CHALLENGES TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

     In order to achieve the sustainable development goals, there must be challenges or obstacles that we need to overcome together in order to make our world a better place in the present and the future. If there is no challenges, then there will be no achievement. So, let's discuss on the challenges to sustainable development in terms of social, economic and environment.

    First, we need to understand precisely on the challenges that we need to face in terms of social, economy and environment. We need to know what is actually the challenges being mentioned. But, before I start share the contents, let's watch a video first. You can just click the link that i attach right away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1K1V8E7LMw

    Thus, let's continue to the discussion on how Islam create solutions for the unsustainable development first before we talk about the challenges. So, in order to sustain the development in term of social, we as the khalifah (vicegerent) of Allah are already instructed to use the resources justly and fairly, meaning that we cannot be greedy in using the resources because all of the resources are belong to the one and only owner, Allah. Moreover, we need to take care of the resources in this world as it will be asked by Allah in the Hereafter. Next, we also need to have mushawarah which is consultation for every single thing that we want to do in order to get a final decision which could benefit all people. Having consultation with other people could help us to make better decision as different people have their own opinions. Last but not least, in Islam, creating ukhuwah (Islamic Brotherhood) are truly encouraged among Muslims as this will strengthen the relationship with each other. This could also prevent from having misunderstanding to each other as all Muslims respect each other's preferences.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HZ1HdLZzEs

    Without any delay, let's have a deep discussion on the challenges for sustainable development in terms of social first. But before that, I would like to ask you two questions that could relate to social challenges. First, has Malaysian society been living in sustainably before? Second question would be anything unsustainable about current way of living? So, let me answer the first question first based on my own perspective. For me, Malaysian society is not living in sustainably way before because there is issues regarding the gender inequality where woman are not allowed to take the position of the upper management especially in workplace. For the second question, Malaysians current way of living are not sustainable because Malaysians still practice to use plastic bags when they shop in shopping malls instead of bringing their own bags from home.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5L_IRqLpDc

    Let's move on to the second challenges which is in term of economic. In order to have a sustainable development in economic, we need to take an immediate action whereby we can start practicing the 3R's (Reuse, Recycle, Reduce) in order to reduce wastes in production, packaging and distribution. By practicing these 3R in our life, we would get to reduce the amount waste in the bin and eventually can save our money from buying something new. 

    Last but not least, let's take a look on the challenges on the environment. So, out of environmental issues that happens in Malaysia, there is one issue that caught my eyes which is air pollution. This is because it has been an ongoing problem in many countries in the Southeast Asia region, and Malaysia has become one the worst affected. The main cause of this haze is the slash and burn practice by farmers and peat fires blown by the wind from Indonesia. especially Sumatra, which mainly affects the Peninsular Malaysia and Kalimantan, which mainly affects East Malaysia. I also attach a link for a video on the environment pollution in Malaysia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQzGi7WlUUo

    In conclusion, we truly need to have a sustainable development in order to overcome the issues of scarcity resources where we want to make use of the limited resources to produce something that will benefit all people in Malaysia. We also need to solve the issues of over-exploitation of natural resources by the human because nearly 1 million species are on track for extinction and we need to protect the natural resources that left for us now. Lastly, the climate change has become one of the need for sustainable development where there is an increase in the atmospheric temperature and extreme weather events. So, in order to solve this issue, we need to restrain ourselves from doing any activities that will destroy our world like deforestation and open burning.  

 

ROLES OF UNIVERSITIES IN IMPLEMENTING SDG

     Hey and welcome to my channel again. This time, I am going to share with you guys some of the universities' roles in implementing the SDG's. Maybe lots of us did not aware of this roles because only few universities are currently implement on the practices of SDG's and one of it is IIUM (International Islamic University Malaysia), my beloved university. I just realize that IIUM has done lots of changes in all around the university in order to instill the good values in the students. Without further ado, let's have a deep talk about this.

    Let me guess. You guys must be wondering on how the universities can contribute to Sustainable Development Agenda right? According to the website of SDG Knowledge Hub, it stated that universities are not in a compulsary situation to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a voluntary set of objectives that were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 – but many universities have chosen to do so including IIUM. So, if we take a look at this situation, what do universities find so interesting in the SDGs? Two major objectives are the power to make sure that governments keep their commitment to implement the Goals and the value of providing a systems that will help students develop a well-rounded understanding of how global challenges need to be addressed.  

    Colleges and universities are expected to contribute not only to their local communities, but also the global community. Would there be any better way to do so than to encourage for governments to keep their commitment to implement these 17 Goals and to contribute to the body of knowledge around the SDGs? Moreover, universities are expected to instill their graduates with a great education and global awareness. The SDGs framework models a systems approach for examining global and local challenges. It can help students understand that success in addressing issues they are passionate about depends on success in addressing other issues, including on their own campuses. 

    Until then, can you catch up on what i meant by how the universities could contribute to Sustainable Development? So, let's look in terms of my university. Based on what the Rector of IIUM has mentioned in the video, IIUM has been contributing lots of effort in order to change the university into a university that is truly international and sustainable by adopting the WIT for HUMAN concept (Whole Institution Transformation for Humanising University Making a Novelty). Through this concept, the university introduced a Holacratic Leadership and Management where everyone are empower and entrusted to carry out their sustainability and nationality. Not only that, within a year, there has been a 29 Flags Projects are carried out that give huge impacts in 5 areas:-

- The breaking down of academic administrative silos in a transformational way

- The building of voluntary teams and teamwork across the academic structure based on shared experiences

- Allowing for greater creativity and social innovation into translating SDGs into local context

- Enhancing the community engagement through problem solving 

- Capturing data information to be transformed into knowledge and wisdom

Furthermore, we as students get to experience lots of new things regarding the SDGs and we also could see how important the SDGs to our country to become a better place to live in the present and in the future. It is because through this activities, we eventually get to contribute somehow to our universities and to our beloved country. There are 6 things that we just learnt throughout this implementation of SDGs in our university.

1. Learning to Know (gain understanding and general knowledge)

2. Learning to Do (skills, competence and the ability to do something)

3. Learning to Live Together (depend to one another, have cooperation and mutual understanding)

4. Learning to Be (memories, ethics, communication)

5. Learning to Become 

Don't forget to watch this video with beautiful message!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jNPbopUIyQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdqtuYtDX_M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4xH8sw0Eh8

OUR ROLES IN ESTABLISHING THE SDG's GOALS

 Hey and welcome to my blog again. This time, I will share with you guys regarding the lessons that i learnt in my previous class where we are talking about the roles of the institutions and the roles of us in accomplishing the goals of the goals for sustainable development. If we ourselves do not give any contribution or cooperation into helping our country to build a better world for us, then who would do it? Definitely nobody!

In my last class, we are focusing more on the roles of achieving goals for SDG 16 & SDG 17. So, lets take a look on these two goals and the real reasons on why these two goals are emphasized specifically in our lessons. SDG 16 is to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Let me elaborate more on this goal. So, the reason on why the world would want to achieve this goal is due to the worldwide problems regarding the corruption, theft, bribery and violence against child which happens in many of the developing countries nowadays. Hence, all people around the world need to be aware on this current issues and need to give full cooperation to the authorities so that our world will be free from corruption, bribery and also to give justice to those who are being falsely blamed by the upper. If we can achieve this goal, then it will be easier for us to accomplish other goals as well. You can just click the link below to gain some knowledge on this goal.

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/

The second most important goal to be achieved is SDG 17 which is strengthening the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. Let's explore more on this interesting goal. Like I say before this, in order to do anything in this world and to make it successful, we would need to cooperate with other people so that our ideas could be accomplished successfully. So, in other words, a successful development would require for an inclusive partnership, be it at the global or local or national levels. By having this kind of connections, we could eventually share our vision and goals to other person and we could keep on changing lots of creative ideas between us. Only then, the SDG'S could be realized. If you are interested in exploring more on this goals, you can just click the link below.

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/globalpartnerships/

Regardless of the 17 goals of SDG that I have learnt, I personally think that there is one important SDG for me which is to achieve Zero Hunger. Why do i think that this is the most important SDG for me? It is because in my own perspective, i could see that if people do not have enough food, they could not work efficiently and effectively. And the most dangerous part is that when they have no enough food to eat, they will get sick due to malnutrition or in other words, they are lacking from having sufficient nutritious foods. If we did not take any actions on controlling this problem, it might cause the death rate in the certain countries to keep rising.

So, I do think that to accomplish this Zero Hunger goals is not that easy but we could make an action on our own at our own levels. For examples, if we do have some foods that we did not eat at home, we could give it to our neighbours who we knows that they do not have enough food to eat. Hence, they at least could have something to fill in their stomach. Our small actions could actually change the whole world to become a better place to live. Its all start with our first step.   

    

 

A VISIT TO KEBUN-KEBUN BANGSAR & KEBUN-KEBUN KERINCHI

 Welcome to my blog again guys. How are you guys doing? Currently, I am writing my blog again to share with you guys on the contents from the InSAF-OIL Webinar Series that my classmates and I attend through Zoom platform last week with the present of one of the community volunteer from Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, Ms Joanne Mun. It has been one of the most inspiring and interesting webinar i guess because my mind got opened up very wide on the existence of the Kebun-Kebun Bangsar. So, before this, i got zero knowledge about this thing. I never knew that there is Kebun-Kebun Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur. Maybe there is also some of you who did not realize on the existence of the Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, so let me share with you a bit of my knowledge that i gain in the previous webinar. Hoping that it will be useful for you guys now and in the future.

What is actually Kebun-Kebun Bangsar? It is actually an urban community vegetable farm spanning 2.5 acres that sits on a hill in a residential area where you will see a significant views of KL's skyline from here. Entrance fees? Do not worry because it is free to enter whenever u want to and it is kind of home to live animals, flowers and sprouting vegetables which is very suitable for those who are looking for a family-friendly and beautiful spots to enjoy. They also have around 50++ active volunteers who work on daily and weekly basis who also do have knowledge ground on the ecosystem and biophilia in order to co-exist with animals and nature.

Actually, before you enter Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, you will see a board written "10 Principles" exactly at the entrance for you to take note of. It contains some good points such as to tread lightly on the land and respecting the neighbours and give consciousness. Not to forget, it also encourage participation from all of us, which means that if you want to volunteer yourself to help in the garden, then you are most welcome. as you could also get to experience and learn lots of new things here.      

View from Kebun-Kebun Bangsar

There are sheeps, chickens, turkeys and ducks roaming around the spacious garden. 

So, the existence of Kebun-Kebun Bangsar is mainly focusing on cultivating a social ecosystem and the spirit of Gotong-Royong among all Malaysians. It is also to encourage more and more people out there to contribute in changing our country to become a better place to live.

I still have lots of interesting knowledge to share with you guys. So, do you guys know the initiatives of doing this project? Perhaps you do not know it. But no worries, let me share it. This impressive project is a not-for-profit community farm which would benefits the communities that need food the most where the needy people who could not afford to buy vegetables in the market could get their fresh vegetables from this Kebun-Kebun Bangsar. From my own perspectives, the existence of Kebun-Kebun Bangsar does really helps lots of needy people out there in terms of food because they could get it just for free. 

As we can see in the above picture, you guys could also have a great time spent with your families as you will get the chance to let your children to play and feed the animals on their own. Parents who already get bored bringing their children playing at the theme parks, you guys could bring your children to play here once in a while because i guaranteed that it will be one of an unforgettable memories to them as they could get closer to the nature and animals and eventually would instill a sense of love in them towards animals and nature.

If by chance we could relate the initiatives of Kebun-Kebun Bangsar with SDG, we could say that by having this Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, we could provide sustainable food system to needy people in order to achieve the Zero Hunger in Malaysia. Other than that, we could also add some greeneries to city, help restore biodiversity and provide refuge to fauna.

  One more thing that i would like to share with you guys is regarding on the existence of Kebun-Kebun Kerinchi where they introduce permaculture urban farming to urbanites & supply healthy food to B40 community at nearby PPR flats. What can i say about this Kebun-Kebun Kerinchi is that it focuses on providing healthy food to children from B40 families due to survey being taken from PPR Pantai and PPR Pantai Ria in Lembah Pantai. According to their survey, is stated that 3 in 2 families do not have an adequate money to buy food in recent months.

Before I end my blog, I would like to encourage all of us to take some actions to make a change for our world. Instead of volunteering yourself in this program, you could also donate some money or dispose your own organic waste and turn it into compost to fertilise the plants in Kebun-Kebun Bangsar. Hoping that this short blog of mine will open your mind to be aware of this project and i do hope thati could give a visit to Kebun-Kebun Bangsar one day.  

Bye guys.... See you in my next blog. 

   

ISLAM & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. IS THERE A RELATION BETWEEN THESE?

     Assalamualaikum and hey everyone. How are you guys doing these days? Welcome to my blog channel again. So, for this week I am going to share with you guys the contents that i just learnt in my previous class. It was a very interesting lesson as i got to discover lots and lots of new things. I guess you guys are going to be excited to know about this topic. The topic that i learnt in last week class is Islam & Sustainable Development. Probably, when we look at the topic itself, it would make us wonder if there is really a relation between these term right? So, lets dig in to this fascinating topic. Let's get started!!

    First thing first, how does Islam relate with Sustainable Development? To be truth, sustainable development is not a new thing or concept in Islam. As Muslims, we are already taught in Al-Quran and Hadith to always take a good care of our spiritual and physical welfare. In Islamic perspective itself, it said that every single thing on this earth are created by Allah for humanity and the award to people. In fact, Islam do allow human to consume and use the natural environment in a right way, meaning that they are not allowed to consume more than they should and not misuse the resources only for their own sake. Indeed, Allah has instructed us humans as the trustee to take a good care of the resources that has been given to us in this earth. So, what can i say is that human being and environment are interconnected to each other. 

    In the view of Islam, sustainability in economic means that maintaining our wealth by giving out zakat and sadaqah to the needy people out there in order to make us more grateful for all nikmah that Allah has granted to us. Not only that, when we are giving zakat or sadaqah, we would prevent ourselves from being stingy as we did not own the wealth but Allah. This will really helps lots of poor people as they could have some money to buy foods and clothes and therefore would somehow reduce the poverty problem around the world.

    Basically, in sustaining the development we only focus on the economic,social and environment right? But, in Islam, we also emphasize on sustaining our Amal meaning that there will be three amal that we do in this world will sustain for a very long time even after we died which is sadaqah jariah (the donation keep on being benefited by others), knowledge from which continued to be reaped and the prayers of a good son to his father.  

    Now, have you ever heard of the concept of 'Rahmatan Lil Alamin' before this? So, if u never heard of this term, lets have a deep discussion on this term. In my previous class, my lecturer did tell me that one of the elements contained in the Rahmatan Lil Alamin is Hablum Minal Alam. It means that we are not only required to take a good care of our relationship with Allah and humans, but we also acquired to take a good care of our relationship with the nature in order to create a sustainable development. Moreover, we are as the khalifah of this earth are entrusted by Allah to preserve the nature without doing any damages because all kinds of damages done by humans will be questioned by Allah in the hereafter.

    Last but not least, I am going to share with you guys on the Maqasid Al-Shariah. Maybe some of you has never heard of this word, so let me explain it briefly. Maqasid Al-Shariah basically realizing the human well-being of the benefit (Maslahah) and preventing harm (Mafsadah). In other words, this Shariah is created to promote and protect the well-being of the humans that depends on these five fundamentals objectives:-

- Hifz Al-Din (Protection of Religion) 

👉Islam encourages humans to have interfaith dialogue in order to create understanding and search for the similarities for the humans.

- Hifz Al-Nafs (Protection of Life)

 👉 Islam itself is the religion of peace meaning that all people in this world are desire to live in peace

- Hifz Al--Aql (Protection of Intellect)  

👉 Having intellect is what makes us difference with other creatures. Allah has blessed us by giving us 'Aql in order to help us to differentiate between what is wrong and what is right.

- Hifz Al-Nasb (Protection of Lineage)

👉 We as humans need to protect, preserve and sustain this world in order to make this world is safe to live for future generations

- Hifz Al-Mal (Protection of Wealth)

👉In Islam, we are entrusted by Allah to use our wealth to attain prosperity which will guide us to the good way of life in this world and hereafter.

So, how about my sharing on this topic this week? Is it interesting? If you do think so, do leave a comment 😇 I hope through my blog today, you will learn lots of new things in regards of Sustainable Development. See u in my next blog, then.