Water, the necessity of life — John Baptist

I read about the plans of the government/PNB to build a RM5 billion 100-storey tower and figured that I should abstain from adding to the overwhelming criticism against it, most of which I am happy to associate myself with.

Then this morning, I read an advertisement by Syabas in The Star that called for the people to donate to a fund to enable the needy to have water. I resolved that reticence should not be my lot on this matter.

Water is perhaps the most basic necessity apart from air, for mankind’s survival. It is my humble view that any nation/government unable to ensure that all of its people have access to clean water at affordable rates has failed in its most basic function — to meet the needs of the people, not wants of a select few.

Why not spend all of that RM5 billion to ensure the supply of clean water to every part of the nation? It will certainly have the same money-multiplier economic impact upon the nation!

Fifty-three years as an independent nation and yet we cannot provide water for our people? Our priorities as a nation need serious overhaul!

Several weeks ago, I read of four patients were in need of lung transplants so that they may live. I received an email shortly thereafter appealing for funds for these patients. Apparently, at a cost of RM500,000 per person, these patients may obtain transplants in India.

Is not the right to live a basic fundamental right far more important in weight than our want for another iconic tower? I find it painful each time I read of our people resorting to the press to seek for aid. We make such a show of our “charity” towards them. Why do we subject them to such humiliation? Why doesn’t the government establish a fund to help such Malaysians in need?

Almost every day, I am accosted by someone begging on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. I see many homeless and living in the streets with no place to call a home. Some of them may not be genuine and may be preying on the kindness of Malaysians but I cannot help but feel that many of them are genuine.

I cannot reconcile why a nation so rich in natural resources, so blessed with a lovely environment save for self-induced haze, breeds an increasing number of beggars yearly. Is it not possible for the nation to develop some tiny industries to help these people out?

I am quietly confident that the costs of doing so will be far lesser than the cost of constructing and maintaining the large edifices we build. It will certainly be much lesser in quantum than the amounts of wastage highlighted by the Auditor-General yearly in his reports. It is beyond intelligible comprehension why abject poverty continues to exist in this nation!

I would rather that our country spends on ensuring local ability to meet most of our food requirements as this will save us billions in terms of foreign exchange outflow. I would like to see our hospitals fully equipped with modern equipment, having enough supply of rooms with patients not having to wait months for surgery.

I would like to see quality education developed right here in Malaysia so that we need not spend billions as a nation sending our children overseas with no assurance that they will return.

I could go on with a long list of other needs that we should address but I shall not. It will suffice for me to quote Gandhi to capture my intention with this article — “We need to reduce our wants, so that others may have their needs”.