Chow Kit
I have fallen a little behind with my blog. People have been asking me what I think of the so-called Second Stimulus Package. What I have to say about it can wait a little while longer. My comments would do little to lift the dismay of our citizens and business people with a package as puzzlingly weak, and directionless, as it is large.
Last Thursday I visited Rumah Nur Salam, a centre for homeless children in KL’s Jalan Chow Kit area. Rumah Nur Salam is founded and led by the indefatigable Dr Hartini Zainudin, the daughter of a dear departed friend of mine. I spent some time with the children and toured the centre, which is, as its name implies, a haven of peace in a very troubled area.
Here, in Chow Kit, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, less than a kilometre from the Twin Towers and a stone’s thrown from PWTC, life is cheap, drug users shoot up in the back alleys and children wander the streets hungry. Infants are bought and sold by syndicates, young children are supplied for prostitution and child-pornography. Hundreds of children are on the streets or homeless. They beg and hustle and sell themselves for sex. They are runaways or abandoned or neglected children, vulnerable to STD and HIV, to drug addiction and to rape and murder. Many among them have no registration papers. Although they may have been born to Malaysian parents they are “stateless” and therefore ineligible for free inoculation, medical education or education. They are abused and traded with impunity by criminals and corrupt officials because when they disappear it is without trace. They are nobody’s constituency.
Homeless children and street children in Malaysia number in the tens of thousands. They are in Chow Kit, but also in Dengkil, Jinjang, Pantai Dalam, Kepong, Selayang, Subang Jaya, Petaling Street and Pudu and in the bigger towns across the country. In Sabah and Sarawak, the problem of stateless children is acute.
I sat down to listen to a small circle of community leaders, social workers and volunteers. Some worked with these children. Others worked with other “at risk” groups such as prostitutes, drug users and transsexuals. What these groups have in common is that they are rejected by society. Many of the leaders come from the very groups they now serve. Having picked themselves up, they immediately felt called to give back to others. The work they do is more than a job. It is a full-time commitment around which they have shaped their lives. Some have served here for decades, walking daily up and down streets that the police recently considered “too unsafe” to keep a beat base open in.
They told me of a set of linked issues: poverty, bigotry, crime, social breakdown and bureaucratic indifference. They spoke about government that could not join the dots between ministries to help people, and of announcements of assistance that amounted to nothing.
Having served a constituency in the depths of Kelantan for forty years, I have seen my share of poverty, but urban poverty is brutal. The family unit is broken. Women and children are left to fend for themselves. The weak are prey to the strong. People are bought and sold like things.
Chow Kit holds up a mirror to our society. It is an image we would rather not see. The way we treat the weakest among us places the worth of our entire society in the balance. In God’s sight this weighs more than all the wealth we could accumulate.
There is another sense in which urban poverty test us. It is the weathervane of our social and economic ills. Since December, the number of abandoned children has risen dramatically. For the children freshly abandoned to the street, and for their parents, the recession occurred more quickly, and undeniably, than for our leaders.
Behind the evasive and woolly talk we have had about growth figures and fiscal stimuli are the absolutely tangible consequences of our policy decisions in the lives of ordinary people. Economic management, or the lack of it, has disproportionate consequences on the life-prospects of the most vulnerable members of our society.
I came away humbled by the visit. The quiet, day by day heroism of the community leaders and volunteers working to make a difference in Chow Kit was a lesson in leadership as service. I am grateful for all that they and the children shared with me with such open hearts.
At a time when there are too many vested interests and too little concern for the future of the country, this post gives me a flicker of hope that there are still worthy statesmen who can effect change for the better.. Blessed is this country that the likes of you still lend their voices for the good of the country and its future.
shakirahzain
March 15, 2009 at 9:05 am
Yes YBM Tengku, you’ve made your move in the right direction. Know the basic truth. The poverty and the related problems faced by the people.
I don’t have to hear from you of your comments about the RM60 bil package, enough to hear that you care about people living in poverty in the heart of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
Whoever takes a deep concern about poverty will endeavour to try to find ways to cambat it. You may come with the right decision and you may come to the conclusion that what is done for the past 50 years by BN was not always right.
You may look towards the East (Japan’s capitalism and China’s socialism), you may find something fruitful for Malaysia.
suhaimisaid
March 15, 2009 at 9:13 am
Dear Tengku,
Saya pernah bertemu dengan penyokong kuat Tengku di Temerloh, namanya Bahari, dulu dia adalah Ketua Pemuda S.46 Pahang.
Dia masuk UMNO kerana Tengku masuk UMNO, tapi dia sentiasa justify bahawa UMNO yang dia masuk ini adalah UMNO Baru dan dia tetap menyatakan bahawa sesungguhnya dia adalah ahli UMNO (asal).
Semasa Tengku datang ke Mentakab, dia mempelawa saya pergi mendengar ucapan Tengku. Saya terpaksa ke Kuala Lumpur pada masa itu dan tak dapat hadir bersama.
Dengar ceritanya beribu orang yang hadir dan yang saya dimaklumkan diantara orang ramai yang hadir adalah ahli-ahli UMNO biasa, ahli-ahli PAS dan ahli-ahli PKR.
Bahari bertemu saya selepas hari itu. Dia kata kali ini Tengku Razaleigh tetap akan menjadi Presiden UMNO dan menjadi Perdana Menteri.
Maafkan saya, kerana saya tau UMNO ini kerana pernah pegang jawatan Ketua UMNO Cawangan, Naib Ketua UMNO Bahagian, Pengerusi Tetap Cawangan dan Pengerusi Tetap UMNO Bahagian Temerloh. Saya tau sangat tentang sikap perwakilan UMNO dari cawangan-cawangan.
Saya tanya Bahari, cawangan mana yang akan mencalonkan Tengku Razaleigh sebagai Presiden, dan ahli perwakilan mana yang akan mencalonkan Tengku Razaleigh dalam persidangan Bahagian Temerloh nanti?
Saya tanya lagi, dah berapa cawangan penyokong-penyokong Tengku Razaleigh di Temerloh ini yang sudah memberi sokongan kepada Tengku Razaleigh?
Saya bersumpah makan free setahun jika Tengku Razaleigh dicalonkan.
Saya kata ahli-ahli UMNO ini, pertamanya lembik dan penakut, untuk mencalonkan selain daripada yang ditunjukkan oleh pimpinan; keduanya pemimpin-pemimpin UMNO dari cawangan hingga ke Bahagian dan hinggalah ke MT, semuanya main duit. Tengku Razaleigh main duit tak? Bahari jawab — tak!
Takkan merasa Tengku Razaleigh dicalonkan. Saya cakap kepada Bahari: Kalau you rapat dengan Tengku Razaleigh, beritahu Tengku supaya tak usahlah menghabiskan masa lagi dengan UMNO. Pergilah kepada Pembangkang. Boleh pilih PAS atau PKR, atau buat parti pembangkang baru, kalau betul-betul mahu berjuang.
Kalau tidak, jadi seorang Negarawan terhormat sahaja. Jangan sertai mana-mana parti politik, dan bebasan minda, dan beri ulasan terhadap perkembangan politik, ekonomi dan sosial Negara.
Cara itu Tengku Razaleigh akan lebih dihormati.
Kalau mahu berpolitik lagi, tinggalkan UMNO.
Itulah cakap-cakap saya kepada Bahari, dan dia bet dengan saya untuk makan free setahun. Dia kalah, tapi saya tak mintak dari dia makan free tu. Kami tetap berkawan hingga sekarang.
suhaimisaid
March 15, 2009 at 9:29 am
YBM Tengku ,we are very touched by your visit to see for yourself at first hand the plight of the homeless
esp.children.They are in a very desperate & difficult situation.
It does show that you are a Prince with a big heart and in touch with the common people and understand the way the down & out live and how they struggle each day to survive. Malaysia is a Rich country and but due to corruption so much millions have gone into the pockets of Crooks !
Malaysia desperately need Leaders like yourself , Datuk Nik Aziz,Datuk Seri Anwar ,Datuk Zaid Ibrahim,
Lim Guan Eng,Kit Siang,P Uthayakumar ,Manickavasagam MP Kapar,Karpal Singh,Speaker Perak Sivakumar and Datuk Nizar to save Malaysia !
God Bless you Tengku and all honest & sincere politicians in Malaysia .
bennymat7
March 15, 2009 at 9:57 am
Dear Tengku,
Malaysia badly needs “Role Model” established Leaders & Politicians of HONOUR with Calibre, Maturity & Tolerance without Fear or Favour on both sides of the Political divide & NOT Political OPPORTUNISTS….
Further this nation Desperately needs Intelligent, Time Proven Pragmatic Successful modelled, Financial, Economic, Politiical & Social “SOLUTIONS” NOW on BOTH sides of the Political Divide.
It is very noble of you to visit Rumah Nur Salam intiated & managed by Dr Hartini Zainuddin with her selfless sacrifices together with her team of volunteers…
A very dedicated & noble lady who had spent time in the NY Bronx during her younger studying days to understand the plight of those “Marginalised” groups.
I have spoken & discussed with her on many issues & managed to get the Inner Wheel Club of KL to assist her with the “voluntary man power” resource on top of the financial, equipment aid.
If the UMNO/BN & their Women’s & Welfare Division had done their bit Honourably & Meaningfully with our Taxpayer’s & Private Charitable Organisation’s “Generous Donations & Funding”…there would NOT have been the NEED for Rumah Nur Salam with the selfless sacrifices of Dr. Dr Hartini Zainuddin & her team of volunteers….
Right in the city centre of K.L, the seat of the Malaysian Government & very close to the Malaysian Parliament House – “The Malaysian Bronx”
Maybe you could also visit the Rumah Amal Cheshire in Penang & compare it to the one in Selayang…
A great & noble Malaysian Personality Toh Puan Sadiah initiated & started the initial Home in K.L in 1960 then later expanded to Penang, JB, Sabah, sarawak, etc.
That noble cause with its original inmates now neglected by its administators? & Politics?…
God Almighty “Hears & Feels” the Call, the Pain & the Despair of our “Defenders” & the downtrodden rayaat.
May Allah continue to Bless, Protect & shower you with Good health & Longevity always.
flyer168
March 15, 2009 at 10:46 am
…those who had lived in the Chow Kit backlanes knows the ugly truth…
Please don’t just visit and forget, like what most politicians do.
What you wrote just touch a tip of a huge problems…
A man of your stature can do a lot more, JUST DO IT!!!
mizzy7
March 15, 2009 at 11:02 am
So down-to-earth, so humble, so ordinary yet extraordinary for a prince.
Malaysia will do well if you are leading the way. The leaders who understands the plight of the rakyat is the leader we hail.
timmysay
March 15, 2009 at 11:15 am
Tengku
Can you expect anything better for these people in need when even our PDRM under the “able” guidance of the Home Minister has pulled out of Chow Kit?
We need new leaders, men and women of courage, ability, dedication and honor to lead this country. Take the lead, Tengku, and I am sure many will follow.
biztrack
March 15, 2009 at 11:40 am
Salam YBM Tengku,
Sometimes Allah swt choses not to reward a person in this life not because he is not deserving but because Allah swt chooses to reserve his reward for him in the hereafter where such reward is everlasting and infinitely multiplied.Insya Allah such is, I trust, the case with you. Those however who appear to have been paid in full in this life have nothing to expect from in the hereafter. Take heart despite the many difficulties you have faced and continue to face. Allah swt does not miss out on any good that anyone has done.
Wassalam.
blueyfairy
March 15, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Salam YBM Tengku,
In a country where there is so much resources and wealth, it is a sin to have poverty and the evil that you speak about!!
I read that we have about 1,000,000 drug addicts..registered! God knows how many more there are that are not! The rule of thumb is about 2:1, ie 2 persons for every 1 reported. Imagine 2 million drug addicts for a small population of 26 million..about 10%!!
Those are supposed to protect us are also involved in the drug trade… I was told by an Ustaz from Johore that the police called the religious authorities to counsel the 20 odd officers of their anti narcotic group. This was the group that had RM 1million worth of drugs missing under their watch.!!
They did not deny their involvement and justified that anybody in their position would also do the same. Now we don’t hear anything more about the case and with many other case involving police, senior bureaucrats and politicians!!
We now have a complete break down of law and order in the country. Crime rates are rising( I have been robbed 3 times in 3 years!!), crooks are getting away because police are too busy investigating and attacking opposition party members, those aligned to top political leaders are immune form prosecution.
Bureaucrats and politicians are too busy making money via contracts, projects and kickbacks to see and worry about where the country is heading…I fear one day that Malaysia may be another Argentina that became bankrupt, despite huge natural resources, due to corruption and mismanagement!!
These people like community leaders, social workers and volunteers working with the dregs of society deserve praise and recognition…
But the ones getting annual awards and datukships are businesss tycoons who can afford to but them and crooks!!
MAY ALLAH SAVE OUR COUNTRY!! Tengku, forget about UMNO …work with those that are sincere to reform this blessed land…!
YBM Tengku, I am sorry to have to say this.. I hope that you rethink your objective of being Prime Minister… Your stature as member of the royal family and prior national services demands that you be a statesman that guides the Prime Minister and government.
Salam
qamari
March 15, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Salam YM Tengku,
Sayangnya Tengku, apa yang Tengku paparkan disini tak mungkin mendapat perhatian pemimpin-pemimpin yang berkuasa, they are just too blind to see, deaf to hear and dumb to take action if its not for their interest. Come on Tengku, you’re a royalist with rakyat at heart, UMNO Baru bukan tempat Tengku lagi, its Doomed.
samsaimon
March 15, 2009 at 7:31 pm
YM,
I hold you equally responsible fo reasons below. I respect your loyalty and principled views on many things, but simply, you can do a lot to better the lives of your fellow citizens, if you were not in BN. Join Pakatan, lead them with integrity, vision and transparency, save the lives of your fellow citizens who no longer are in control of their own. You need to ask yourself what is the price WE pay for your continued refusal to leave BN despite what it has become…
imphee
March 16, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Dear Tengku, was that a picture of dorian gray you painted for all to see?
adeliza79
March 16, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Salam dearest Tengku,
Thank you very much for your care & concern towards the needy. But I hope it doesn’t stop here…
yuzieta
March 16, 2009 at 8:36 pm
yup, mudah2an ia berterusan utk mengenali rakyat dengan lebih dekat
fareat
March 17, 2009 at 7:16 am
Ameeen…
yuzieta
March 17, 2009 at 1:59 pm
YBM Tenku, I would like to hear from you — one, of the actions taken against certain kambing hitam in UMNO by the disciplinary committee, is money politics solved? And two — of YB Karpal Singh’s sediton charge?
suhaimisaid
March 17, 2009 at 10:31 pm
YBM Tengku,saya pacal yg hina ingin tahu bagaimana Tengku dapat mengubah persepsi ramai ahli2 UMNO yg dah korup dan masih lagi dipilih oleh perwakilan?Tujuan murni & ikhlas Tengku patut diberi perhatian oleh PM,TPM dll.Dah 50 tahun BN perintah,Chow Kit masih KOTOR juga.Apa yg nak dibanggakan?Nampaknya negara kita yg sejahtera ini sedang menuju kehancuran oleh pendukung2 utama dari BN/UMNO yg rata2 pentingkan diri setelah di lantik menjadi YB dan bukan utk kesejahteraan & kemajuan rakyat.Itu sbb saya bersetuju YBM Tengku ..go for the Presidential post.Rakyat need a person like Tengku.
misi2025
March 18, 2009 at 9:43 am
YBM Tengku,
The Chow Kit story is the real life situation that is happenning on the ground everyday and we are bless amidst this human misfortune that there are considerate and caring people out there doing the payless works that only the selfless can do. The unsung heroes of Kuala Lumpur.
Its time for those in the administration of community services to embrace truthfully and professionally the concept and ideals of human right of the basic human needs, basic children’s need.
We are waiting for you Tengku, to make changes positive changes in the administration of this country and in the whole socio-structure and economic structure for the good of our country.
Bless you for you insights in this very basic matters of the human dwellings.
mokumanamana
March 19, 2009 at 1:58 am
I think Tengku would just like to live a simple life. If he thinks he wants anything to say, he’ll put in his blog, just for a peace of mine, nothing for committment.
I don’t think he is interested anymore in party politics. He just wants to be a statesman, nothing more naothing less.
So just read through his philosophy, but don’t expect anything from.
He wants to be another Mahathier, concerned with all things, but doing nothing!
suhaimisaid
March 19, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Recently, I took my 13 year old son to visit few streets of chowkit at night. What we saw made him said, “I would never return to this place”. It was scary to a boy growing in a more “respectable area”. Yes, we need some actions. While the problem require more in-depth solution, temporary measures such as providing shelter and half-way house would be a good start. I hope that more people would be interested to venture into this kind of charity works.Congratulation to Rumah Nur Salam. May Allah accepts all your good deeds.
kerapubara
March 19, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Dear YBM Tengku,
This is a very touching piece. The fact that you have written this in your blog speaks volumes about your understanding of the rakyat.. and the country. I have followed your previous posts and I must say your political views have always been refreshing, compared to the extreme egos on various sides that are ruining the nation, including that of a former PM.
I belong to a generation that knows very little about you. I was still in Darjah 5 when my dad spoke very highly of your 1990 election promises. You’re certainly the PM that Malaysia should have had, yet circumstances and the desperation of others to cling on to power had pushed you aside.
At this juncture, I do not wish to be naive and propose that you lead a new party like what some have suggested. Instead, I agree with what some others have said about keeping non-partisan. Your statesman-like views, based on facts and issues, are gems to be shared with many Malaysians not just in Malaysia but also across the globe. However, should you agree, I’d like to explore possible avenues of collaborating with you to make statesman-like voices (esp yours) be heard more among the younger generation – those who matter very much. Salam.
akurakyatbiasa
March 20, 2009 at 6:09 am
Dear Tengku,
i’m one of PAS for life supporter..BUT, somehow i couldn’t find a good reason not to admire yourself. Honestly, you’re the only UMNO leader that i can trust much. Hope to see you in Green soon…
chulalongkorn
March 24, 2009 at 11:16 am
Dear Tengku,
I’m a Malaysian and I admire your concern towards the people. I only wish there are more people in UMNO like you. Please take care and help children.
Sincerely,
James
jamesloh
March 28, 2009 at 1:40 pm
What kind of development would best suite Chow Kit??????There are plenty of Hotels already and there is The Mall
Chow Kit seems to be 5-7 years behind the modern PWTC side over gombak river.
twintone
April 1, 2010 at 12:12 am