23. September 2011 · Comments Off on HIMPUNAN HIJAU – The choice is ours, Pilihan di tangan kita 选择在我 · Categories: News & Updates

Event description

We envisioned this to be a campaign based on hope not fear, and the idea that everyone should take responsibility for their own future and the future of their children. The gathering of people, young and old at sunrise signifies the welcoming of a new era. Let ours be the time remembered for the awakening of a new reverence for life, the firm resolve to achieve sustainability, the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace, and the joyful celebration of life.

We expect 10,000 and more people from all over the country will participate in this historic event. Tentatively we have close to 80 NGOs and civil society groups expressing their support for this campaign.

The National Steering Committee has decided to launch this national groundbreaking event in Kuantan and a local organising committee has been set-up to host this event. The committee is looking for partnerships with all local cultural, religious, educational, businesses and government institutions to come together to champion this movement. At the moment we have received very positive response from the local communities.

By organizing this event, Malaysia, particularly the community of Kuantan, will be remembered as a champion in promoting the Earth Charter initiative in such a magnitude. As a result, Kuantan will be placed on the world map and receive international attention. Kuantan will also receive enormous benefits particularly in the cultural and tourism sectors.

Objectives of event

To call for all responsible Malaysian citizens to gather in Pantai Balok Kuantan at sunrise to welcome a new era of hope by endorsing the Earth Charter. Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental ethical principles for building a just, sustainable and peaceful global society in the 21st century. It seeks to inspire in all people a new sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the whole human family, the greater community of life, and future generations. It is a vision of hope and a call to action.

To propel a change in our way of life, change in how society works, how decisions are made, and how businesses are conducted.
Vision

We envisioned this to be an annual event whereby on the second Sunday in October every year, millions of responsible Malaysians across the nation will gather at different locations to witness the sunrise and endorse the Earth Charter.
The National Steering Committee will extend this campaign in the global arena.

HIMPUNAN HIJAU 10.9

Event Details
Date of Event : October 9th, 2011 (Sunday)
Location : Pantai Balok, Kuantan

Program :
6.00am Arrival of participants
7.00am Launch of Himpunan Hijau 109 with kompang and drums performance
7.15am “Stamp Out the Darkness” and register your presence with handprints.*
8.00am Negaraku
8.05am Pledge to endorse Earth Charter
8.15am Closing Ceremony and handover to representative from host of event in 2012 Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah

Notes :
* More than 10,000 people will stamp their handprints on hundreds of meters of black cloth to register their presence to symbolize the stamping away of the darkness in their lives and welcome a new era of hope! All these pieces of cloth will then be binded together, rolled up and handed over to the host for next year. This will go on year after year whereby we envisioned on the second Sunday in October every year, people around the world will join us and hold this event in their respective towns/cities. One day, when the cloths with handprints is long enough to go around the globe, that shall signify the success of the campaign.

2) HIMPUNAN HIJAU 10.9 LUNCHEON

Name of event : “The Choice is ours….”
A luncheon with leaders from the civil societies movement.

Date : October 9th, 2011 (Sunday)
Time : 12 noon
Venue : Mexica Garden Seafood Restaurant

Contact Persons :
Mr. Wong Tack, Chairperson National Steering Committee (013-8851232)
Ms. Bang Seet Ping, Chairperson, Himpunan Hijau 109 Organising Committee (012-9223780)
Mr. Winson Ooi, Vice Chairperson, Himpunan Hijau 109 Organising Committee (012-9817887)

23. September 2011 · Comments Off on 2011 World Indigenous Peoples Day – Wong Tack & SEPA Members at Tambatuon · Categories: News & Updates

SEPA President Wong Tack led a group of sixteen SEPA and family members to Tambatuon to celebrate the ‘2011 World Indigenous Peoples Day, Sabah Region’ with the villagers, supporters and their friends. Among those who accompanied Wong Tack were Secretary Paul Chang, Legal Adviser Lanash Thanda, Committee Members Ng Kiam Kee and Alice Mathews and SEPA Adviser SM Muthu.

The 4 day (14th-17th Sept.) celebration was jointly organised by Jaringan Orang Asal SeMalaysia (JOAS) and PACOS TRUST together with the Tambatuon Village Action Committee. This year’s celebration focussed on awareness towards Native Customary Rights and their rights regarding land, the role and importance of natives in Malaysia and to gather and garner support and co-operation from all concerned citizens to make a strong and united stand against the proposal to construct a dam in Tambatuon which will affect and submerge large tracts of customary lands.

There were dialogue secessions where participants exchanged ideas and experiences in various districts, workshops, video shows, traditional sports and games, cultural performances and ‘gotong-royong’. PACOS’ Legal Adviser Datuk Kong Hong Ming gave a talk on NCR and proved to be a favourite among the participants.

With participation from 21 districts and more than 189 participants apart from visitors and well-wishers who thronged the 4 day event, the celebration proved to be a great success.

The only sad part was that there was no participation, attendance or representation from any government department or relevant leaders though invitations had been sent out.

Wong Tack also represented in his speech introduced Himpunan Hijau, a new national Green movement, dedicated to the observance and implementation of all the principles enshrined in the EARTH CHARTER, one of which emphasises special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.

He emphasized that Himpunan Hijau was envisioned to be a campaign based on hope not fear with the idea that everyone should take responsibility for their own future and the future of their children.

The choice is ours he said. He stressed that all of us need to act – that was why he was there with his team to lend support to the Orang Asal.

Wong Tack had also brought along his palm-print campaign banner. It was an instant hit as there was a long que of villagers eager to print their palm in support of the EARTH CHARTER and the Rights of the ORANG ASAL.

There was a slight drizzle but it did not deter all the leaders who took time to mark the occassion by planting some ‘petai’ trees around the kampong school.

The celebration ended on 17th September with the ‘gotong-royong’ but the struggle for Environmental Conservation and a better deal for the Indigenous people of Malaysia shall continue.