The Current Fragility of the Rule of Law

 

The Current Fragility of the Rule of Law

On 17 July 2014, a civilian plane MH14 was gunned down over Ukrainian airspace. All 283 passengers and 15 crew members were killed (Rankin, 2022). They will never know for what reason they died, neither did their families get any closure as no one was punished for the crime. The rule of law has indeed become fragile as the world faces myriad of issues ranging from inequality, environmental disasters and displacement among others. The pessimistic train of thought is further exacerbated by the election of bigoted leaders into office and the on-going conflict in Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine and many more. 

The crux of the matter is that values, ethics or what we call the moral compass is sorely missing among those who rule the world be it leaders of countries or corporations. This decay has spread wide into society and we are fast losing values that distinguish us as humans. 

In order to understand the reason for the decline, let us explore the history of the universal principles of the rule of law. History dates the earliest rule of law to ancient codes of Hammurabi, Confucius and Cicero (Piccone, 2020). In modern times, rule of law is defined as equality among all citizens (Choi, 2023), enforcement of rights of people and protection from crime (Piccone, 2020). Other definitions centred around the governance of the government in terms of absence of corruption and having an independent justice system. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights which encompasses economic, social, political and civil rights is supposed to be the epitome of the rule of law on human rights. However, the definition I gravitated towards is by Geoffrey de Q.Walker (Walker, 1988), that the people should be ruled by the law and obey it, that the law should be such that people will be guided by it. 

It is interesting to note that the modern western legal system is built on religious foundations and for over eight hundred years from the late eleventh to early twentieth century the law in the West was supported by religious beliefs. Many legal standards, principles and rules were derived from the Bible and this relationship between law and religion was still strong just seventy years ago (German, 1983). However, by the twentieth century the connection between the legal and religious tradition became severed. This is largely due to the age of Enlightenment which began in the eighteenth century where intellectuals sought to emancipate political and legal institutions from religious influences. The Church with the power it yielded committed many crimes to stay in power, condemning those who questioned their authority or ideologies as heretics and burned them at the stake (Moore,2012). Although science came through a theological worldview, eventually there was increasing conflict between the two, especially with the Roman Inquisition of Galileo in 1633 and the struggle to accept Darwinism. The seminal works of John Draper (1874) and Andrew Dickson White (1896) paved the way for secularization (Whitehead) while the revolutions in America, France and Russia brought about the separation of church and state. This lay the foundation for modernity, where religion was relegated to a private sphere and was seen as a hindrance for development. 

In the past century, we have witnessed many breakthroughs in medicine, telecommunication, transportation and industrialization. Man has conquered the sky, ocean and space. We have managed to overcome the drudgery of life, simplifying it with innumerable gadgets that allow us more leisure. We now constantly indulge ourselves with stimulants so that we can never be bored, be it with entertainment or food. The medical advances have helped those who are barren, to bear children, or have them through surrogacy. The internet has enabled global communication at minimal costs. The cheap cost of products ranging from clothes to appliances encouraged consumerism. 

However, the advent of science has its consequences. Environmental pollution from carbon fuel and plastic has severely eroded the quality of air and food we consume, which in turn has affected our health. It is further aggravated by our over-indulges and we medicate ourselves to prolong life which results in a higher ageing population. Our overwhelming greed for more has depleted resources and we are heading towards scarcity made worse by climate-change. Did modernity or progress really improve our lives or did it destroy it? Could Divine rules have held us in check? 

Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, the world's billionaires, the richest one percent in the world, have increased their wealth by $3.78 trillion dollars, nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created since 2020. The poor, on the other hand, are struggling with soaring prices and rising debt. The world has not seen the simultaneous increase in extreme wealth and extreme poverty in twenty-five years (Ridgwell, 2023). To make matters worse, there are laws that allow the rich to legally avoid taxation for their growing wealth, while the income gap between the haves and have-nots increases monumentally (Thorbecke, 2021). 

Paying tithe to the poor is incumbent on every believer in all the Abrahamic religions (Kertz, 1984). In Islam, a specific amount 2.5 percent of total income must be paid as tithe (zakat) and it is one of the five pillars of Islam which are obligatory acts of worship. If the world's ten richest men, who own more wealth than forty percent of humanity, practiced this rule, we could eradicate poverty and will achieve fair distribution of wealth. 

Similarly, usury is prohibited by all the Abrahamic religions as well, however, the banking institution worldwide is based on interest (Vincent,2014). In order to own a house, a loan is secured with a bank, which requires payment for the next thirty years or so with an amount which is double that of the original price of the house, due to interest. The price of housing escalates and buyers are locked into debt for the rest of their lives. An interest-free economy will free people from rising debts and modern enslavement. The JAK Members Bank in Sweden offers an alternative way to own a home without paying interest. The JAK bank is a cooperative owned by its members who pay a membership fee. Members accumulate savings points and then use these when applying for a loan. The bank does not charge interest on the loan and no dividends are paid for the savings. All administrative and development costs are paid for by membership and loan fees (Anielski, 2004). It is a community effort to cultivate an interest-free economy. 

Likewise, virtues were extolled by religion, in order for man to be righteous. We had leaders who were renowned for their honesty. Abraham Lincoln was known by the moniker "Honest Abe" due to his character. For a society to prevail in peace and justice, we not only need rules of law but also people of justice. It is the justice as a virtue of character that can raise justice as a virtue of a political institution. It has to be revived again in a world that has long neglected it, to put things in its proper places. Oppression is abuse of power caused by ignorance of the order of proper place leading to injustice which is none other than the displacement of the right order (Al-Attas, 2020). 

It was with a heavy heart that I read the book "Billion Dollar Whale" (Wright & Hope, 2018) which chronicles the debacle of a sovereign investment fund, 1MDB, which was created in my country Malaysia, and how billions were siphoned out by the now fugitive, Jho Low. The magnitude of the fraud is unprecedented with major cover-up attempts by the ex-prime minister. Corruption in governments is widespread as the World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index has recorded alarming drops in every rule of law factor measured from data collected from 140 countries in 2022 (Piccone, 2022). 

The world has witnessed many cases of corporate frauds over the years, some resulting in enormous effects on the economy. The 2008 Financial Global Crisis is a case in point, when investments in subprime mortgages, led to the failure of investment banks like Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers which triggered the global financial crisis. Enron was once heralded as “America’s Most Innovative Company” is now a popular symbol of wilful corporate fraud and unethical accounting practices. Similarly Worldcom was another darling of Wall Street until it filed for bankruptcy in 2002. It was found the directors were using fraudulent accounting methods to push up the stock price. In the case of Baring Bank, the 233 year old bank was brought to its knees by a single rogue trader named Nick Leeson (Thajudeen K., 2020 ). 

These stories of greed, bribery and fraud lead to the popularity of the field of corporate governance. It became the new buzzword that all corporate leaders and business schools harped on. The onslaught of scandals also introduced new regulations like the Sarbanes- Oxley Bill (also known as the Corporate Oversight Bill). This law imposes a number of corporate governance rules on all public companies with stock traded in the United States. The UK Corporate Governance Code is a set of  of good corporate governance principles aimed at companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Audit committees were established and independent directors and non-executive directors were appointed to ensure oversight and proper governance. Unfortunately, it did not stop the unethical behavior. The current demands on banks and corporations to show enormous profits push some of the corporate leaders towards fraud despite the many laws and regulations in place. 

This brings to mind the story of Caliph Umar Al Khattab (r.a) who was travelling from Madinah to Makkah, and on the way he saw an African boy tending to his lambs. The Caliph asked the boy if he could sell one of the lambs to him. The boy replied he can’t do so because the lambs didn’t belong to him. The Caliph further prodded him by asking him to lie to his master that a wolf ate the lamb. The boy said he could cheat his master but could he cheat the Great Master who was listening to both of them? Sayyidina Umar (r.a) was so impressed that he bought the slave boy and set him free. The African slave boy was illiterate, he was not taught by scholars nor did he read books of knowledge but he had God- consciousness that made him do the right thing. 

Being in the state of God- consciousness, believing that God is overseeing our actions, is a very simple act but the consequences of this belief is enormous. There would be less need for scrutiny, oversight, laws and regulations. Although the concept of God- consciousness has eroded in our societies and the advent of crime has increased rampantly including white collar crimes; each one of us can still make a difference by being the God- conscious individual through our communication and dealing with other members of society. We can strive for a future of communities that would be renowned for their character and truthfulness (ibid). 

However, is God relevant in these times when man has advanced technologically and finds answers about creation in science? Many feel being religious is being backward and that being progressive is by rejecting all religious doctrines. The unbridled freedom that man has obtained has unleashed a different kind of madness. Humans now identify themselves as animals, children are confused about their gender and are encouraged by parents to explore their identity. Every day we are fed with new terminologies on sexual orientations that we are forced to accept , and if anyone dares to voice their opinion they will be cancelled. Lewdness has become mainstream and there is no longer a sense of shame among the young or old. Amidst this madness, there is a resurgence of religious movements with a growing number of Muslims and huge increase in Pentecostal Christians around the world (Berger, 2012). Humans need guidance to live according to rules of value and meaning without which life would not make sense and religion provides that guidance. 

Strong abidance to the rule of law can only be achieved is we can produce rule-compliant human-beings. Human -beings who want to have beautiful, virtuous character to please God. The human condition now is (although people have better standards of living and healthcare) there is a growing void in our hearts that we try to fill with materialism, entertainment, food, sex, alcohol and drugs. People are more unhappy than ever despite having wealth. Our soul needs spiritual enrichment and faith in a higher authority to pull us through adversity. God- consciousness, allows man to function as a human by abiding by the rules set in the scriptures. Religion is not to be understood as mere rituals but to embody it as love towards other humans, animals and the environment. Clearly man is in need of rules and in order for him to abide by those rules he has to fear punishment, seek reward or do it merely for the love of God. 

The Divine Decree

 The Divine Decree 

 

The concept of predestination has always intrigued me since learning about the six pillars of faith in Islam as a child. I relentlessly questioned my teachers regarding qada’ and qadar. Their explanation just made me more curious but my questions always ruffled feathers and was chastised not to question but to just have faith. The argument was further strengthened by the hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) where he prohibited his companions from arguing over providence and scholars too emphasized that delving too deeply into it can result in misguidance. I had a basic understanding that there were three groups of belief, the first believed in absolute human free will and that God has no control over us; while the second group believed that everything was destined, and we have no control over our actions. The third group is what the majority of Muslims (ahl as-sunnah wal-jama’ah) believe in, that whatever that happens is by the will of God, and He has the power to change destiny based upon the choices we make and we are morally responsible for our actions.  

 

I decided not to ask more questions but to observe peoples’ lives. My discoveries were quite interesting. I found that all those who were successful had what most would call a lucky break. Everything fell into place at the right time. It is not necessary that they were the most talented or intelligent. There were many more who were talented but never got that turning point instead faced obstacle after obstacle and they never became successful. This made me understand the concept of predestiny better. Their success is not due to their own effort or brilliance but rather it was their destiny. This understanding was further substantiated by the story of Qarunand the owner of the two gardens. Both were conceited with their achievements and boasted that it was all due to their own efforts and they learned their lesson soon enough. God who knows about each rock and falling leaf has planned every exact second of our life, and our life interacts with other lives with precision. There are many verses in the Quran that God states that He has control over everything, and He gives provision to whom He wills and restricts it to whom He wills, which made me realize that your wealth too is determined by God and not by our effort or lack of it. That does not mean we should adopt a fatalistic approach in finding our sustenance, but rather understand that it is already destined. 

 

Can you change your destiny by supplicating to God? This is another question that I contemplated upon. I found prayers or supplication to God is the main feature in the Quran, where prophets supplicate to God when faced with various difficulties. We are taught how to supplicate to Him. However, some prayers  are accepted and others not. I believe, God does change the destiny of a person, due to his supplication but it does not change the major events in his life. God beckons us to supplicate and surrender to Him day and night to help us to weather the storms in our life just as how the five daily prayers is to help us get through the day. The conversation between the prophet Musa (pbuh) and Khidhr (pbuh) clearly shows that what may appear dreadful, may not necessarily be so, likewise what we pray for may not be most favorable for us. God knows best and He is the best of planners. 

 

I was wondering, if our life was already destined then how are we judged in afterlife? God clearly stated that we would be tested with fear, hunger, loss of wealth and lives. It became clear to me that the events that happen in our life is a test and our free will is how we react to these events. We could pass the exam by following the rules that God set or we could fail it. 

There are also verses that state that misfortunes that befall us are due to our own doing. I understood the misfortunes as the consequences of making the wrong decision and failing the test. Grief is the apparent by-product of these tests and a lot people are struggling to cope. They numb their pain with alcohol, drugs, debauchery, materialism and further destroy their lives. I found patience to be an important virtue that is continuously emphasized in the Quran, we are told to advice each other to be patient, we are also shown exemplary role models in the stories of the prophets for being patient and God Himself on numerous occasions counsels the Prophet (pbuh) to be patient and that He too is patiently waiting to punish the disbelievers. Thus, the way to handle the disappointments or the pain in our lives is to patiently accept God’s decree.

 

I found this concept of believing in God’s decree liberating. Imagine the amount of stress that you can be relieved off if you understand that whatever that occurred was not your fault, but it was meant to happen by God’s will. Acceptance of God’s decree gives you peace. The understanding of these concepts will make you realize that all the self-help gurus out there and their so-called methods to achieve success would not work because each one of us follow a unique trajectory. 

 

That brings me to the next question I had. What is the definition of success? Pondering over the Quran I found that the ultimate success is landing oneself in paradise. The more important question for me was how to achieve it? We have no say in the circumstances we are born in. There are some who will be born in refugee camps, others to billionaire parents, it is definitely not a level playing field and on top of that our lives are predestined. How is this fair? I found the answer to this question in a verse where God explicitly tells us not to longingly gaze at what others have as it is a test for them. Achieving material wealth, fame and power which is celebrated as success, however, is all part of the divine test. Thus, in whatever circumstances you are born in, whatever tests that you face, you have to ace it by accepting God’s decree with patience and being at peace with it. This is where another of the pillars of faith comes to mind, the belief in the Hereafter. God constantly reminds us about heaven and hell, and how it is an everlasting abode compared to the temporal one on earth. It gives happiness to those who believe that they will get a better life in the Hereafter and thus look forward to it in the midst of earthly strife.

 

In conclusion, I found that success in this life and the next lies in the patient acceptance of God’s decree and by that you achieve the state of your soul being at peace or what is called the nafs mutmainnah( the tranquil soul ) and qalbun saleem ( heart at peace ). This is the epitome of success in this life.

Ways to deal with our water woes

 

Over a million residents in the Klang Valley faced yet another water crisis this past week, beginning on Sept 3, 2020. Supply was being restored in stages at the time of writing, with 62.7% of affected areas reconnected on Sunday (Sept 6) night.

Although people may see red over such unscheduled water cuts, I for one am extremely grateful to Air Selangor for doing the right thing by shutting off supply. Despite the expected backlash and the necessarily uncertain timeline to flush out the pollutants and restore supply, Air Selangor acted responsibly to ensure people are provided with clean, potable water.

This was not the case in the state of Michigan in the United States. In 2014, a cost-cutting measure by the Michigan water utility resulted in the residents of the town of Flint suffering from lead poisoning. People complained of smelly and polluted water but the utility and state authorities denied anything was wrong until the residents themselves had their water tested. The debacle resulted in 12 deaths and the health of nearly 8,000 children permanently affected. On Aug 20, 2020, the state of Michigan was ordered to pay US$600mil (RM2.5bil) as compensation to affected Flint residents.

In Malaysia, while Air Selangor ensures supply is clean, there are still issues that need to be addressed. The perpetrators of the latest pollution incident need to be punished – but is a monetary fine sufficient? The fact remains that nearly a million people could have been poisoned. Furthermore, should factories be allowed to operate by rivers that are a water source for water treatment plants? How are the people to be compensated for the inconvenience caused by disruptions to supply?

We have to seriously give importance to the health of the people and ensure that the possibility of poisoning does not occur. Our rivers are polluted by raw or partially treated sewage as well as industrial effluents, agricultural run-off, and waste from animal husbandry, land development and municipal rubbish dumps. Continuous monitoring of rivers is necessary along with strict enforcement of the law when it comes to waste management. Severe imprisonment for repeat offenders could be a deterrent to others.

Selangor has low water reserves which makes recovery of supply after a disruption difficult, usually stretching over several days. To increase water reserves, more water treatment plants were built, including the Semenyih 2, Langat 2 and Labohan Dagang plants. Water is channelled from Pahang to Kuala Langat to cater for our increasing needs.

But the overconsumption of water can lead to a water crisis, which is what happened in California. Unregulated usage caused the rapid and extreme depletion of surface and groundwater across the state, which experienced severe drought for seven years, ending in 2019 (though 2020 has had a dry start, experts warn). Selangor too has experienced droughts, in 2014 and 2016. We could easily fall into the same trap as the American state, ie, continuing to provide water to satisfy increasing demand and inadvertently drying up our resources.

Instead, we should be thinking about using our water resources sustainably. The World Health Organisation recommends 150 litres per person per day for a reasonable quality of life. In Malaysia, though, the average person consumes 209 litres a day. Other countries in South-East Asia consume much less: in the Philippines, it's 175 litres; Singapore, 155 litres; Indonesia has the lowest consumption, 130 litres.

It is time Malaysians learn to lower our usage of water. Water tariffs should be increased for usage beyond a set limit. Being a tropical country we are blessed with a lot of rain and rainwater harvesting is another way to conserve water resources. Municipal laws should include rainwater harvesting systems as part of design requirements for new homes or apartments.

Another issue that needs to be addressed is pipe replacement in the water distribution network. As much as 29% of treated water is lost in Selangor. According to the National Water Services Commission (SPAN), three-quarters of non-revenue water is due to physical losses through leaking pipes. Why don’t we simply replace these leaky pipes? It’s down to financing. The Water Industry Fund was established to ensure sustainability of water supply by protecting and preserving water courses; contributors to this fund are confined to water supply licensees and authorised persons at the moment. However, I think the fund should be opened to contributions from consumers, corporations and government grants. The money can be invested and the net returns can finance the maintenance of water infrastructure in perpetuity, thus ensuring water sustainability and security for all.

Will consumers contribute to this fund? Well, first there has to be trust. Consumers might not want to contribute because they might not trust that water utility services will improve. To build trust, consumers must be guaranteed water without supply disruptions or rationing. If the water utility is unable to fulfil this obligation, then it must compensate consumers. Water supply disruptions have a cost to people in terms of wasted time, cost to purchase drinking water, cost to travel to other places that have water, and cost in terms of business closures. The people must be compensated for all this – and this will ensure the efficiency of water utilities, as having to pay compensation would affect their bottom line. Having a clear client charter that stipulates the amount of compensation for days without water will enable people to consider paying higher tariffs or even contributing to the water fund.

At the end of the day, people just want clean, potable water coming from their taps.

DR KULSANOFER SYED THAJUDEEN

Petaling Jaya

The COVID​ 19 Pandemic and the Biblical Plagues

 

The year 2020 began with a series of unfortunate events. The wild bush fires in Australia, destroyed roughly 46 million acres, killing a billion animals and displacing more. A flu virus from a little town in Wuhan in China spread to become a global pandemic that has since killed over 400,000 people, and still spreading with nary a cure in sight and that left 1.6 billion people unemployed. Giant locusts that originated from the Horn of Africa, are flying in from Iran and Pakistan, have now blanketed half a dozen states in western and central India. It is said to be the worst locust attack in 25 years. In May the super-cyclone Amphan, the most powerful to strike eastern India and Bangladesh in 20 years, caused massive destruction and displaced over 2 million people. An oil spill of over 20,000 tonnes of diesel in Russia’s Artic north turned the Ambarnaya river “red”, contaminating the water resources to the entire Taimyr peninsula and possible flow into the Arctic ocean if the spill is not contained.

These series of unfortunate events are eerily similar to the biblical plagues that ravaged Egypt, which include destruction through floods, locusts, lice, toads and turning of potable water to blood and other natural disasters. The question that arises is, are we to expect more natural catastrophes? What are the consequences of these disasters?

The world is currently grappling from the biggest disruption in trade and commerce since the Great Depression. Governments are scrambling to revive economies with stimulus packages and programs to aid industries and to curb unemployment. However, natural disasters can cause another problem: food scarcity. 

Food scarcity could be due to destruction of plantations or disruption of supply chains. Either way, governments should emphasize on food security. If before gold reserves in central banks was an indicator of the financial strength of a country, in the future, grain reserves may be a better indication of the prosperity of a country.

It is important for countries to be self-reliant and sustainable, to be able to provide for their own citizens. Reserve stocks can stabilize prices when there are fluctuations in foreign currency, spikes in demand and to facilitate humanitarian aid to food shortages. Reserves will help countries to navigate prolonged draughts and extreme weather conditions which can impact food production and supply. These reserves can help protect the most vulnerable among the population. 

It is not easy to build and maintain an efficient grain reserve, as it would cost money, require expertise and has to operate in varied social, political , economic and geographical conditions. Market intervention is frowned upon and a free market is the norm of the economic policies.

However, in the face of food crisis, relying solely on the market can result in uncertainty and volatile prices in the food market. A minimal level of food security can ensure supply of food in the incidence of food crisis due to climate change, drought and natural disasters. Emphasis must be put on own production of food by encouraging the population to grow their own food as it is skill that is lost among the younger generation. Urban farming on rooftops and in neighbourhoods should be encouraged. Decentralization of food supply is essential in order for continued food production and distribution even in the face of disruption in food supply chains. 

Grain reserves can be part of the solution to ensure food security for the citizens of a country and governments must study the needs and all the variables in order to design a good reserve and maintain it.

Annual Voluntary Lockdown​: A Respite for the Ailing World?

 

For the first time, the world stood in solidarity. We experienced the same lockdown, trying to stay sane at home, connected to the outside world only through the phone or internet. Stepping out was at the risk of being apprehended for not following orders. A trip to the grocery store was like a peek into prehistoric times, when hunting and gathering food could result in you being killed by wild animals while now you could be in danger of contracting the deadly disease.

However, there was a silver lining to this disastrous conundrum. The air pollution levels around the world reduced tremendously. The European Space Agency (ESA) has shown a steep reduction in nitrogen dioxide levels in highly polluted cities in Asia and Europe. The levels across eastern and central China has reduced by 30 percent while in Milan and other parts of Italy by 40 percent. In the UK, cities like London, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff have shown that the levels have even reduced to 50 percent. 

The daily global carbon emissions fell by 17 percent between January and April compared to the same time in 2019 , according to the UK based journal National Climate Change. Almost half of the emissions came from land transport. The total global carbon emissions are slated to reduce by 4 to 8 percent. 

Although this is a good news for our environment, it needs to be maintained in order to combat climate change. To meet the targets set by the Paris Agreement, carbon dioxide emission need to fall by more than 6 percent each year. The mandatory lockdown resulted in industrial and manufacturing activities halted globally. Transportation by air and road came to a standstill which in turn affected the demand for oil globally. As the restrictions are being eased worldwide, the carbon emissions will soon resume.

The carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the leading cause of global warming. Unlike nitrogen dioxide emissions that can be improved with temporary measures like the lockdown, CO2 remain in our atmosphere for centuries. The CO2levels are now close to 400 parts per million (ppm) and rising at a rate of 200 ppm per year. The natural carbon sinks like forests are also depleting at a fast rate eliminating the possibility of ever reaching a net-zero balance.

However, the lockdown was the biggest experiment of how a concerted effort by all countries in reduction in industrial, manufacturing and transportation activities can have a tremendous impact on the climate. Instead of a mandatory lockdown, a voluntary movement to cease operations for a month annually can be achieved. Although the economic shutdown brought about recession and unemployment, a well thought of plan to reduce emissions can be a much needed respite for the environment. 

Governments can develop policies to support this movement by giving tax exemption for companies that allow employees to work from home for a month. Subsidies can be given to manufacturers to stop production for a month, allowing them to still provide salaries for workers. Air travel during the month can be penalized with taxes that will discourage people to travel likewise with land transportation. Travelling by sea can become popular again.

On the social front, it can be a month long celebration of the environment with music and cultural festivals. Communities can come together to grow trees and clean our rivers. It would be a month of spiritual uplifting which is slowly fading in our highly digitized lives. It can also be a month to remember all those who passed during the pandemic, to remember how it effected everyone and to ensure it does not happen again.

For a month in a year, the earth can breathe and recuperate from the constant ravaging. It would be one month we can give back for all the bounties we have taken over the years and it is absolutely necessary in order to slow down the CO2  emissions, before we reach the point of no return.

The Art of Giving

 

Generosity and charitable deeds are highly regarded in society and is usually practiced by those who have towards those who are less fortunate. However, I did not realize there is etiquette in giving. In the verses in Al-Baqarah (Al Quran: 2: 261-274) God guides us on how to give.

We are repeatedly told not to remind the recipients of our benevolence or use hurtful words. Look at the mercy of God, He invokes us to consider the feelings of those who are forced to receive from us. Do not make it worse for them by highlighting their lot in life but understand that it is our privilege to be able to give. Thus, embrace every individual who is going through a tough time, treat them with kindness and give what you can. It could be a monetary gift, food, knowledge or even a kind word. In fact, God says a kind word and forgiveness is better than a charitable deed followed by hurtful words. He also warns that there is no reward for those who remind of their charitable deeds and use hurtful words. It is an apt reminder for me , as I do remind my children of things that I do for them when I should do it out of generosity and view it as my privilege to be a mother and only seek God’s reward. And what a reward that He promises, of gardens , streams and produce!

You are also to give of the good things that you have and not things that you would not accept yourself with your eyes closed! We really should use this evaluation method when giving away used clothes, would you want to receive tattered clothes? God also warns us that Satan would threaten us with poverty and that may lead us to become stingy and not wanting to share of our bounty as we become afraid of losing what we have. However, God promises abundance, and that He multiplies one goodness with 700, thus what an investment it is to give in God’s way.

Although it is fine to give charity openly but giving in secret is better and it can even be used to wipe away sins. I feel giving openly does encourage others to give as well, however, giving in secret preserves the dignity of those who are too shy to ask. God actually encourages us to seek these people who need help as they do not beg.

Finally, giving charity benefits your soul, if you give it for God’s sake and not for self-glorification. It does give you a sense of euphoria and you feel good about yourself. Volunteering at charity organizations or even just helping someone with groceries can help combat depression that is prevalent in these times.

When you plan to give the next time do follow the etiquette in giving, for there is art in giving!

Price of Thirst​: The Malaysia and Singapore Water Story

 

It has been a tumultuous past few months for Malaysians, which brought about a new government and lineup of cabinet members. While still recovering from the political turmoil, we are now subjected to the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic. This brings about an eerie feeling of what else is around the corner? Disasters can happen, to recover successfully requires certain level of preparedness and the resources to withstand the catastrophe. In the case of our health care system, we can be proud that they have proved so far that they can deliver even in highly stressed times. 

What if the next disaster is prolonged drought? Brazil which has the highest renewable water resources in the world, also known as “the Saudi Arabia of water” for having as much water as Saudi Arabia has oil; experienced major water crises due to prolonged droughts in 2015. In Cape Town, South Africa, Day Zero, the day when the water stops flowing from taps, nearly happened in 2018 due to extreme drought. It is evident that climate change is making rainfall variable and unpredictable worldwide. Water rich countries with abundant rainfall like Malaysia are ill-prepared for it. 

This is because up to 97% of water supply is from catchment areas; rivers; lakes and reservoirs which totally relies on rainfall which averages at 3000 mm per year. However, climate change is a phenomenon that Malaysia must prepare for. Extreme weather like prolonged droughts and heavy floods are predicted according to studies by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM). In March 2014 Selangor and Negeri Sembilan were affected by prolonged hot and dry climatic conditions that lasted from February to August 2014. It had caused a huge impact on industries, such as food and drinks processing, rubber, chemical, electrical and electronics as well as tourism. The water crisis occurred again in April 2016, with dams especially in the northern states of Perak, Penang, Kedah and Perlis drying up. The Linggiu Reservoir in Johor, which also supplies water to Singapore was only one-third full while the Bukit Merah Dam in Perak, Malaysia’s oldest dam dried up. 

Although there are many problems to address in the water industry, the focus of this article is on the Water Agreement with Singapore. The State of Johor and the City Council of Singapore signed two long-term Water Agreements. The first Water Agreement was signed in 1961 and expired in August 2011. This agreement allowed the Singapore to withdraw an unlimited amount of water from the Tebrau and Skudai Rivers. Johor was to receive 12 % of the water extracted that was treated. When the agreement expired, the water treatment plants in Gunung Pulai and Skudai as well as the pump houses in Pontian and Tebrau which was operated by Singapore was handed over to the Johor state government. The second Water Agreement was signed in 1962 and will expire in 2061. Singapore is allowed to extract 1,136 million liters per day (MLD) or 250 million gallons per day and in return Johor will receive 2% of the treated water at 50 cent per 1,000 gallons. Singapore is to pay RM0.03 for every 1,000 gallons of water supplied. The trans-boundary sharing of water supplies between Singapore and Malaysia is unique because the countries share water even though they do not share the same water basin.

What happens if Johor faces extreme drought ? Does it still supply water to Singapore? In 2016, when the Linggiu Dam dried up, Johor had to uphold its agreement and provide 250 million gallons to Singapore every day despite not having enough water for its own citizens. Johor even bought additional treated water from Singapore and imposed water rations for 85,000 residents and industrial users. There has been a long-standing contention between Malaysia and Singapore to change the 1962 Water Agreement. The previous Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir stated the price of water sold to Singapore at RM0.03 for 1000 gallons is not reasonable and the 1962 Water Agreement has to be renegotiated and a revised raw water selling price was being finalized to be proposed to Singapore. However, with the new government in place, let us hope the negotiation is still on going. That bring me to the proposal of a water market between Johor and Singapore.

Water markets would allow Johor to relook into the apportionment of water to its different sectors and water may well become an asset class that it can trade. Markets determine the price which is responsive to both temporary (seasonal) scarcity as well as longer-term scarcity. Varying the price according to the availability and demand for water is more reflective of the true value of water compared to the set tariff. In fact, there is a growing interest in water markets as a solution for the growing demand for water.

Formal water markets have been practised in Chile, Australia and the USA. In order to design a water market between Johor and Singapore there needs to be a clear definition of the total resource available for consumption and how it can change over time. These limits should reflect the sustainable level of extraction, to ensure there is no environmental degradation ( also applicable to water transfers between states in Malaysia).The price of water during drought should be at a higher price reflective of the scarcity of the resource and the opportunity cost. A clearly defined and tradeable water right is required. In this case, since its between Johor and Singapore the water right is clearly state-owned. The infrastructure to transport the water is required and this too already exists. 

Of course, Singapore has taken measures to be self-sustainable water-wise by 2061 when the Water Agreement expires, by recycling its waste-water and increasing the efficiency of water use. Nonetheless, to have a water market would ensure water is traded at the true value. 

In conclusion, the threat from water be it water scarcity, flooding or pollution is real. Malaysia should take precaution and ensure water security for its people, before transferring water to other countries. Establishing a formal water market, instead of a set water tariff for trading water with Singapore will be more reflective of the true value of water especially during droughts when the demand is more than supply. The main reason for the collapse of nations is the inability to accept risk and to act upon it.