Lessons in staying together
JUST DIFFERENT
severe anxiety of losing all they might have ever owned. Many parties have come together to offer reprieve and the timely offer the National Registration Department made to the flood victims to replace their identity cards was thoughtful.
Meanwhile, a professor, a climate expert, had urged the Malaysian Meteorological Department to enhance the skills of storm forecasters in the light of the disaster in Penang.
It is said tropical storms could develop within 24 hours and the forecasters need to be in tune with the latest technology to be able to quickly send out the right signals when a storm is approaching.
Were such voices given due consideration? Why have we become complacently reactive to situations and happenings? As an aside, I am still in wonder as to why and how the impending storm in Penang was not picked up by the weather men.
Of late, there have been many storms of various magnitude cutting across the globe and leaving a trail of devastation. In these cases, despite the early warnings, there was nothing much to be done.
Thinking aloud, I hear Nature personified humming with a tinge of vengeance: did we have mercy when we decided to exploit to appease our greed and desire beyond our needs.
Anarchy and greed have deluded our sense of rationality and logic. Instead of living with Nature, we have decided to show our power over and destroying what cannot be regained. The glory of the greens has been lost. Global warming is a warning, not a statement of comfort any more
We see erratic weather patterns worldwide. Floods in Penang of this magnitude were never heard of before and if we rewind to a few years back, Kelantan was almost wiped out.
It is heartening to note that collections are being organised by the state, individuals, corporations and NGOs. It is incumbent on those in charge of collections to ensure the funds are disbursed to deserving recipients
If each of us as individuals or corporates, who at the end of the day are made up of individuals, could go all the way to ensure funds collected end in the right hands for the right purpose, we will have far reaching positive consequences.
It also justifies the good intentions of the Good Samaritans who give generously. As always, we will tide over the wet season, but let us do things more responsibly for a future we may be without, otherwise.
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