Hi Everybody,
As preliminary notice has been given in the last Nature Newsletter that the Branch will be holding the Annual General Meeting on 25 July 1998 this will probably be my last address to you as the Chairperson of the Perak branch of the Malaysian Nature Society. I hope all of you will turn up on that day to elect a new committee that can lead the branch to greater heights of achievements in the years ahead which is expected to be turbulent, if not, more challenging economically. The dynamics of the actual situations and their effects on the Malaysian society as a whole and the Malaysian Nature Society in particular are difficult to predict. Any attempt at crystal-ball gazing would be futile in view of the ever-changing scenario in this part of the world.
Looking back at my tenure as a novice chairing the branch over the year I have learnt a lot about the branch and the MNS as a whole. During this period I have the privilege to work with very dedicated members off the committee and some very enthusiatic members who have contributed very much to the success of the branch. They have also offered me valuable advice for which I am eternally grateful. If I have been over optimistic or set too high a level of expectation for the Branch which may seem unrealistic please communicate your views to me personally or to any committee member. Every member has the right to be concerned with what is happening in the branch. Many of us who have been members for a long time feel a strong sense of belonging to the branch and are very concerned with its direction and image. However, all members should be concerned with why we join the MNS — to appreciate and conserve nature, although some may have other reasons.
The branch needs more members not just to show growth or strength but to inculcate a love for Mother Nature in a knowledgeable manner which will help to cultivate a more civil society (masyarakat madani) as envisaged by our national leaders. The Nature Society (Singapore) sums up the reasons members should tell others when asked why they should join the NSS as the three Fs — Fun, Fellowship and Fulfilment. For the MNS I should add two more — Freedom (of Nature) and Faith. Yes, we can have fun with Nature — those who have been on our many trips will tell (and write) about their joy and the great times they had. The MNS helps foster great fellowship among people of different races, age, religion, occupation or station in life. They are all bound together with the common bond of having a love for Nature and a strong desire to conserve it. The activities that the MNS is involved in give one a sense of fulfilment — something a great many of us had always wanted to do or soon realised that it has to be done. Some of these activities can only be realised through the co-operative effort of a society like the MNS. The recent water woes have been brought about by development policies who did not heed the Nature aspects on the environment which have been highlighted by the MNS. Whenever I go trekking or on an MNS field trip I feel a sense of freedom that is difficult to express — the freshness of the air, the smell of flowers and plants, the beauty of the landscapes, the beautiful seas, the wide, open spaces, and the tranquility that one feels in harmony with Nature. Getting away from the concrete jungle frees my mind, body and soul to think and appreciate the wonderful creation of the Almighty. It is still free (no charges) in many places but not for long as "development" rears its ugly head. These last few years have taught me to have faith in the MNS as an NGO that will help Nature secure a strong foothold. So ask your friends and colleagues to join the MNS and have Fun, Fellowship, Fulfilment, Freedom (of Nature) and Faith in the MNS’ objectives.
Cheaw Hon Ming
1 July 1998
Malaysian Nature Society, Perak Branch.
Ipoh Garden Post Office Box 34,
31407 Ipoh, Perak