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Kampung In Focus The evening that Zeus smiled on SABM’s Social Inclusion Agenda

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The evening that Zeus smiled on SABM’s Social Inclusion Agenda PDF Print E-mail
Written by Haris Ibrahim   
Friday, 21 September 2018 10:00
SABM graffiti

SABM graffiti

many-colours-one-dream

many-colours-one-dream

SABM graffitiThose of you who have been to Rumah Anak Bangsa Malaysia previously would be all too familiar with the graffiti that adorned the inside of one of the perimeter walls, reflecting the thoughts and aspirations of those who have shared in the vision and mission of Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia. (SABM)

 

Zeus, the Greek god of  sky and thunder, over the years, almost as if preparing that wall for a new era in this, our beloved nation, wiped that wall clean of all previous graffiti. That new graffiti, depicted in the photo above, went up a few days before Hari Malaysia, reflecting my own personal view on what emerged from GE14.


A week before that, the poster immediately below went out into social media, along with the same caption.

Jaya and I, and our friends in Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia, are intent on rebuilding the nation. Many hands and like minds needed. Anyone game?

IMG-20180907-WA0002

IMG-20180907-WA0002

A few days later, the following poster went out into social media.

We can only accommodate limited numbers owing to space and budget constraints. If you are really keen to join us on 16/9, please register at the email address provided asap

 

To those who emailed to register and confirm attendance, an email was sent with details and a request :

PLEASE BRING ALONG YOUR OWN UMBRELLAS

The reason?

 

The canopy we installed outside to accommodate our events is almost 10 years old, the worst for wear and tear, with holes and tears in many places, and the weather forecast warned that we should expect thunderstorms in the late afternoon or early evening on 16th September.

 

Our event was scheduled to start at 6pm.

We needed to prepare people for a potentially wet presentation.

As it turned out, there was a heavy downpour round about 2pm.

 

For about an hour.

That cooled the rest of the day.

And no more rain!

Zeus approved of our event!!!

And what was the event?

 

In essence, if we are to ever realise Malaysia as a nation ( I think we should now be saying 3 nations [ Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak ] ) with a single people, to end the inter-generational cycle of poverty that UMNO/BN have miserably failed to address, leaving some 30-40% of anak Bangsa Malaysia with little reason to believe their lives can change for the better, the first port of call has to be to put in a place a comprehensive, transparent, fully accountable, needs-based poverty and marginalisation eradication program.

I spoke on the evidence that, first Malaya, and then later Malaysia, were intended to be a nation ( more correctly, 3 nations ) of equals, how Article 153(1) has been deliberately mis-read and misused by UMNO and their lackeys to divide the people with their notions of bumiputra, ketuanan Melayu and hak istimewa orang Melayu, and how, Dr M in advocating for a  Bangsa Malaysia as laid out in his Vision 2020, when compared with the Bangsa Malaysia that we in SABM aspire to, are, in substance, wishing the same for Malaysia.

 

Of importance, I shared what Pakatan Harapan (PH) have pledged at page 11 of their GE14 manifesto.

PAKATAN HARAPAN WILL REALISE THE BANGSA MALAYSIA THAT IS OUTLINED IN VISION 2020.

We, in SABM, are encouraged to believe that, in this regard, we are on the same page with PH.

 

In his Vision 2020, Dr M advocated that Bangsa Malaysia cannot be achieved “so long as there is the identification of race with economic function, and the identification of economic backwardness with race”.

 

We in SABM are of the view that until and unless the lives of the people who come under the B40 categorisation are uplifted, UMNO will continue with its race-religion efforts to keep the people divided.

Again, we believe that, Dr M, PH and SABM are speaking the same language.

 

So how do we do this, avoiding the way of UMNO and BN over the last 50 years, that saw allocations for poverty eradication hijacked by corrupt, uncaring politicians and bureaucrats?

 

Jayanath took the baton from me and gave horrifying details of the lives, particularly that of our young children, in the B40 group.

I saw shock in the faces of some, a few teary-eyed.

 

And then Jaya shared our proposal : the Social Inclusion Agenda. (SIA)

You will be hearing a lot from SABM and me over the next days, weeks and months on the SIA, but to get an idea of what this is, please have a look at the SABM website page that I have linked above.

 

I will just say this now.

 

SIA is, by far, the most important initiative I have ever been involved in, during my time on this planet.

Certainly far more important than the ABU initiative.

 

ABU was to get rid of a monster.

SIA is to build a people neglected for so long, according them the dignity in their lives they deserve and so desperately need.

Have the SIA established and we would have begun the process of redeeming ourselves from the collective sin of neglecting so many of our people for so long.

This will be my principle focus, for now.

 

After Jaya, YB Hannah Yeoh, who came by as promised, shared her thoughts. Very encouraging thoughts.

We broke for light refreshments of nasi lemak bungkus and cendol, courtesy of Victor from Baba Low, and a brainstorm on the way forward.

 

Those present unanimously mandated the SABM Coregroup to set up a task force to liaise with PH, with a view to making the SIA a reality during the term of the current government.

 

Best of all, we had about 40 anak Bangsa Malaysia who stepped forward to volunteer to help in this SIA journey.

Good start.

 

More needed to come forward to take ownership of this beautiful initiative.

In the short time that we had to plan this event, we overlooked 1 thing.

To have an official cameraman to do the needful.

I only have some photos sent in by those in attendance to share here, below.

For me, it was a good start.

Yes, Zeus was smiling in approval with the SIA.

 

Friends who were in attendance

Audience

Audience

 

YB Hannah sharing her thoughts

Hannah speaking

Hannah speaking

 

 

Hey, that’s me

Thats me

Thats me

 

 

With my biz partners who were there to support

Biz parts at SABM

Biz parts at SABM

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Last Updated on Friday, 21 September 2018 10:11
 

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