It is interesting that Malaysia PM Abdullah Badawi urged participants of the World Economic Forum (WEF) to think again on the shift towards biofuel production (from food production).
Maybe he has neglected to look at his own backyard.
When 30 years ago, you got to enjoy paddy fields, buffaloes, kampongs, rubber plantations, tin mines, cliffs and forests along the country roads, today, you see nothing but palm oil plantations along the North-South Highway.
On a flight from Singapore to KL, you will marvel at the endless sea of uniform palm greenery below.
Back in the 60’s, Malaysia was self-sufficient where rice was concern. Today, it imports 30% of the staple grain.
The ongoing food shortage is a wake up call. That is where PM Badawi is coming from in his address to the WEF.
His government has recently decided to encourage rice farming on a massive scale again. It has identified the East Malaysian state of Sarawak for the purpose, and the state is supportive in providing more land.
Sound policy it is. The next question then, is where the land will come from. Will biofuel production hectares be converted, or will it involve clearing of more forests yet?
don’t take peace for granted
Hamas and Israel start on a truce today. One of those stories that repeat so often in the papers that they can hardly be classified as news.
This truce pertains to the Gaza Strip. General skepticism over whether it will last is captured in Israeli Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit’s comment. “The idea is a complete ceasefire – no fire from anyone… if there is any violation of the agreement, the government is free to return to act with full force.”, he said.
His emphasis that there should be ‘no fire from anyone’ underscores how unlikely it is for all not to fire. Imagine persevering in a place like that!
In the civil environment that the rest of us live in, we swarm ourselves with various other concerns. But if we pause to think about the constant terror and fear that common Palestinians and Israelis are subjected to, our daily concerns pale by comparison.
Peace is one of those things that we ought to be thankful for.
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