Kampung Jalan Karim

During my younger days I was staying in a kampung area where people of different races live in old Malay-styled wooden houses. The place my family stays in is house number 2267. It is an attap-roof stilts wooden house. Actually there are two "semi-detached" houses which shared the same house number. Initially we were staying at the house on the right. This is where my late father passed away in 1970. After our next door Indian family neighbour shifted out, we moved next door to the vacated house. An elderly kuih-making old lady with three grown up sons moves into the house that we vacated earlier.

There is a bathroom in front of the house on the right which both families co-shared. Modern toilet facilities are unheard of during that time and all houses uses the traditional method where all excrements are collected in a "tong najis" (bucket). The midnight soil will be collected by the municipal workers in the early morning between 2am -4am. Sometimes if the workers are not careful and spilled the midnight soil onto the roads surface, it really smells like shit in the morning when we walks past to take our school bus.

As far as I know the so-called "kampung" do not have a proper name but there is one kampung road by the name of Jalan Karim. This small road is accessible from Jalan Maharaja Lela (formerly known as Jalan Batak Rabit) which is one of the main trunk road linking Teluk Intan (formerly Telok Anson). My "kampung" is about four kilometres to the Teluk Intan town centre.

The kampung Jalan Karim run parallel to the stream Sungai Pak Kalong which is a tributary of Sungai Perak. In the absence of computers, Internet and Play Stations, Sungai Pak Kalong was one of our main play ground or swimming pool. During high tide when Sungai Pak Kalong reaches a depth of seven feet, the boys will be having a great time swimming or just playing at the banks of the river.

For those keen on fishing, Sungai Pak Kalong is a boon as the river is a major place to catch fresh water fishes like haruan, ikan keli, sepat and puyu. Since Sungai Perak flows side by side with Jalan Maharaja Lela, fishing accessories like hooks and fishing lines are easily obtainable from one of the sundry shops along the road. We will use whatever discarded wooden staff we can find from a nearby sawmill or cut a small tree branch or long twig to tie the fishing line. As bait for the fishes, we just digged the ground around our houses for earthworms. Within less than half an hour of digging, a bagful of fishbait worms will be available.

When the river reaches ankle length during low tide, some will take the opportunity to scoop the fishes with whatever basket that they can get hold from their house. If one's lucky there will be the surprise catch of the day in the basket, an udang galah. The freshwater prawn move along with the in flow of the tide from Sungai Perak and hides amongst the plants below the river banks during low tide.

Kampung Jalan Karim will be flooded at least twice a year. It is not like those life threatening flood which happens in Johor or Pahang in recent years but just about one to two feet deep. This is as long as we do not swim in the river during specially high tide. The river can be fun but can be dangerous too. I was nearly drown in that river once. I slipped from the side of the river towards the middle of the river bed. Luckily one of my brothers friend caught hold of me and pulled me up.

At the right end of the Jalan Karim kampung is the railway tracks which links Teluk Intan to Tapah town. The railway station is about two kilometres away from the kampung. A railway bridge runs across the Sungai Pak Kalong. During the occasion when a train crosses the bridge while we are swimming, we will stay under the bridge until the train crosses. Imagine the sound from the wheel thumping on the tracks and the metal bridge shaking and vibrating for at least one to two minutes. Those were the days.

The railway track is no more there but replaced with a tarred lane. No one will ever wants to swim in the Sungai Pak Kalong nowadays. The river is so polluted with effluents from nearby factories and motor workshops for so many years that the river water turned from muddy brown to oily black. It is no more looks like a river but a dirty longkang (drain). What a sad case for my water playground.- Loka

Public hearings just for window dressing

Below is the full press statement issued by the Selangor Buddhist Development Committee (SBDC) in regards to the lack of response from the local authorities towards the objections submitted by the Buddhist community on the Draft Local Plans 2020 by the relevant authorities.  About 40 Buddhist community leaders and devotees were present during the press conference. The Press Conference was held on 9 Dec 2010 at the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association which was chaired by Loka Ng Sai Kai, Chairman of the SBDC.

PRESS STATEMENT

Local authorities lack of response towards the public hearing objections on the Draft Local Plan 2020(Lack of Structural Provisions for Buddhist Places of Worship)

9th December 2010

SBDC (& its precursor, Buddhist Committee on MPSJ Local Draft Plan 2020) had submitted the objections with over 4000 signatories on January 28th 2008. The MPSJ DLP 2020 public hearing was held on June 22nd 2009. The Public Hearing Panel Chairman YB Iskandar Abd Samad stated the Selangor State Planning Committee (SPC) would decide if the objection(s) were relevant, if not, be discussed on a case-by-case basis (Attachment 1). SDBC submitted a letter (Attachment 2) to enquire the matter on June 10th 2010 but received no response. The gazetted MPSJ Local Plan 2020 is expected to be published soon with minimal considerations to SBDC’s proposals and objections (Attachment 3).

SBDC subsequently submitted similar objections to the MPS, MPAJ, MPKj, MDHS & MDKL DLP 2020 on January 31st 2010 (Attachment 4). To date, SBDC had attended the MBPJ, MDHS, MPS, MPKj & MPAJ Draft Local Plans 2020 public hearings on March 8th, June 14th, June 28th, July 8th & Nov 1st 2010 respectively. On all occasions, the Chairman YB Iskandar Abd Samad, accompanied by the Selangor Jabatan Perancangan Bandar & Desa Semenanjung (JBDS) director, Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan, mentioned that SBDC would be consulted further on their objections. However it is with huge disappointment that SBDC was never invited for further consultations and NO such discussion(s) with any of the above-mentioned local councils had taken place since then.

Furthermore, responding to the authorities’ indifference attitude, more than 1023 residents of Putra Heights & USJ Subang Jaya have petitioned to request Datuk Mohd Jaafar to facilitate Putra Heights Buddhist Society’s land applications with the MPSJ and Petaling Land office for an update. There has been NO response or feedback since these applications were made in June & August 2010.

In view of such unfavourable developments which lacks of transparency and accountability, SBDC wishes to highlight the following

1. With reference to religious practice, we urged the State Planning Committee and Jabatan Perancangan Bandar & Desa Selangor to be more vigourous and professional in adhering to its own guidelines in relation to the provisions for building of places of worship for non-Muslims, which is one place of worship for every 2,600 devotees or 5,000 residents.

We emphasized that there are needs for more free-standing Buddhist temples (Vihara Buddha) with sufficient facilities to cater for the spiritual and religious education needs of the Buddhist Community in Selangor.

2. SBDC (& more than 4000 Buddhist objectors) urged the relevant authorities to be fully accounted for and explain why MPSJ (& other local councils) have NOT seriously considered SBDC’s objections. As such, the communiqués and consultation for their decision(s) MUST be done with more transparency and accountability.

We therefore seek the State Planning Committee to take cognizance of this matter seriously and listen to the voice of the people.

3. SBDC reiterates our objections to the usage of the term “Rumah Ibadat (tokong / vihara / kuil / gereja / gudwara )” in Draft Local Plan Majlis Perbandaran Selayang 2020 & all other draft local plans in Selangor. This will further dilute the Buddhist Vihara structural provisions in these local draft plans.

4. SBDC also urges the SPC, Selangor Land Office and the Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Selain Islam Negeri Selangor to clearly elucidate in writing the gazette mechanisms & provisions of land for non-Muslim places of worship.

We hereby stressed that the SBDC are prepared to engaged and work closely with the State and the relevant authorities for Buddhist temples to be built on land allocated by the Selangor State Government which are designated for places of worship. As stakeholders in this state, all we seek is the State government’s attention, understanding and compassion towards the needs of our community to have proper land to build and manage our Buddhist temples.

Buddha's Vacana on race supremacy

Are a person's birth, race, culture and religion the criterias to dictates one's supremacy and nobility over others? Many years ago during my university days when I began to study the Sutras which are the teachings of the Buddha as retold by His disciple. One of the earliest sutra which I studied was the Vasala Sutra (Discourse on Outcasts). The last verse of the said sutra which I still remembers by heart is as follows:

"Not by birth is one an outcast;

not by birth is one a Brahmin.

By deed one becomes an outcast,

by deed one becomes an Brahmin."

The term Brahmin denotes a certain caste or class of people who are considered the nobles and are positioned higher than other castes in the society in India especially in olden days.

So when certain people of certain race from certain area starts to claim they are more supreme than others due to their race and place of birth, it makes me wonder what will happen if each and every race and tribe in the world also declares they are a class above all and more noble than others. Will there be a Nobility Olympics so that each race competes against each other to decide who is the "noblest and supreme" of them all. Just like the Winter and Summer Olympics, there should be many events. The events can include the Best in Shouting Aloud, Most Publicity Seeker, Most Intimidating, Most Racist, Most Extreme, Most Rabble Rousers, Most Nonsensical Statements, Most Opportunists, Highest Mob Mentality, Smallest Pea Brain and whatever long list of other events that can be cooked up by these self declared "nobles and supremacies". But I doubt it will include most respectable, most decent, most well behaved, most polite, most dignify, most intelligent, most understanding and more importantly, Most Wise. - Loka

Vasala Sutta

Discourse on Outcasts

Translated from the Pali by Piyadassi Thera

Thus have I heard:

On one occasion the Blessed One was living near Savatthi at Jetavana at Anathapindika's monastery. Then in the forenoon the Blessed One having dressed himself, took bowl and (double) robe, and entered the city of Savatthi for alms. Now at that time a fire was burning, and an offering was being prepared in the house of the Brahman Aggikabharadvaja. Then the Blessed One, while on his alms round, came to the Brahman's residence. The Brahman seeing the Blessed One some way off said this: "Stay there, you shaveling, stay there you wretched monk, stay there you outcast." When he spoke thus the Blessed One said to the Brahman: "Do you know, Brahman, who an outcast is and what the conditions are that make an outcast?" "No, indeed, Venerable Gotama, I do not know who an outcast is or the conditions that make an outcast. It is good if Venerable Gotama were to explain the Dhamma to me so that I may know who an outcast is and what the conditions are that make an outcast."

"Listen then, Brahman, and pay attention, I will speak."

"Yes, Venerable Sir," replied the Brahman.

1. "Whosoever is angry, harbors hatred, and is reluctant to speak well of others (discredits the good of others), perverted in views, deceitful -- know him as an outcast.

2. "Whosoever in this world kills living beings, once born or twice born, in whom there is no sympathy for living beings -- know him as an outcast.

3. "Whosoever destroys and besieges villages and hamlets and becomes notorious as an oppressor -- know him as an outcast.

4. "Be it in the village, or in the forest, whosoever steals what belongs to others, what is not given to him -- know him as an outcast.

5. "Whosoever having actually incurred a debt runs away when he is pressed to pay, saying, 'I owe no debt to you' -- know him as an outcast.

6. "Whosoever coveting anything, kills a person going along the road, and grabs whatever that person has -- know him as an outcast.

7. "He who for his own sake or for the sake of others or for the sake of wealth, utters lies when questioned as a witness -- know him as an outcast.

8. "Whosoever by force or with consent associates with the wives of relatives or friends -- know him as an outcast.

9. "Whosoever being wealthy supports not his mother and father who have grown old -- know him as an outcast.

10. "Whosoever strikes and annoys by (harsh) speech, mother, father, brother, sister or mother-in-law or father-in-law -- know him as an outcast.

11. "Whosoever when questioned about what is good, says what is detrimental, and talks in an evasive manner- know him as an outcast.

12. "Whosoever having committed an evil deed, wishes that it may not be known to others, and commits evil in secret -- know him as an outcast.

13. "Whosoever having gone to another's house, and partaken of choice food, does not honor that host by offering food when he repays the visit -- know him as an outcast.

14. "Whosoever deceives by uttering lies, a Brahman or an ascetic, or any other mendicant -- know him as an outcast.

15. "Whosoever when a Brahman or ascetic appears during mealtime angers him by harsh speech, and does not offer him (any alms) -- know him as an outcast.

16. "Whosoever in this world, shrouded in ignorance, speaks harsh words (asatam) or falsehood expecting to gain something -- know him as an outcast.

17. "Whosoever debased by his pride, exalts himself and belittles others -- know him as an outcast.

18. "Whosoever is given to anger, is miserly, has base desires, and is selfish, deceitful, shameless and fearless (in doing evil) -- know him as an outcast.

19. "Whosoever reviles the Enlightened One (the Buddha), or a disciple of the Buddha, recluse or a householder -- know him as an outcast.

20. "Whosoever not being an Arahant, a Consummate One, pretends to be so, is a thief in the whole universe -- he is the lowest of outcasts.

21. "Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a Brahman. By deed one becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes a Brahman.

22. "Know ye by the example I now cite (the fact that by birth one is not an outcast). There was an outcast's son, Sopaka, who became known as Matanga.

23. "This Matanga attained the highest fame so difficult to gain. Many were the warriors (kshatriyas) and Brahmans who went to attend on him.

24. "Mounting the celestial chariot (the Noble Eightfold path, and driving) along the passion-free high road, (Sopaka, now a monk), reached the Brahma realm having given up sense desires.

25. "His (lowly) birth did not prevent him from being reborn in the Brahma realm. There are Brahmans born in the family of preceptors, kinsmen of (veda) hymns.

26. "They are often seen committing evil deeds. In this life itself they are despised, in the next they are born in an evil state of existence. High birth does not prevent them from falling into a woeful state, or from censure.

27. "Not by birth is one an outcast; not by birth is one a Brahman. By deed one becomes an outcast, by deed one becomes an Brahman."

When the Buddha had thus spoken, the Brahman Aggikabharadvaja said to the Blessed One: "Excellent, O Venerable Gotama, excellent! Just as, O Venerable Gotama, a man were to set upright what had been overturned, or were to reveal what had been hidden, or were to point the way to one who had gone astray, or were to hold an oil lamp in the dark so that those with eyes may see things, even so in many ways has the Venerable Gotama expounded the Dhamma, the doctrine. I take refuge in the Venerable Gotama, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, the Order. May the Venerable Gotama accept me as a lay follower who has taken refuge from this day onwards while life lasts."