Disaster and assistance

Until January 3, 2022, the situation remains gloomy for the country.

This is not just because of the manners of certain politicians that make the rakyat 'fed up', but also the ongoing weather conditions that remain concerning. The flood seems in constant flow, moving from one area to another area, from one state to another state.

The behaviour of politicians can be improved with continuous schooling to leaders in Putrajaya, the Palace, to politicians that are increasingly greedy and to their followers that remain pressed in this era of Covid-19.

All these groups require a new understanding. This hard work must continue if the country wishes to have a high moral standing and proper accomplishments.

The sluggish and slow work pace of the ruling administration that prioritises bureaucracy and fancy launch events must change in the face of desperate cries or emergencies Yet this happens during floods or when disasters struck.

The people that are left stranded on rooftops for a few days are actually people that belonged to a nation where the thinking of its leaders and siren alarms are outdated. At the same time, there exist a group of people that are well organised in the form of non-governmental organisations.

We could reflect on the word of the Gautama Buddha in the Buddhist religious text, Samyutta Nikaya that is translated from the Real Buddha Quotes website (January 3 2022) that reads: "When you care for yourself, you care for others. When you care for others, you care for yourself.'' Is nature out of humanity's control? Why don't we evaluate the continuous rains and disastrous droughts? Thick snowfall and landslides and river overflow that flooded the valley.

Actually, it is the acts of mankind that contributed to natural disasters, as mentioned in this Quranic verse " Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea for what mankind's hands have earned, that He may make them taste some (part) of that which they have done, that possibly they would return.'' (Ar-Rum 30:41) The corruption refers to humanity's way of life in terms of managing the realm of ecophysiology, psychospiritual and psychosocial.

Suffice to say that when humans are not prudent in handling matters of ecophysiology as well as psychosocial interactions, then the negative effects will also affect their psycho-spiritual state.

Natural disasters are a normal phenomenon that is intertwined with the evil acts of egocentric individuals. They do not think of the long term damages done to their fellow man or the environment We cannot be self-centred and not think of the welfare of others, because eventually, the corruption that we left behind will overcome our lives as well.

The wise among us are those who successfully carry out their duties as leaders that are chosen by Allah SWT to prosper the world and this realm.

When a group of corrupted and wicked people floods society, then the influence of these wise people will continue to be threatened.

* Profesor Datuk Dr Mohamed Hatta Shaharom is a writer and a social activist.