birds and wildlife. The article received positive feedback and SPCA Selangor reproduced it in our e-newsletter last week. It is reposted here with the relevant phone numbers)

WHAT TO DO WHEN A BIRD FLIES INTO YOUR HOUSE & OTHER ANIMAL DILEMMAS

Sometimes birds and insects end up inside our homes by mistake. While this can be an exciting incident for pets and young children, the stress of finding itself trapped in a human home can cause great distress to wild birds. Some may crash into walls and windows, injuring themselves badly in the process.

When a bird flies into your house, take these steps to prevent further distress, injury and death:

1. Switch off all fans IMMEDIATELY. Birds often try to escape by flying up towards the ceiling and many die upon coming in contact with fan blades.

2. If you have companion cats and dogs, remove them from the area and confine them to their kennels, cages or an escape-proof room immediately.

3. If the bird is in the kitchen, switch off the stove, cookerhood and any other heat-generating appliances that may harm the bird should it collide with the appliance. Cover all pots, pans and kettles that have hot food or liquids in them.

4. Open all the doors and windows to enable the bird's escape. Close all doors to other rooms to stop the bird from becoming more confused and flying deeper into the house.

5. Do not use loud noises, sticks or hard objects to chase the bird out. Use your hands to gently push, pick up or direct the bird towards and open door or window. If the bird appears stunned or injured, throw a light towel over the bird and gently pick up the bird. Inspect the bird for injuries.

6. Injured birds should be brought to a vet for treatment. Birds that are merely stunned can be brought outside and released. Be on the lookout for dogs and cats that may be waiting to pounce on a dazed bird.

Q: I FOUND A BABY BIRD THAT HAS FALLEN OUT OF ITS NEST. WHAT DO I DO?
A: The first choice is always to return a baby animal to its parents. Try to locate the nest and put the nestling back in it.

Q: WON'T THE MOTHER BIRD KNOW THAT I'VE TOUCHED HER BABY AND REJECT THE BABY?
A: The majority of birds do not have a highly developed sense of smell. They will not "smell" a human and reject the nestling if you replace it in the proper nest. Put the bird back in its nest and walk away. Do not hang around the nest, whistling or chirping to attract the mother bird's attention. Go indoors and wait for an hour. The mother bird will generally return to check on its baby when she feels it is safe to do so.

Q: I SPOTTED A BABY TREE SHREW / CIVET /BIRD / MACAQUE / SOME OTHER WILD ANIMAL LOOKING LOST AND WITHOUT ITS PARENTS. DO I PICK IT UP AND BRING IT HOME?
A: If you spot an animal on its own, particularly a young or juvenile animal that appears to be deserted or in difficulty, do not try to catch it right away. Observe its behaviour for 20 minutes. In the case of a young or juvenile animal, it may simply be waiting for a parent to return. Remember, adult animals will often leave their young to hunt for food and return within a short period of time to feed/care for the offspring.

If the animal is obviously injured, call PERHILITAN or any wildlife rescue centre for assistance. Injured wild animals can be dangerous and need special handling. If you need to bring an injured wild animal to the vet or to the PERHILITAN office, be sure to wear protective gear before handling the animal. A long-sleeved shirt, gloves and eye protection (glasses, sunglasses or goggles) are essential. Cover the injured animal with a towel, wrap the towel around the animal's feet/claws/talons, and pick the animal up gently. Put the animal in a box (with holes punched into the sides or top for air). Bring the animal to the vet or PERHILITAN office with as little disturbance as possible. This means no lifting the box lid to peek at the animal every few seconds! The less the animal sees of you, the less stress it will experience. Good luck!

Useful numbers to have:

Avian Vet, Dr. Jalila Abu of Universiti Putra Malaysia: 03 8946 8340

Perhilitan (Dept of Wildlife and National Parks) Hotline (for wildlife crimes and injured wildlife): 03-90866800

New Year's Eve Campout At The Bentong Farm Sanctuary

2011-01-04T03:49:00.000-08:00

The recent Christmas festivities had been an opportunity for me to rekindle and nourish old friendships, renew my resolve to work to improve animal welfare and environmental awareness and make use of the prescribed vacation time to carry out volunteer and campaign work. As you could see from Nicole's Christmas Blogpost, the only unfortunate side effect of the festive season was that it was also an opportunity for me to cultivate a pot belly.

In observing the spirit of the season, I organised a New Year's Eve Campout at the Bentong Farm Sanctuary to encourage my friends and associates in the City to visit and help out at the Sanctuary. Shahrul and Jorg have recently taken in another 20 dogs from the SPCA Selangor shelter that were reported to be on the list to be euthanised due to their age and limited rehoming prospects. Shahrul and Jorg's grim determination to save animal lives despite their limited resources earned my respect and admiration, and so a number of us rallied together to collect donations of pet food and pet supplies for the Sanctuary to make these dogs' final home a happy and comfortable one.

Some of the guests came to the Sanctuary as daytrippers, while some of us chose to stay the night and camp out. Some came as volunteers, but others who were less accustomed to animal care work needed time before they could commit to any challenging activity. Flexibility and autonomy are valued in our group, so everyone was allowed to contribute and participate in his or her own way, according to their comfort levels. And this, my friends, is the recipe to a successful and joyous New Year's Eve Campout!

Our first stop was CK Ice Cream House in Bentong Town, where I made short work of 5 scoops of ice cream -- peanut, vanilla, chocolate, pandan and yam!

My new friends, Melissa and Brigitte, aver that they found the directions to the Sanctuary from my blog! Hurray! So my blogpost did help me make new friends and the Sanctuary find new supporters and fans!

We convoyed to the Sanctuary after our ice-cream brunch to be greeted by the friendly dogs outside the Farmhouse!

My friend Audrey arrived with her friends Arthur and Yien Lee after I invited them via Facebook. The internet is, to me, unequivocally a force for good!

Audrey and Yien Lee hand out treats to the thrilled pooches.

Shahrul's husband and Papa to the animals, Jorg, reminds the dogs to behave in the presence of company.

My dear friend and fellow volunteer, Roli, reciprocated the dogs' unconditional love with hugs, kisses and kind words.

Yen and Roli take the erstwhile SPCA shelter dogs for walks on leashes as the said dogs are still nervous and not used to being free-range animals.

The Sanctuary's cats are bold, friendly and unafraid of dogs or people.

My buddy Serina would be pleased to see that her scratching post has been put to utmost good use -- the cats have scratched it to bits by now.

Shahrul and I prepare the dogs for their medicated baths and tickwashes.

Puteh was so afflicted with demodectic mange when he first arrived that he didn't have a patch of fur on him. See how good he looks now, after regular baths using Malaseb and Tacktick EC tickwash!

Roli cuddles his beloved Laika, who was scheduled to be euthanised for want of a new home. We are grateful indeed to Shahrul and Jorg for opening their home and hearts to the Last Chance Dogs.

My MNS buddy, Leo, helps to shampoo Hitam.

Sasha, no longer a stranger to the Sanctuary, helps to bathe Frowny.

These chickens, saved from slaughter, are free to engage in natural behaviour like scratching, dust-bathing and preening.

Ripe for the picking, these crispy and sweet jambu air, or "water apples" (Syzygium samarangense) entice us as we walked past the fruit orchards to the goat pens.

"I am the King of the Through!" announces a billy goat, while his companions look unimpressed by his unilateral declaration of sovereignty.

Safe in my embrace, J.C. (so named because he was born a week ago, on Christmas Day) bleats for his mother.

Here's looking at you, kid!

Free-range cows, also saved from slaughter, chew their cud contentedly in their enclosure after roaming the Sanctuary for much of the day.

Nancy's oldest son, Jien, demonstrates that you can actually hear a tortoise's heartbeat through its plastron.

Nancy (right) and her two youngest children play with the quarantined puppies behind the Farmhouse.

Ee-Tan, Roli and I make a fuss of Susu, a friendly 3-month-old retriever cross.

As evening falls, the smell of sweet potatoes roasting over a charcoal fire permeates the air! Nancy and her family had very kindly supplied most of the food for our cookout. Scalloped potatoes, noodles, cakes and fruit were some of the things we had for dinner.

Once most of the dinner things had been cleared away and washed up (by yours truly), it was time to toast, or rather, char, our marshmallows by the fire. Marshmallows are best toasted until they are brown and swollen -- that way, you can be sure that the outside will be caramelized to a chewy crisp, while the inside is creamy and liquid.

As the clock struck midnight, we yelled "Happy New Year" and released hot air lanterns to carry our wishes into the night sky.

The party continues inside the Farmhouse, far from the madding crowd of the City.

Nancy opts for a hammock instead of a conventional tent, and uses the shrine pillars for support.

For those who are too tired and too lazy to set up a tent or hammock, camping in one's car is cosy and comfortable enough an option!

The dogs are not ready to turn in yet and continue partying into the night. Speedy plumps for healthful apple cider vinegar since alcohol is forbidden from the Sanctuary grounds.

Dolly sure knows how to have a good time! Won't you join in our Dogs' Masquerade Ball too?

The party was a bit too wild for poor ol' Uncle Dog. And so we bid you goodnight, and adieu 2010!

May 2011 be a year of integrity and justice for our country, and abundance, joy and contentment for each of us!

Save The Langat South Peat Forest!

2010-12-27T02:25:00.000-08:00

The following letter was drafted by this here lummox with no science/conservation background, so please send updates, feedback and comments this way before our Chair sends it out to the Press! Also: Please participate in our phone-in campaign -- this is a participatory democracy after all! Let our Selangor MB know that the conservation of forest reserves matter to the constituents!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Critical Need To Protect Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve

The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Selangor Branch is dismayed to learn of the Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS)’s proposal to convert the remaining peat forest in the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve to oil palm.

Although PKPS in its proposal reported that the aforementioned Forest Reserve does not have valuable hardwoods and consists mostly of trees from the macaranga genus, independent scientific reports note that the Forest Reserve retains a rich diversity of native species, including important commercial trees and notable timber species such as Kempas (Koompasia malaccensis), Meranti Bakau (Shorea rugosa) and Ramin (Gonystylus bancanus), which is listed in CITES. MNS notes that scientists from UKM doing research in Kuala Langat South found that the forest was extremely rich in species, with a high potential for finding insect and animal species that had never before been recorded from Malaysia and some which were entirely new to science. Scientific expeditions in recent weeks further produced evidence of the presence of sunbears and panthers in the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve.

In addition, peat forests such as Kuala Langat South provide valuable ecological services, such as maintaining freshwater quality, hydrological integrity, and carbon storage and sequestration. The National Conservation Strategy also notes that the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve plays an important role in flood mitigation. Local and indigenous communities also depend on peatlands for their livelihood. Any human influence on the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve, therefore, can affect its form and function.

For the above reasons, we urge the Selangor State Government to conserve the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve for present and future generations.

Selangor Branch Chair
Malaysian Nature Society

PHONE-IN CAMPAIGN!!!

1. Click 'attend' on the FB Event Page

Step 1: Spread the news about this campaign. Tag your friends, email them, RT this info, as many as possible.

Step 2: Get ready on 30th Dec 2010, between 10am – 3pm

Step 3: Pick up phone and call the Selangor MB’s office at 03-5544 7013

Step 4: Ask to speak to MB directly, failing which his PA will do.

Step 5: State your support for the protection and conservation of Langat South. Be courteous and encourage the State Government to do the right thing.

Step 6: Hang up and blog about your experience. FB it. Tweet about it. Spread the news!

~~~~~~~

Proposed scripts for the tongue-tied and busy – but better to make it personal and from your own perspective.

IN ENGLISH:

“My name is ____________. I am a concerned citizen. I would like to voice my objection to the proposal to convert the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve to oil palm. The peat forest has more value standing than being cut down. Please protect the Langat South forest reserve. Our vote for you in the next General Elections depends on how much importance you put on our environment.”

“My name is ____________ and I am a registered voter. I am disappointed that the Selangor State Government is considering converting the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve to oil palm. Peat forests have more ecological value than oil palm. Please do not let greed take precedence over common sense. We are counting on you to make the right decision — for the rakyat, for the environment, and for Selangor. We demand an answer.”

IN BAHASA MALAYSIA:

“Nama saya ______________ dan saya seorang pengundi. Saya dukacita mendengar khabar bahawa kerajaan negeri Selangor merancang untuk meluluskan kegiatan perladangan kelapa sawit di Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Selatan. Hutan simpan lebih berharga kepada manusia dan alam sekitar berbanding dengan keuntungan ladang sawit. Mengapa kerajaan negeri Selangor hendak memusnahkan khazanah alam kita, sedangkan pada Pilhanraya Umum yang lepas, parti yang sama berjanji akan memelihara alam sekitar? Sebagai warganegara yang bertanggungjawab terhadap alam sekitar, saya menunggu jawapan daripada Kerajaan Negeri.”

“Nama saya ___________________ dan saya seorang anak jati Selangor. Pada mulanya saya percayai bahawa kerajaan negeri Selangor akan mengotakan janjinya untuk memelihara alam sekitar, tetapi sekarang saya hampa mendapat tahu bahawa ada permohonan untuk menanam kelapa sawit di Hutan Simpan Kuala Langat Selatan. Saya mendesak kerajaan negeri Selangor memelihara dan melindungi Hutan Simpan ini. Kami sudah muak dengan kegiatan penebangan dan pemusnahan hutan simpan. Saya menunggu jawapan daripada Kerajaan Negeri.”

~~~~~~~~

Thank you for your support! Let's create awareness on this -- The Langat South Forest Reserve isn't just "all macaranga"! The well-being of animal and human populations depend on the health of our peat forests too!

A Candlelit, Contemplative Christmas

2010-12-24T05:56:00.001-08:00

It is Christmas Eve, and I am sitting here in my office drafting reports in order to avoid the bad weather and festive season-induced traffic congestion. The past week has been one filled with tribulations. I am ready to put the crisis behind me, move on and do better. I will not let recent events break my resolve to rescue and help animals in need, and I have faith that this time around, I will do things right and that I have the support of my friends in places high and low.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Weekly Roundup, In Photos:

Due to the unpredictable weather, I have been going to the SPCA animal shelter a little earlier on weekends in order to be able to bathe and tickwash the dogs before it rains. Once it is no longer warm and sunny enough to bathe the dogs, I clean and disinfect the kennels and shelter to help keep the shelter safe, healthy, and clean for the animals, staff, volunteers and visitors alike. In this photo, the dogs at the back of the office are let out to play and exercise while I clean out their enclosures.

The SPCA cats curl up and tuck their feet in under their bodies to keep warm when it rains. I cleaned out their enclosures and laid out thicker layers of newspaper for added insulation to ensure that the cats remained warm and dry. Adoption rates are quite encouraging, especially when it comes to kittens. I have treated Neko for worms, fleas and other possible health issues and returned her to the SPCA to be put up for adoption. Her adoption prospects look good, especially with the coming Christmas weekend.

My department had a Christmas tea party and gift exchange on 17th Dec, before everyone went off on Christmas vacation. I contributed nacho chips and salsa and root beer floats to the potluck.

Santa left me a present! I must have been on the "Nice" list after all!

I attended KLPAC Orchestra and Choir's "A Candlelight Christmas" on 18th Dec 2010 with Alicia, Lynette, John, Adrian, David and Adam. And what a treat it was!

A year ago, I came to KLPAC in December for Handel's Messiah. It feels good to see the spirit of the season at KLPAC each year, with its brightly-lit and decorated Box Office, its tree-lined park and its welcoming, unpretentious feel.

Young and talented members of the orchestra delighted the guests at the lobby of the KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) with traditional Christmas carols.

I have always preferred chamber music, but the Christmas performance may have just tipped the balance in favour of a full orchestra!

A Candlelight Christmas

Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

A teaser for those who missed the 3-day special.

May the festive season bring justice, compassion, truth, acceptance and mindfulness to this troubled world of ours. May those whose livelihoods depend on humanitarian work understand the true meaning of service. May those who are cruel, corrupt, avaricious and hypocritical beware, for their Judgment Day will come. May all animal abusers face divine justice. May those whose motives are kind and pure and who assist those who are needy and weak find success in all their undertakings.

Wishing all my friends and gentle readers a joyous Christmas and a blessed New Year.

"Cats of Concern" and other news

2010-12-15T02:40:00.001-08:00

My office recently saw an increase in roaming cats, mostly pregnant and nursing queens. Some of these are strays, and some are poorly looked after cats from the neighbouring homes. The latter comprises cats that are not being fed or cared for adequately or are abandoned after they are found to be pregnant, so they have wandered into our office in search of food.

On Deepavali Eve, we found a previously friendly mother cat limping back to the office, dragging her kittens by the feet. Someone had cruelly tied the mother cat's feet and kittens together with rubber bands. The mother cat managed to free her feet but not her kittens. The kittens subsequently died, while the mother cat survived but with a badly injured and infected paw. We are unable to catch the mother cat for treatment as she has since become very skittish and mistrustful of humans.

This caused an outrage among animal-loving colleagues, and I offered to bring the cats to the SPCA for neutering and spaying, 1-2 at a time, provided we can raise the funds.

My initial plans were to pay for the spaying myself. However, I suddenly found myself caring for both a dog (Bravo) and a cat (Ebony) with broken hind limbs and spinal injury brought to me by well-meaning friends. The vet bills have run into the thousands, without even taking into account food and miscellaneous expenses.

Taking into consideration the urgency of the matter (i.e. if we don't get the mother cats spayed immediately, they will start reproducing again) I appealed to the goodwill of the SPCA to assist me in spaying/neutering a predetermined number of cats free of charge, e.g. 10 - 20, to help tide me over the next few months until I can afford to pay the spaying fees again, and to send the Inspectors over to speak to the neighbouring homes that are allowing these cats to breed and roam, and to advise the caregivers to neuter the cats.

And so SPCA Selangor very kindly offered to spay the cats for me as a form of community service under Mission Help. Several of my colleagues helped to set up a Feline Rescue, Neutering and Resettlement Initiative to find durable and humane solutions to the problem of cat overpopulation.

An emotional appeal made by my colleague and buddy, Marvin, for our Feline Rescue, Neutering and Resettlement Initiative.

Tibbs was the first cat to be spayed, dewormed and given a flea bath. She is estimated to be 5- 6 months old.

Tuxedo (age: 7 - 8 months) was spayed in early December. Tuxedo and her baby Sylvester (age: 3 months) have both been treated for worms and fleas.

I will offer to pay for Sylvester's neutering in the event he is adopted before he is old enough to be neutered.

Gangster Mama has since been renamed "JD" by my colleague Vilz (a.k.a. The Stig) and has been treated for worms, fleas and ringworm after she was spayed. She has a sweet, loyal and intelligent personality and enjoys human company.

I have put collars on all the cats but have modified standard collars to make them quick-release in the event the collars are caught on anything. All the cats above have been spayed, dewormed and given flea baths. They have been returned to my office for the time being, as I do not think it is humane to keep previously free-roaming, streetwise cats confined in cages for weeks and months on end. They are still looking for good homes, so if you know of anyone who is looking to adopt a cat, please ask them to contact me.

Office mascots, for now!

Project Second Chance and the Feline Rescue, Neutering and Resettlement Initiative are still short on resources and need contributions in the form of cat food, vitamins, deworming syrup, flea shampoo, ringworm shampoo, wound spray and brightly-coloured cat collars. We also need fosterers in the event I have to be away for a weekend or on a work mission. If you are able to help or know anyone who is able to help, please be so kind as to contact me. All help and forms of support are greatly appreciated.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

9th December 2010: Birthday Week

I turned 32 on the 9th. I often observe my birthday on my own by donating blood and doing something beneficial for a worthy cause, such as purchasing much-needed school supplies and groceries for welfare organisations and outreach groups. That Special Someone observes his birthday by distributing parcels of food to the hardcore poor, and I look forward to doing it with him when we are finally together.

This particular birthday was remarkable only in that I received the greatest, most significant gift in my life: A marriage proposal from That Special Someone. It was not the first time we had discussed marriage, but somehow there was a certain weight to this particular proposal which made it all seem so much more real and meaningful somehow. I was on a 2-day work mission at an Immigration Detention Centre in a remote small town, and had been on Skype with That Special Someone at the material time when he proposed to me at midnight. I don't think I could get any happier than this, but I probably will, when we are finally married. I look forward to a lifetime of environmentally-responsible, socially-just adventures with my Special Someone and days filled with animal care commitments, community service and being loved.

Due to the fact that I was on work mission, I was unable to go to the Vihara or carry out any charitable activities on my birthday, and decided to postpone my plans to another day. In retrospect, it was fortuitous that things turned out the way they did, because something happened to someone who was in grave need and is deserving of help, and my contribution was able to help him in some way.

But karma has a funny way of coming back to you, and two days later I received an email from a friend who had been abroad and who had read of my animal rescue efforts. She managed to obtain my bank account number from a mutual friend and made a donation to me for Project Second Chance, and her contribution happened to be in the same amount that I had given to the individual in need of help earlier. What a strange instance of quid pro quo -- I had helped someone who had lost everything, and in return someone else provided help for the animals under my care. I may be destined never to be rich (not because I am bad at managing my finances, but because I give so much away), but I don't think the Divine Being intended me to be poor either. And so I am assured afresh that no matter how little I have, there will always, always be enough to share.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Weekly Roundup, In Photos:

A little sleepyhead at the SPCA -- It was a slow day for adoptions.

My friend Fiza bottle-feeding Puppy after the latter woke up.

This little kitten was crying for her Mama at the SPCA. I brought her home after I had finished my animal care duties for the day and have since treated her for worms, fleas and eye infection. I have named my fostered kitten "Neko" on account of her oriental eyes.

Someone's pet frogs being boarded at the SPCA Bungalow for the week.

Lulu sulking in a box after we removed the rotten old couch.

There isn't any glamour in being an animal rescuer! Your car seats are lined with bin bags and you drive around with pet carriers, an animal First Aid Kit, and pouches of pet food to bait frightened and hungry animals with.