essay: Separate Histories Common Future

https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-11/  November 13, 2021 4:05 pm

Think about the world of humanity in the context of the human body. Millions of cells, diverse in form and function, play their part in maintaining a healthy system. The principle that governs the functioning of the body is cooperation. Its various parts do not compete for resources; rather, each cell, from its inception, is linked to a continuous process of giving and receiving.

 

Behold a beautiful garden full of flowers, shrubs, and trees. Each flower has a different charm, a peculiar beauty, its own delicious perfume, and beautiful colour. The trees too are varied in size, in growth, in foliage and bear different fruits.  Yet all these flowers, shrubs and trees contribute towards and form a crucial part of the ecosystem they are in. 

In the same way, every individual is a member of the human family on this ecosystem of our planet. All are citizens and co-stewards and should have equitable access to opportunities and resources. Every individual, from whatever background, can contribute to the betterment of our community.  

It should be said that being members of one human family, however, does not imply uniformity. It is not about erasing our differences but rather celebrating our diversity, with each bringing different strengths and adding beauty to the whole - as it is in music where many different notes blend together in the making of a perfect chord. 

Over thousands of years, false concepts of superiority and inferiority took hold among human populations.  This misconception arose with the erroneous idea that humankind is somehow composed of separate and distinct races, castes, and that those sub-groups innately possess varying intellectual, moral, and/or physical capacities, which in turn justify different forms of treatment.

That we all belong to one human family is increasingly visible now because, for the first time in history, it has become possible to perceive and to become conscious of our sameness in this global civilisation.  And science confirms there is only one human species, albeit infinitely varied in the secondary aspects of life.

With such consciousness, patterns of our past behaviour must therefore be put aside. We need to redefine the ways we think and relate to one another, and efforts must be constantly, consciously, and deliberately exerted to translate these into action.  

Laws, traditions or mental constructs that grants superior rights or privileges to one grouping over another is morally wrong.  Justice must be the ruling principle of social organisations, governments, and civil society to address economic and other injustice at all levels. Prejudices is not acceptable. Indeed, misconceptions and prejudices that consider one group of people as superior to another are a major contributor to our present difficulties.  

We all know genuine, universal fellowship is a requisite for realising unity – whether at the level of community or society or nation or across nations. We must take every effort to have meaningful conversations with people who are different from us to build understanding and forge strong relationships.   

Selfless service towards each other is a natural expression of our conviction that we are one human family.  During this covid era, we have seen this demonstrated by numerous communities in diverse settings guided by values of cooperation and reciprocity, which challenges the common notions that human nature is essentially selfish, competitive, and driven by material consideration. 

The competitive culture is prevalent in many aspects of life today. We need to collectively choose the collaborative approach over the competitive spirit dominating economic and other activities, as well as the countless other situations in which conflict is accepted as the driving force of human interaction.  Crucially too, the choices made by parents influence children, however unintentionally or innocently, encouraging them to pursue the passions of the world—admiration for power and status, love of luxuries, obsession with self-gratification.  Such attitudes promote separateness rather than unity.  

Care must also be exercised in the way we express ourselves. Sharing ideas with kindness can have a profound effect on the hearer. Nothing can inflict more damage on unity than dwelling on people’s faults. Rather, we should concentrate our thoughts on how we can contribute to unity, focus upon the good qualities in people and work with each other to overcome each other’s shortcomings.

Distilling this narrative to the context of our country, we are all part of the larger Malaysian story.  Though with separate histories and cultures, our lives are ever-increasingly inter-tangled and our future clearly interdependent.  We can either jostle on the same crowded stage or we move gracefully to accommodate and support each other meaningfully on the same stage.  Being created from one same substance bound together in a common destiny on our beloved Tanahair, what option do we really have?  

Let us focus on our shared heritage of values and stories to help us navigate our understanding of each other so that we appreciate our sameness, celebrate our rich diversity, build on our strengths, and reduce the mental illusion of otherness as we forge our common future. 

virtues

We host regular conversations on virtues to inspire the practice of virtues in everyday life. Such as respect, integrity, justice and trustworthiness. Conversations are meaningful and nourish thinking and actions going forward.  

We also explore the fundamental unity underlying the great living religions of the world - its essential oneness -  through exploring what these religions say about each of the virtues

Join us for a Virtues Pick for the week and learn more about the meaning and practice of virtues

essay: Sporting Spirit

Featured on 7 Aug 2021 in https://www.weekly-echo.com

The Olympic Games – which is currently consuming a lot of our screen time - showcases the sporting prowess of the marvellous diversity of sportswomen and sportsmen.  Few occasions can claim to embrace so wide a cross-section of humanity, comprising participants of varied ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds. In summoning together the nations in friendship to Tokyo - albeit a year later than scheduled - under covid conditions, powerfully suggests that collaboration and common endeavour are possible in all things. Truly, nothing is more striking about this extraordinary spectacle than its capacity to reflect humanity’s collective will and resilience to overcome and to prevail.  Indeed, humanity today is bound together in a global civilization, fragmented only by man-made boundaries.Malaysians passionately rallied behind our own whenever they played during the Games.  The youth strived with determination, and they fought back ferociously, but it was not to be.  They apologised humbly to the nation - and we wept together. Malaysians were moved. But are we taking lessons from the many examples of teamwork, fair play, valour, and earnest striving demonstrated by our youth? These same qualities are equally evident - while not as widely showcased - in our youth driving the many social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations which are thriving across our country.   Ever since Covid started, when restrictions on personal interactions waxed and waned, and economic activities declined significantly, we see the extraordinary rise in capacity in Malaysians to give expression to our empathetic desire to care for each other. Many brought their creativity and sense of purpose to bear, and resources are channelled to communities in need - whether labouring to provide meal aids or championing the equality for undocumented communities.  This is because Malaysians have expansive hearts, unbounded creative energy, great resilience, a passion for progress, a strength forged from diversity, and minds enlightened by the spirit of the age and inspired by the quest for justice. The country is still reeling from the health pandemic.  And sadly, we are still witnessing habits of contest, self-interest, prejudice, and closed-mindedness which continue to hinder the progress of our nation towards our collective prosperity.  And regretfully, not yet the collective will to collaborate and to put aside their differences in the interests of our common good. However, we remain hopeful.  Because there are growing numbers among us who are showing in words and deeds how they yearn to purposefully contribute their share to the betterment of our society while pursuing their aspirations through rich patterns of interaction with each other of bonds of trust and fellowship, of camaraderie and collaboration.So let us focus on the many qualities that Malaysians so admirably embody, and on the back of our vibrant, interwoven strengths of all Malaysians, envision our dazzling future possibilities shaped by collaboration, and mutual support for our lasting prosperity. 

 

Let our Imagination begin!

essay: Responsible Digital Technologies

featured in https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-9/ July 25, 2021 7:21 pm

Recently my daughter showed me a tech tool whose website describes it as follows:  

xxx’s clean, blank canvas design combined with an incredible AI writing assistant gives you writing superpowers. Think of xxx as autocomplete for your thoughts -- whole sentences and paragraphs fluently written by AI to significantly improve your writing speed.

It at once got me all excited about the prospects of such a tool but also, at the same time, made me think about the many troubles we could get into with such technologies. 

Undoubtedly, technological innovation has been the source of many advancements. Yet, like any tool, it can be deployed productively or destructively, depending on the ethical considerations underlying its design and use. For example, agricultural innovation, through the creation of sustainable technologies and environmentally friendly methods, has increased food security for many worldwide. However, if driven by strict profit motives, it can result in exploitation of both workers and natural resources, and potentially further deepen inequalities.

Digital technologies are not implicitly neutral. Technological innovation, much like the prevalent development approach, is deeply influenced by materialistic underpinnings largely founded on the conviction that the acquisition of goods will conduce to greater levels of wellbeing.  Solutions are often devised based on these assumptions and widely promoted without considering the social and ethical implications. Take for instance the AI-driven technology.  It is often designed to incentivise individuals to become consumers of online content, and passive recipients of goods and services. The online mega sales now held monthly by numerous retailers is certainly encouraging the culture of compulsive buying behaviour in many.  The World Economic Forum reported in January 2020 that our one-click culture had resulted in e-commerce sales ratios nearly tripled globally during the period 2014-2019; that rising congestion and emissions from e-commerce delivery are putting stress on city traffic patterns and will only rise from growing demand unless effective intervention is quickly taken by both cities and companies. They added that by 2030, the demand for last-mile delivery is expected to grow 78% with online stores, e-grocers and food delivery services competing to offer faster home deliveries. Think about what this means in terms of the impact on our planet – from the consumption of scarce non-renewable raw materials to the carbon emissions to the waste generated.

Even when technologies benefit society in some ways, they can have the effect of perpetuating existing disparities or undermine other social goals. While many have benefited from the digital technology, it is also clear that the rich have benefited more, widening the digital divide.  Without societal and political intervention to address the moral and other collective needs, digital technology may potentially further aggravate inequities.

Without an understanding of the needs of the users themselves, the indiscriminating adoption of technological tools and services could inadvertently result in communities losing touch with important elements of their cultural heritage and local values. We have seen how excessive exposure to the forces of social media can negatively affect our lives – from emotional and mental health to selective self-presentation and narcissism, to the declining quality of interpersonal relationships, besides privacy and security issues.

Various forms of social bias and inequity are often embedded in the design or application of technologies. Decisions related to use and distribution are often left to a few who may not foresee such consequences.  This challenge is exacerbated further in digital technologies as specific values and assumptions are engineered into the products and adopted at a pace exceeding the capacity of even the most qualified legislatures to properly assess. There are troubling instances with real-world implications.  For instance, if we only look to social media as a way to support decision making, it has the potential to skew our thinking. If we only get information from the people who think like us, we will never see contrasting points of view and will tend to ignore and deny alternatives.  Increasingly reliance is placed on learning systems to build the rule sets to predict rates of behaviours - from sales models to crime patterns.  As AI technology learns from the data it receives, the resulting systems will be biased in decision-making if skewed data is fed, perpetuating biases.  In 2015, Amazon realised that their algorithm used for hiring employees was found to be biased against women because the algorithm was based on the number of resumes submitted over the past ten years, and since most of the applicants were men, it was trained to favour men over women.

In an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, where more digital technologies are adopted out of perceived or actual necessity, unforeseen consequences arise, no matter how well-intended a technological system or solution.  When high-powered technology falls into the wrong hands, it can be used for criminal, immoral, and malicious ends.  Scary reports of ransomware (malware used to prevent access to a computer system until a ransom is paid) is certainly on the rise.

As digital tools are increasingly applied to all areas of our individual and collective lives, the question shifts from whether such technologies should be used, to how they can be appropriately designed and applied.  For one, the individuals and the businesses driving technological innovations need to be mindful about fostering responsible design, use, and distribution of digital technologies to meet essential social needs.  They ought to also think about values such as moderation, justice, and cultural diversity which should underpin digital technologies which could help us contribute meaningfully to our communities and to society at large. Such processes would do well to be informed by the experiences and needs of local communities rather than only by external market or ideological forces.  Crucially too, reflective questions such as the following need to be asked. What types of digital technologies reflect a community’s vibrancy? Is the technology being adopted in a way that is suited to our community’s needs? What forces drive our communities to utilise these technologies? How can we ensure that algorithmic outcomes and decisions are not tainted by prejudices of any kind?

Humanity is now at an inflection point in human affairs. The world-engulfing medical pandemic has precipitated greater reliance on digital technologies to carry out our basic tasks and to remain connected.  The looming climate crisis is also demanding changes in the way we live.  As we rebuild from covid, we should re-think and re-shape digital technologies to enable a just transition to a future which reflects the highest expression of humanity’s aspirations.

essay: Caring Malaysians

Featured in  https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-8/ July 17, 2021 12:00 pm

Two realities are manifesting itself in Malaysia.  The first reality is the huge concerns over the appalling chaos and havoc caused by the coronavirus pandemic.  Despite valiant and determined collective efforts, the situation is now grave, creating tragedies for families and individuals.   With the varying degrees of movement restrictions in place, the distance from friends and relations that so many people are now maintaining are, for some, giving way to permanent separations.  At each dawn it seems more agonies will be endured before the set of sun.  Waves of suffering and sorrow are breaking over our communities, and are weakening us, at different moments, in different ways.

 The second reality, one that is daily more apparent, is the resilience and undiminished vitality of Malaysians in the face of a challenge which has no likeness in living memory.  When we read/saw news about people among us are at risk from economic hardship and are without food, Malaysians were moved and immediately rose to the occasion. 

Foodbanks and meal aids sprung up from many quarters – by individuals, businesses and institutions. Apps were created to match providers to those seeking.  Some found creative ways to raise awareness of public health requirements within populations.  Mental health professionals and organisations offer free services.  Services offered as well as provision of information to those seeking resources are listed in one place for easy reference: https://havehope2.blogspot.com/  And the list goes on…

 The collective response by Malaysians has been truly outstanding.  All these transpired in recent weeks, during which many have had to comply with stringent movement restrictions, is admirable.  The sense of extraordinary solidarity of the Malaysian Community is indeed palpable. 

 However long and arduous the road that must be travelled, Malaysians have the fortitude and determination to see the journey through drawing from stores of hope, faith, and magnanimity, and putting the needs of others before our own. Malaysians will not be subdued.  I have hope.

essay: Rising Generations: Weaving a New Tapestry of Community Life in Malaysia

Featured on https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-7/ July 10, 2021 9:11 pm

For decades, a materialistic ideology that places the accumulation of wealth at the center of our existence, and promotes individualism as healthy, has permeated every facet of our lives. The prioritisation of economic growth through self-interested competition has stripped many communities of vital qualities such as trust, cooperation, reciprocity, and fellowship.

Weaving a new tapestry of community life that reflects values like justice and generosity, selflessness, and equality, requires the participation of every generation of people who can offer their distinct contributions according to the opportunities and challenges presented to them. The adoption of aspirational global agendas in multiple spheres, such as Agenda 2030 and the Paris Climate Agreement, is one such contribution by humanity to move towards a more just and united global civilisation.

Significantly too, the rising generations are becoming significant actors in processes of community change.  There are numerous examples – from Greta Thurnburg in the global stage to our numerous young social enterpreneurs here in Malaysia - who are showing us that the rising generations are taking their place on stage to play a vital role in weaving a new tapestry of community life that can transform our society.   Young people throughout the ages have been characterised by certain qualities: they are curious, they question and probe the world around them, they are adaptable and open to change, they are idealistic, and have an acute sense of justice. Bold and fearless, they are choosing to be a force for social good.

Armed with the above attributes, many young people in Malaysia are considering which elements of our culture they would like to reinforce, and which they would like to dispense with. Many are discarding the trap of conceiving their efforts in narrow terms of success, as they realise that prosperity can be advanced through justice and generosity, through collaboration and mutual assistance. They are revising the conceptions of work around the ideals of inclusion, universal participation, and reciprocity, and insist that work, as the activity that tends to occupy the central portion of our waking hours, be a source of meaning and provide a way to contribute to the betterment of society. Through innovation, entrepreneurship, and experimentation with new models, they are working hard to roll back many of our current systems which are inadequate to meet the demands of our society.  Willing to risk it all, they stand and work for social issues through their social enterprises. 

From young scientists working on endangered species to young women and men working to serve marginalised communities in Malaysia, they can have a positive reinforcing effect in the communities they operate in.  When a community sees its youth among its midst purposefully contributing their share to the betterment of society, it develops a nurturing setting in which unified actions becomes multiplied - individual will and collective volition becomes blended, and a spirit of enterprise is engendered by the realisation of the need for concerted action and a commitment to the common good.  In such settings, individuals feel encouraged to attend to the development of their members, and channel resources towards community building programmes that can nurture the moral, spiritual, intellectual, and physical development of every inhabitant.  Institutions, in turn, come to view their function as one of channelling and directing the burgeoning talents, abilities, and collective energies within the community into patterns of action that promote the betterment of society.

Crucially, our youth are pursuing their aspirations through rich patterns of interaction with each other.  They know that persevering in efforts to serve society -- particularly in the face of difficult or even harsh conditions -- becomes easier when working collaboratively with others.  Bonds of trust and fellowship, of camaraderie and cooperation are strengthened.

I am hopeful that the social-positive and nature-positive influence of this rising generations of change makers dedicated to serving the common good will soon become more prevalent and more main-stream, from which the Muhibbah Malaysia culture can thrive and flourish.

essay: This Decade will define the destiny of Humanity

 Featured on https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-6/ June 26, 2021 10:16 am

Until recently, humanity’s relationship with nature was one of respect and harmonious co-existence.  We took from nature only what we needed for our survival and left what we didn’t.  Even the generation of our grandparents and parents reused and recycled resources judiciously.  My grandmother used her knitted jute bag for all her shopping and she would harp on us to use water and electricity sparingly. Used newspapers were upcycled in numerous ways – vegetables sold wrapped in newspapers, groceries brought home in newspaper bags, vegetables stored in the fridge wrapped in newspapers. 

During the latter half of the 20th century, due to a multitude of reasons, humanity lost our way.  Our demands morphed and multiplied. We wanted more and we wanted them fast. Market forces of supply and demand fuelled the gratification processes, accelerating the consumption of resources.  The increase in global population inevitably added further pressures.  Our relationship with the habitat we live in became exploitative – we cut forests without hesitation, we fish mercilessly, we mine incessantly, and we produce unrelentingly (including unimaginable types of single use items) to meet our insatiable demands.  Socially, inequities between segments of populations in Malaysia exacerbated.  Recently, the Prime Minister commented that the income groups referred to as Bottom 40% (B40) might have expanded to B50.  In short, the human enterprise has been exploiting the planet for short term financial returns for a small group of people.  The science on this is clear – we have now cumulatively brought humanity to an extremely vulnerable state existentially.

While acknowledging covid’s huge cost in lives and jobs, perhaps the health pandemic is the wake-up call humanity needed.  Covid humbled us and forced us to reckon with ourselves, and to face the consequences of our irresponsible actions. Covid provided us the pause we needed to allow us time to reflect about the unsustainable relationship we have with each other and with our habitat. We simply cannot go on as usual as we are on the trajectory to burn down our one and only habitat – very very soon. 

While Covid is also showing us that, with collective will, humanity has the resilience to tackle this health challenge to humanity with masks and vaccination, science is telling us that the environmental crisis ahead of us is much larger in scope and scale, more complex in interdependencies, and much harder to deal with.  As we rebuild from the fallout caused by Covid, we owe it to ourselves to use this unique opportunity to transform and restore our relationships with nature and with each other in the way it had always intended to be.

Fortunately, in recent months and weeks in Malaysia, we are hearing more elevated conversations around the climate crisis.  Whether the topic is set out as themes of conferences or seminars, or pronouncements by bodies of ministries and regulators, or noble purpose statements by businesses, or nature positive activities of social enterprises, or campaigns by grassroot communities, or mentioned over the media, there appears to be a start of an eco-awakening in Malaysia.  These conversations are becoming more mainstream among business and institutional communities and will inevitably lead to actions being institutionalised and operationalised for more sustainable goods and services.  This awareness and change will cascade to the stakeholders along the value chains and have a multiplier effect to many, including bringing about sustainable lifestyle changes in grassroot communities.  

As we re-form our policies, re-direct resource flows, and re-align practices, it is crucial that our efforts be guided by a vision of the type of relationships we wish to have with each other and with nature, and be animated by a set of universal values to support that vision. 

The nature of relationships and connections, and the power dynamics between individuals and organisations need to change from what is prevailing today.  We need to shift the power dynamics at play, identifying where people are connected or disconnected from others.  We need to shift our mindset to one which is less of dominance and competition, to one which is more nurturing, inclusive, and collaborative if we wish to make real progress on the numerous critical and complex social and environmental problems humanity is facing now in our increasingly interdependent world of polarised interests and accelerating disparities. 

We must also realise that we are trustees or stewards of the planet’s resources and biological diversity.  This attitude of stewardship must compel humanity to temper our actions with moderation and humility, realising that the true value of nature cannot be expressed in economic terms.  We need to quickly re-learn to make use of the earth’s scarce resources in a manner that ensures sustainability and equity into the distant reaches of time.

Such shifts of perspectives need to be deeply embedded in our thinking and habits to ensure we have the desired long-term results.   As Gandhi said, “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, your values become your destiny.”

With such conversations reverberating in many spaces, we can expect to see soon, the establishment of a more enabling environment through policies, legislative frameworks, and financing and investment structures to establish the rights and assets of all stakeholders (individuals as well as public and private sector organisations and companies, women as well as men, the poor as well as the better off).  This will provide a nurturing environment to encourage collaboration partnerships between private and public enterprises for the innovation of nature-positive and science-led sustainable pathways solutions.  We can hope to begin to hear soon that more Malaysian companies are guided by social purpose to serve a broader range of interests beyond maximising shareholder returns.  Some Malaysian business leaders are already beginning to manage for impact, not just for profits, and advocate that commercial success is aligned with broader societal concerns.  Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, we will measure our well-being and impact of humanity to planet as indicators of progress, replacing gross domestic consumption numbers. 

At this critical point in history of humanity, much work needs to be done by the end of this decade, and we are but taking the 1st step of the journey of a thousand miles. Let us capitalise on the momentum that has been built.  Our awareness of this crisis has never been greater and we have the technology and the resources.  What we need is our collective will.  There has never been a better time than now to begin to safeguard our future. 

essay: We all have a shared responsibility in this health crisis

 Featured on https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-5/ on 1 June 2021

Early last year, humanity woke up to a furious storm.  We watched with terrifying disbelief the waves of suffering and sorrow which broke over one country after another, weakening different nations at different moments in different ways.  Deaths were counted tracking the fate of the world.  At each dawn, many feared the agonies to be endured before the set of sun.  When no other course of action seemed possible, many turned to their Creator. 

18 March 2020 is etched in the memory of Malaysians as the date when our 1st full lockdown commenced.  We all stayed at home, with many trying to work from home.  The lives and livelihoods of every Malaysian were affected - schools were closed, business shuttered, Zoom quickly became part of our vocabulary, elders temporarily distanced, for some, permanent separations.  Some became disoriented and unfamiliar and adrift, locked down and lonely.  Some responded with disbelief and denial, others in acceptance and compliance.  Many felt empty and melancholy and isolated, even traumatized.  Fortunately, in true Malaysian style, a sense of solidarity emerged to succor and to support others with mutual aids, with bonds of love with solace and solidarity.

As sharp restrictions do work to break the chain of infections, we managed to flatten the infection curve somewhat with the 1st lockdown.  But fatigue and complacency soon set in and so the infections really did not go away.  Our struggle with the health pandemic was certainly less violent than a war but more protracted than a natural disaster.

440 days on, it has yet to abate, in fact, it has gained strength. Our number of reported cases of Covid 19 infections does not seem to peak and stubbornly refuses to plateau, every day the numbers surpassing the previous. 

And so once again we find ourselves at the eve of yet another MCO - the 2nd full lockdown on 1 June 2021. Sadly, the lockdowns, being a blunt instrument, are economically painful.  For many businesses and employers, work from home is the inconvenient but manageable solution.  For many others, life comes to a standstill - the hawkers, the daily wage workers, the immigrants.  Careful government intervention is absolutely essential to ensure there are sufficient safety nets for these marginalized communities. 

So the big question is this:  Will this lockdown work to flatten the curve?  Will this be the last full lockdown for this country?

While the consequences of this lockdown we cannot yet estimate with any certainty at this stage, I am hopeful that the outcome will be better this time as, for one, we are now better equipped with vaccinations being rolled out.  Also, we now know more about the virus and how it spreads and are able to take better precautionary measures.

But crucially too, each of us need to realise that we all have a shared responsibility in this health crisis.  We have to learn to cooperate and to recognise that the action of one affects others, that to combat this, all must be strong, that our collective strength is dependent on our unity of vision and action.  Because it is us, the individuals, whatever our role or place in society, who comply with the government SOPs or ignore them. As individuals, we make choices to embrace cooperative attitudes and patterns of action (of consistent and proper mask-wearing, stringent practice physically distancing, staying at home) or continue patterns of life as before. We must realise that none of our decisions are without consequence. 

History tells us humanity has the fortitude and determination to see the journey through, no matter how difficult matters are at present, however close to the limits of endurance we have been brought, however long and arduous the road that must be travelled.  We will ultimately pass through this ordeal and will emerge on the other side with stamina and staunch spirits, drawing from stores of hope, faith, and magnanimity, putting the needs of others before our own to nourish others, to work for our collective betterment. 

essay: It is really up to us

 Featured on https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-4/ May 21, 2021 11:22 pm

Our eldest daughter was born in 1989 and we wanted the best of everything for her. Best of education, best of health, to grow up in an environment that would be conducive for her to live a rich fulfilling life. It dawned on me then that while we could offer most of these to her with much certainty, the environment she would grow up in was something we have little control over and was far from looking good and increasingly worsening. With that, my sustainability journey began.

The decades since then witnessed a trajectory of increasing environmental negligence and worsening social equity, ironically, on the back of the best of technologies and facilities with the capacity to provide us with comfortable lives. Which brings to mind what Charles Dickens said in 1859: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. 

The social and environmental degradation did not worsen because there had been no efforts to educate or to reform. In fact, we all have heard the innumerable conversations of policy reforms across the world as well as marvelled at the development of various technologies to tackle these issues. It is clear we know how, and have the means to, halt this runaway global crisis. So why are we here in such a crisis state? Why is reversing the trend not gaining the traction that it so desperately needs?

Anthropogenic climate change is not inevitable; humanity chooses its relationships with the natural world. We often approach the natural world as a reservoir of material resources to be exploited, the grave consequences of wExploring new patterns of interaction as one interconnected ecosystem will be central to the task of building more sustainable relationships with the natural world and among various segments of the global family. 

The adoption of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including its social, economic, and environmental dimensions, grounded in the sentiment we all live on the same planet and therefore have shared concerns, has definitely bolstered momentum for meaningful change. A universal, legally binding agreement on carbon emissions seems within reach for the first time. But in order to progress beyond a world community driven by a largely economic and utilitarian calculus, to one of shared responsibility for the prosperity of all nations, such a principle must take root in the conscience of the individual. 

Because it is us, the individuals, whatever our role or place in society, who implement the policies or ignore them, who participate in well-conceived programmes or continue patterns of life as before. As individuals, we take the initiative to embrace new attitudes and adopt new patterns of action or continue with business as usual. We all have agency and none of our decisions are without consequence. 

Human behaviour and personal decision-making are therefore critical to the success of sustainability efforts, particularly through values, ethics, and morals. Changes in lifestyle will not be sustained if normative drivers of behaviours such as attitudes and beliefs do not shift as well. For example, consumption habits will not change if acquisition and accumulation of luxury goods is seen as symbols of success. 

As the challenge before us is not only a technical one but also one of moral, it calls for the transformation of thoughts and behaviours to allow our economic and social structures to extend the benefits of development to all. Setting humanity on a more sustainable path will require transformation in attitudes embodied in social norms and patterns of action. Establishing sustainable patterns of individual and collective life will require not only new technologies, but also a new consciousness in us, including a new conception of ourselves and our place in the world.

essay: Doing Well by Doing Good

 

Featured on https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-3/ May 5, 2021 12:47 am

The idea that companies should be guided by social purpose and serve a broader range of interests beyond maximising shareholder returns is gaining traction across the corporate world. 

With greater understanding of the ecosystem businesses operate in and their inherent linkages of interconnectedness and interdependencies with other stakeholders, there is increasing expectation that businesses also have a corporate duty of beneficence to non-shareholders and should be held to account for the moral – and not just legal – consequences of their activities.

There is an increasing realisation that economics grounded in a presumption of individuals or groups gaining advantage over others lead to anything but grossly unequal conditions multiplying on every side. Even if businesses win by disadvantaging others, the apparent benefits are usually temporary.  Collaboration is being understood to be an underutilised powerful driver of business. 

However, many businesses in Malaysia have yet to reset their intuition formed when the world was much less demanding of them.  Businesses have long upheld the orthodox shareholder theory which holds that a firm’s main responsibility is to its shareholders and is the only group to which the firm is socially responsible. As a result, their goal is traditionally to maximize returns to their shareholders, and the shareholders could decide for themselves what social initiatives to take part in, rather than have businesses decide such matters for them.

The reality today is this – businesses face unprecedented pressures from social and environmental challenges, technical innovations, and business model innovations.  To remain relevant, businesses not only have to care beyond shareholders, they also need to learn new methods and create new products to win with clients and engage with people whose values alter and expectations rise rapidly. 

And in this era of ubiquitous communication technology, if companies are not altruistic on their own, other stakeholders will demand altruistic behaviours by the businesses.  Missteps and misalignment by businesses are quickly and publicly hold to account. 

The commercial case for business responsibility to stakeholders beyond just shareholders is increasingly clear. Mental models of business owners – formed by values and underlying assumptions which influence habits of thoughts and the way they act – need to change. 

The mental model of leadership that is needed in today’s context is one which emphasises on aligning commercial success with thinking, values and practices concerned with broader societal concerns.  It should also not be one that defaults intuitively to false dichotomies, thinking in terms of, and choosing from, often two alternative options, while in fact a number of additional options are available. 

One example is the choice between commercial success and positive outcomes for society and the environment.  Another is balancing short term returns and long-term value.  Working on both levers are not only necessary and important but possible as while one focuses on meeting immediate needs of stakeholders, working with a long-term perspective ensures sustainable commercial success of the business as it addresses societal concerns. With the right attitudes and skillsets, there are opportunities to be seized.

Delivering the future we want will require businesses to cultivate leadership at all levels and to embrace diverse and complementary strengths and approaches. 

Leadership development and HR teams play an important role in recruiting, training, and rewarding individuals to succeed in this context.

Employees at all levels need to be equipped with the skills to not only nurture innovation and manage risk, but to transform the economic systems within which they operate, and to deliver on broader societal goals.

essay: We are One - Part 2

Featured on https://www.weekly-echo.com/have-hope-2/ on April 22, 2021 11:47 pm

Previously, we spoke about how in so many ways Malaysians are united.  Indeed many often marvel at our ability to live harmoniously together for decades in a multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-religious society.  While we are blessed that way, we are also mindful that unity is an outcome of quality of our relationships with each other, and as in all relationships, requires continuous work to ensure unity thrives.

Our efforts ought to be guided by the outcome we want – the Malaysia we wish to have – and be animated by a set of universal values which shape our language and steer our actions.  To attain that vision, one appropriate mental model for unity is to realise that we are of one human family, all Malaysians, inhabiting our Tanahair, bound together in a common destiny. 

Our mental models or our worldviews – formed by our beliefs and underlying assumptions – are crucial as they influence our habits of thoughts, the way we speak, and the way we relate to each other.

Clearly education has a central role to play in this shift. This may be through formal classroom-based education, but education for transformation is just as likely to take place in informal settings in the family, in places of worship, and in workplaces.

An essential part of the transformative experience for people of different cultures and faiths is for us to socialise with each other in an environment of trust and equality, and not just remain classmates in class or colleagues at work.

Imagine what our future holds if our education curriculum instils in our children an appreciation of the rich history and perspective of civilization and the unifying forces that contribute to the advancement of civilization rather than focusing on differing ideologies as well as on the wars and events that divide humanity. 

Imagine how empowering it would be for our children to be given the space to appreciate inter-faith and inter-ethnic studies through actual engagement of our children in diverse community initiatives. Indeed, education must be lifelong.

It should help us develop the knowledge, values, attitudes, and skills necessary to not only to earn livelihoods but also to contribute constructively to shaping our communities that reflect principles of justice, equity, and unity. Such education will cultivate virtue as the foundation for personal and collective well-being and will nurture in us a deep sense of service and an active commitment to our collective welfare.

The communities we live in also shape our mental model or worldview. The culture it promotes, the attitudes it fosters, and the patterns of thought and behaviour it cultivates, largely defined by its members’ collective sense of purpose, nurture our underlying assumptions.

When that purpose is to contribute to the betterment of society, the community becomes a setting in which powers are multiplied in unified action, where individual will and collective volition are blended, and where the spirit of enterprise is reinforced by a realization of the need for concerted action and a commitment to the common good.

Imagine if/when our existing neighbourhood organisations such as Rukun Tetangga groups and Residents Associations are encouraged to work towards such lofty aims and have effective engagement with grassroot population to foster a sense of community, to consult on issues affecting the neighbourhoods, with everyone feeling welcome to have equitable access to resources of services, facilities and programmes offered by community social organisations and the government. 

Crucially too, in socially thriving communities, majority groups would endeavour to bring about social adjustments to include minority groups. The minorities would respond honourably to genuine efforts by the majorities and recognise and respect their duties to the society at large. Both groups would view minority issues in the context of an increasingly interdependent world, as the advantage of the part is best served by ensuring the advantage of the whole, being aware that the whole cannot flourish when parts are deprived.

The third powerful influence on our worldview is the media.  It has the ability to shape our attitudes and perceptions, and educate society.  It thus has a weighty responsibility to contribute to social integration and has an obligation to serve the public good.

Currently, a great deal of media attention is focussed on the seemingly insurmountable differences that divide peoples and nations, and little attention is given to evidence that these differences can be overcome. The media has a responsibility to help people understand that diversity, often a source of conflict, can also be a powerful resource for social development. It has a responsibility to reflect not only the signs of despair but also the signs of hope.

Given the power of media to influence social values, it could highlight the importance and the honour of community service which engenders the essential principles of social integration – including compassion, acceptance, love, understanding, sacrifice, humility, and commitment to justice – to manifest in society. By focussing on constructive, unifying, and cooperative undertakings, the media could demonstrate humanity’s capacity to work together to meet the enormous challenges facing it. 

Truth be told, as Malaysians, for better or for worse, we are interdependent on each other.  Our task ahead is not to oppose this reality but rather to promote it through our efforts at creating higher levels of unity while simultaneously preserving our diversity. Indeed, our multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-religious diversity is our very strength. Without the paradigm of unity, diversity leads to division; without diversity, unity leads to uniformity.  

History has shown us numerous times that Malaysians already possess the collective power to transform ourselves.  We can be confident that every sincere effort invested for this purpose will be richly rewarded by the release, from our own selves, of a fresh measure of those constructive energies on which our future depends.