HEAVEN ON EARTH... HERE IN MALAYSIA

Do you know that we Malaysians are extremely fortunate to be living in a country that has one of the most beautiful natural environment and most exotic flora and fauna in the world. Being with D'Jungle People has given me lots of opportunities to visit our fantastic jungles to conduct our corporate training programmes - from the treacherous rivers of Endau-Rompin, the majestic mountains of Merapoh, the serene lakes of Belum and the remarkable limestone caves of Gopeng in the Peninsular to the absolutely virgin-untouched-exotic-lost world of Maliau Basin in Sabah! If anyone of you has a chance to visit these places...GO!!! You'll never regret it. It's mind-bogglingly awesome!

Well, I'm not an avid photographer. So I don't actually have lots of photos of these places to show (too bad!), but after visiting yet another 'Heaven on Earth' in Malaysia, I'm compelled to tell you more about this new discovery! Our travels this time brought us to the beautiful 'Rainbow Falls' of Sungai Lembing in Pahang. We managed to sneak in this detour while on our way for our annual train-the-trainers sojourn at Awana Kijal last weekend. Something I'll always cherish, even if I'll never go back to this place again.

On the surface, Sg Lembing is a sleepy town that fits the standard Malaysian one-street-ghost-town description - old, derelic, deserted, unispiring and dull. However, you'd be totally dumbstruck like me if I were to tell you that historically, Sungai Lembing used to be a rich and famous town because of its tin mining past. It used to be the main producer of tin in Pahang. Apparently, at its peak in its heyday it had more than 15,000 workers working the mines! Some websites even nicknamed Sungai Lembing as the 'East El-Dorado' of Tanah Melayu back in the day. However, it is now sadlly a shade of its past, degenerated into a quiet lonely town of a bygone era. Though you can still catch a glimpse of its past glories, it is never the same.

This huge daunting tree that stands right in the middle of the town greets you the moment you arrive in Sungai Lembing...

Deserted and abandoned...

A sole figure reminiscing of days goneby...

It's scenes like this that really gives Sg Lembing its character...

But what brought us there wasn't its mining past, or the spectre of its abandoned mine, or even its mining museum in town, or its lone bakery that is still making this famously tasteless dry biscuits for over 40 years. What brought us there was this very elusive and magical 'Rainbow Falls' that has enchanted the hearts of many that at one point truck-loads of 4WDs were bringing in hundreds and thousands of visitors just for a glimpse of paradise lost - heaven on earth!

I've heard so much about it from people who has been there that I just had to see the waterfall myself. Many have claimed that the 'Rainbow Falls' is the most beautiful waterfall in Malaysia. They say that it was dubbed 'Rainbow Falls' because rainbows literally line the sky around the waterfall especially during a hot sunny day! Now, this...I've gotta see!

The last time anyone from DJP went into the 'Rainbow Falls' was like 8 years ago! So, it was a 'homecoming' of sorts for some of them, but for the rest of us, we were just waiting to see what the fuss was all about. I mean, we've been to so many waterfalls - from the Upeh Guling waterfalls at Endau-Rompin to Lambir waterfalls in Miri - we've seen it all - or at least I thought I've seen it all!

The way into the waterfall was pretty exciting. Finding the waterfall was in itself an arduous adventure! However, for some unknown reason and uncharacteristically DJP-like, we were actually 'lost' for a few hours! And we don't get lost very often in the jungle, mind you. We were driving and walking around aimlessly for hours trying to figure out if we were on the right track. It was almost as if something greater was trying to 'teach' us a lesson. Tired, confused and hungry (we decided to fast alongside our Muslim brothers on that fateful day...imagine that!), we decided to continue to look for the waterfall. Spirits were high coz we knew we'd find it. But we were so unsure that we came so close to turning back at the final stretch where John's car couldn't go any further.

Lost in paradise...

However, our perseverance (or rather Paul's relentless determination!) paid off as we were just 2 minutes away when we stopped. Imagine the frustration if we'd knew we were so close...yet so far! After successfully finding the trail that led to the waterfall, we embarked on that final leg where we trek for about 45 minutes to the waterfall. I remember thinking to myself then,"Gosh, this better be worth it...coz we'll have to trek back and it's longer than I had expected!" I must confess that I started to have doubts. Not doubting if we were going to find the waterfall, but if all this was worth it because it was just another waterfall! Oh how wrong was I!

As we came closer to the waterfall, I looked up the sky and there it was! From a distance, it was already majestic...imagine what it would be like to be underneath the waterfall!!! Someone remarked that it was like from the movie "Gorillas in the Mist" ... well, not that magnificent...but close enough!

Rainbow Waterfalls from a distance...

And in an instance...all the negative thoughts I had about this trek vanished. Just by being there, in the midst of all these beauty is reward enough for me. It really is unbelievable and I'm glad I did that trek despite the hardwork, hurdles and negative thoughts earlier. This reminded me again that in order to achieve something great or worth shouting about, we have to work for it and not give up easily. That there is really a 'rainbow' at the end of a gloomy sky if we are determined to press on and persevere. That what motivates us to continue 'trekking' through life is that when we get to reach the 'pinnacle', our final goal, our final destination, to that breathtakingly-magnificent waterfall at the end of a backbreaking trek...the feeling is beyond words! Coz in the end...it was all worth it! Quoting Mel, "I...can now die happy!" - literally.

A fitting end to the day. By reaching the waterfall despite all the obstacles thrown our way, our quest of self-motivation is answered - that what motivates us really depend on what we do ourselves. We must first have a dream, then the desire to achieve, then the determination to see it through, and finally to take that step towards the dream by doing it... No one can stop you except yourself.

So, here's our group's motivational home-video ... hope this inspires you!

You can see more of the other groups' home-video, check out DJP's blog ... http://www.djunglepeople.com/v2/blog/

HAPPY MALAYSIA DAY!!!

Calling all Malaysians wherever or whoever you may be ... Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban, Kadazandusun, Melanau, Peranakan, Portugis, Kelabit, Penan, etc...
It's time that we stand as one.

ONE HEART ONE HOPE
by Evan Ngow. 2008

We come with One Heart
We come with One Hope
And forever we'll be as One
We'll let no other stand between us
And forever we'll stand as One

We'll share our diamonds and all the treasures in our hearts
We'll share this moment let us remember from the start
No matter what they say we will always play our part
And now with One Heart and One Hope
We will always stand as One

Just look around you
You'll see what I see
All the diamonds we have inside
Don't keep it in you just let it shine through
All the beauty we have inside

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A song I wrote for one of my clients but I thought I'd share this with the people of Malaysia as we celebrate the true meaning of Malaysia Day!!! Let us move on and be proud being a Malaysian Malaysian!

I Have Never Met This Man
A tribute to a true Malaysian patriot...
Raja Petra Kamaruddin...a Father...a Figure...a Fighter...

I have never met this man.
I have seen him on the tele
Read his writings on the net
Oh how I wished that we have met

I have never met this man
Yet I feel like I have known him
Like we’ve known each other forever
Till I embrace him like he’s my brother

I have never met this man
The one who speaks without fear
Whose words I wished I would say
But which price he has to pay

I have never met this man
Yet he inspires me and the rest of this nation
To stand for what is right
And not give up without a fight

I have never met this man
Though I doubt I’ll ever meet this man
No one will understand his pain
For that I vow his struggles will not be in vain

SEPARATING THE 'BOYS' FROM THE 'MEN'...

I grew up thinking that leaders, be they corporate leaders or leaders of nations, are people who have the interests of their people at heart. People whom we have entrusted to guide us and lead us to become better people as a whole. Surely, leaders who are leading nations must know what is best for their people. If not, how could they be there in the first place!

But I have been very confused lately. The leaders of my beloved nation, Malaysia, have not only shown their stupidity and ignorance in leading this nation, but what baffles me isn't so much of their lack of intellectuality, leadership acumen or management skills - my question is HOW THE HECK DID THESE PEOPLE RISE TO THE TOP IN THE FIRST PLACE????!!!

John Maxwell's 5 levels of leadership clearly illustrates that great leaders take time (sometimes a lifetime) to grow themselves to become who they are. People in the position of power may not necessarily be regarded as leaders simply because people and followers inadvertently have to respect someone in position - whether they like or not. And in most cases, followers don't have much of a choice anyway. Hence, we may not know if their followers are merely following them because of the office that they hold or if they are indeed great leaders. Leaders who remain at this level have a disillusioned notion of leadership just because they yield a certain amount of power or influence over their charges. However, most often than not, once these Level 1 Leaders leave their positions of 'power' and 'influence', their respect and influence diminishes almost instantaneously!

That's why we at D'Jungle People believe that leadership is not merely a position one holds. It's the action that one takes in whatever position that they hold that defines one as a leader. After all, quoting Paul ..."leadership is a way of life". Nobody said that being a leader is going to be easy. I find it tough and tedious at times. We have to act a certain way. We have to be careful of what we say. We have to be consistent in our character and behaviour and values. We can't just say 'to hell with it' or even 'who cares', because our lives and what we do are put on a microscope once we become leaders! Just because we are ... Leaders! That's the bottom line.

It is a burden. It's a burden that leaders have to bear because people are following them. And who do followers follow? A leader who is worthy to be followed. That 's why a leader needs to earn the right to lead. It's a privilege that the people are willing to give them. It's not a birthright! And because it's not a right, leaders must understand that it becomes a burden that they must bear. The burden that comes with the privilege to lead the people who put them there in the first place - even in a corporate world. If you can't bear the burden, then don't lead! It's that simple...

So, even if you may be a Minister or Prime Minister or an elected MP, it still doesn't necessarily mean that you are a leader, until and unless you exhibit traits, characteristics and behaviour that befits a leader. Thus far, none in the our current cabinet even come close to it! This is such a disgrace because we have so many more capable leaders in Malaysia who may not be politically inclined or aligned but are very much more capable in running this country than the so-called 'leaders' we have in the government and the cabinet!

So, stop running down our country. It is obvious you can't govern and no longer hold the mandate of the people in this country. It's time you ship out or we will ship you out ourselves!

AT THE BEGINNING...

As I sit here at Starbucks starting this new blog, I can't help wondering if this blogging phase will ever end or is this what the new 'generation' and new 'era' is all about! Everyone is blogging these days. From the tea lady to corporate bigwigs to journalists (who already write in their newspapers - one wonders why the heck do they need to write some more in a personal blog!) to politicians, MPs and government Ministers!!! Suddenly, the internet is the Mainstream. From being scorned at as alternative and unreliable, it has suddenly been accepted as the 'holy grail' of information. Something is really wrong here!

Anybody and anybody could just create a blog, website, information portal and proclaim that what they have and their information is credible and genuine! Ok...don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-internet. In fact, I'm just the opposite. I've been hooked to the internet since I got my first taste of it way back in 1993 and got my first email in 1995. It was so cool when I exchanged emails with my fellow youth leaders at the UN World Youth Leaders Conference in Seoul in 1995. Now, I'm practically on the net all the time, what more with 3.5G phones and unlimited access!

However, I can't help but worry about how this is going to shape our world in the future. From the looks of it, I can see that the world that we know is slowly crumbling. Everyone (me included) is so disassociated from one another where we're completely glued to our laptops checking emails, sending emails, surfing news portals, blogging, uploading photos and videos, facebook-ing, friendster-ing and you-tubing, etc. that hours of our lives are spent on the net. It's amazing that I've already spent my whole morning and mid-afternoon setting this up on the net and I know I can go on for more if not for my stomach screaming for food!

But I guess that's what life is all about. Times change. People change. We either adapt or stay where we are and be left behind. I wished it needed be like this but it does and I've gotta accept it. Wallowing in the past ain't gonna change the fact that change will happen. So here I am, at 35 (though not feeling a day older and still acting like a 15 year old!) ... embarking into the world of blogging and hoping to ride the wave of change like a pro-surfer.

Lord, bless this space...

MALAYSIA BLEEDS...

Malaysia is bleeding. Like a leech bite, it bleeds profusely… and the ‘leeches’ are still sucking and infecting every part of our ‘body’ leaving blood stains all over. And we have been bleeding for 51 years! We have bled all these years beyond recognition, and I’m not even sure what this country is becoming into but whatever it has become, I don’t like it and it angers me. In spite of this anger, I know that we must remain calm and level headed in these times of uncertainty and change. I’m sure my fellow rakyat will share my sentiments that what has been going on these past few weeks is nothing short of a desperate and dangerous political game the ruling government is playing to cling on to power. It saddens me that the government I grew up respecting for more than 35 years is nothing more than a hypocritical self absorbed power crazy bunch of lunatics bent on manipulating and subjugating its people with no remorse or sense of humanism or an ounce of integrity.I never thought I’d live to see the day when the BN will lose its 2/3. I never thought I’d live to see the day a dying regime fighting for its survival. I never thought I’d live to see the day when leaders of all races unite under one common banner standing for all Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or creed. I never thought I’d see the day when I can shout and proclaim proudly that I’m a Malaysian Malaysian. But never say never!The way Malaysians are standing together, hand in hand – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, and all races fighting against injustices of a corrupt, despotic and repressive government brings hope to my heart and tears to my eyes! I’m a feeling a sense Malaysian pride never felt before. I’m proud that I’m a Malaysian Malaysian - not a Chinese Malaysian, a Malay Malaysian, an Indian Malaysian, an Iban Malaysian or whatever we have been told we are in our ICs. And I hope that this will all end someday and we’ll look at this period of history as THE defining moment where we as Malaysians finally stood as ONE. That I’ll tell my children and my children’s children that I was there during our darkest moments. No, our darkest moments was not May 13 1969 as everyone would like us to believe. Our darkest moments would be 2008 if we failed to rise up and allow this government to rule for the next 50 years. So, let this be our finest moment. This is my hope. Hope for a better Malaysia. After all, all we have is hope. For without hope, we are nothing. And we have nothing but hope. We gain nothing without hope but we gain everything with hope. Let’s stop Malaysia from bleeding any longer!