THESE are tumultuous times in Malaysia. As expected, the                                                                                              
economic disaster that plagued Asia over the last year and a                                                                                          
half continues to plague us like an insidious cancer and has                                                                                          
not spared our nation.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Now, experts would have us know that this cancer is                                                                                                   
threatening to become a global pandemic. But what is the                                                                                              
actual cost of this economic disease?                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Almost all across Asia, it has caused social and political                                                                                            
upheaval. In Malaysia, thus far the upheaval has only been at                                                                                         
a social level.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
Why did we witness street protests that turned into riots in                                                                                          
Kuala Lumpur? Why did some of us stock up on food in                                                                                                  
anticipation of trouble? Why did some of us take our money out                                                                                        
of this country? Why were banks in financial trouble (some                                                                                            
still are)? Why was corporate Malaysia folding up? Why were we                                                                                        
losing our very civility?                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
These are questions and issues that many cared not to address,                                                                                        
hoping and believing as some economists would have us believe,                                                                                        
that this was merely a phase that will come to pass.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Realising the urgent need for Malaysians to address these                                                                                             
questions and issues on a personal level, MIM with the support                                                                                        
of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation organised the Tun Hussein                                                                                           
Onn Renewal Awards Programme (Thora).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
The aims and objectives of this programme were to get a group                                                                                         
of Malaysians in mid-career and from a cross-section of                                                                                               
society to uninhibitedly discuss current social concerns in                                                                                           
Malaysia and to draw up action plans aspiring towards a civil                                                                                         
society. I was fortunate to have been a part of this                                                                                                  
experience from Dec 6 to 12.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
The programme was named after former Prime Minister nun                                                                                               
Hussein Onn to honour his qualities of honesty, humility,                                                                                             
integrity and justice, of which he was a shining example. It                                                                                          
was felt that these qualities had to be employed in broaching                                                                                         
the challenges of Malaysian society today.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
None of us (Thora participants) came expecting to face the                                                                                            
challenges that we experienced over that week in December. In                                                                                         
addressing contemporary issues in Malaysia, we had to do a                                                                                            
great amount of soul-searching and sharing our concerns and                                                                                           
aspirations.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
We had to face up to our short comings, within ourselves and                                                                                          
the society we live in. We had to reevaluate our respective                                                                                           
roles as individuals, and as members of the society.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
In the course of the week, we read and discussed what                                                                                                 
philosophers, intellectuals, writers and teachers of humanity,                                                                                        
both from the past and present, had to tell the world about                                                                                           
religion, philosophy, ethics, morality and a civil society.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
We were taken on short tours to personally see and feel the                                                                                           
vibrancy that is Malaysia. We went up to the Petronas Towers;                                                                                         
then we soaked up the dingy and squalid atmosphere in the                                                                                             
backstreets of Lorong Haji Taib, where we discovered that the                                                                                         
denizens there were very much Malaysian, living under the                                                                                             
shadow of the world-acclaimed Twin Towers.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
We were addressed by corporate leaders, economists, writers                                                                                           
and environmentalists. To cut a week-long story short, we were                                                                                        
made to experience Malaysia in all its glory and shame.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Realisation dawned upon us that there were many changes to be                                                                                         
made in society, that while Malaysia wad a great nation, it                                                                                           
could be greater still. We counted our blessings to be born                                                                                           
Malaysians for it is tanah tumpahnya darah ku.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
But the question remained, what could we do to right the                                                                                              
wrongs that we knew existed in our society? We realised that                                                                                          
in the blind race to better ourselves economically, we had                                                                                            
sacrificed societal values at the altar of profit. How could                                                                                          
we seek to change society and its values?  We seemed to have                                                                                          
no ready-made answers.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Events from the past and present constantly remind us that                                                                                            
those who seek to change society are doomed from the                                                                                                  
beginning. Then we drew from the deep wisdom-well of the past.                                                                                        
one constant message came through, that we had to change                                                                                              
ourselves personally and individually before any changes could                                                                                        
be brought about in society.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Henry David Thoreau, the mid-19th century New England writer,                                                                                         
abolitionist and conscientious-objector, among other things,                                                                                          
had written that "The mass often live lives of quiet                                                                                             
desperation."                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
This rings true even in present-day Malaysia. Most of us, it                                                                                          
seems, are to some extent disappointed and discontented. We                                                                                           
wish things were different for us, that somehow things could                                                                                          
be better. This is the "quiet desperation" that Thoreau                                                                                     
referred to.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
But how do we make things different? Thoreau advocated that we                                                                                        
should seek to change ourselves first. The Sufi master Bayazid                                                                                        
Bistami perhaps best illustrated the "quiet desperation" of                                                                                 
man in his verse:                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
"When I was young, I was a revolutionary. My only prayer to                                                                                      
god was - Lord, give me the strength to change the world. As I                                                                                        
grew into middle age, I realised that I had not changed the                                                                                           
world. I then changed my prayer to - Lord, give me the                                                                                                
strength to change my family and close friends, that will be                                                                                          
enough.                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
"Now that I am old and withered, I realise that even that had                                                                                    
not come to pass. I have now changed my prayer to - Lord, give                                                                                        
me the strength to change myself. If this had been my prayer                                                                                          
from the beginning, I would not have wasted so much time."                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
But how do we bring about this change within ourselves?                                                                                               
Thoreau advocated "simplicity." He proposed that we should                                                                                  
simplify our lives. "Plain living and high thinking" was his                                                                                
motto, and he exemplified this in his life.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Abu Hamid Muhammad Ai-Ghazali, the 12th century Middle-Eastern                                                                                        
theologian and mystic, advocated moderation (achieving an                                                                                             
equilibrium state in all affairs of life) for the                                                                                                     
establishment of good character in man.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
This means that we have to be moderate in our wants and needs.                                                                                        
We should avoid extremes in life.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Al-Ghazali in his infinite wisdom acknowledged that the                                                                                               
equilibrium state is relative from person to person and that                                                                                          
it would be hard to achieve. He, however, stressed that the                                                                                           
equilibrium state must be actively sought after.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
He gives an example of a ring of fire, which represents our                                                                                           
desires in life. We are thus caught within this ring of fire.                                                                                         
The-best place to be in this ring of fire would be the centre,                                                                                        
as it would the coolest spot - being furthest from the sides                                                                                          
of the burning ring.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
At the Thora programme, after much reflection and deliberation                                                                                        
on societal concerns, we collectively came to a consensus that                                                                                        
a few key issues had to be addressed by all Malaysians as                                                                                             
individuals at a personal level.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
We decided that Malaysians should be more concerned with the                                                                                          
value of human life. We have to change our attitude towards                                                                                           
the physically handicapped and treat them as equals and to                                                                                            
provide them with safe environments.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
We need to inculcate good corporate governance in the                                                                                                 
corporate sphere. We need to balance economic advancement with                                                                                        
social advancement. We need to enhance human thoughts and                                                                                             
expressions and not to succumb to a culture of "fear of                                                                                          
expression."                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
We need to be more sensitive to the conservation of the                                                                                               
environment. We have to seek to simplify our lives and seek                                                                                           
the "equilibrium state" in all these areas, as they are                                                                                     
current issues that concern us all.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
Among the little things that we clan do to simplify and                                                                                               
achieve the "equilibrium state" is to spend more time with our                                                                              
families. We can drive smaller cars, or better still not own a                                                                                        
motorised vehicle, so that we do not pollute the air as much.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Make less use of plastic bags so that there is less wastage of                                                                                        
resources, or better still get a good canvas bag meant purely                                                                                         
for shopping. Use fountain pens instead of disposable                                                                                                 
ball-point pens.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Adopt a culture of ethical business practices, which will                                                                                             
engender transparency and accountability in the corporate                                                                                             
world. Be more concerned about our health and not lead a                                                                                              
sedentary life.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
These are some of the things that can be done to make small                                                                                           
changes in our lives. The time to make these changes is now.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
As the ancient Roman poet Horace once wrote: "Carpe diem, quam                                                                                   
minimum non credulo postero." Loosely translated, it means                                                                                       
"seize the day, put little trust in tomorrow."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
So let us not wait; let us start building a better future                                                                                             
today.