It would seem the people who want to preserve the Penans' way of life are condemning them to a life full of diseases and a shorter life span.
Interpretation
A critique of well-meaning efforts that may inadvertently harm the very communities they aim to protect.
In this quote, Mahathir Mohamad highlights the paradox faced by those who wish to preserve indigenous cultures, such as that of the Penans. While the intent is to protect their traditional way of life, the consequences of such preservation efforts may lead to health issues and a reduced lifespan, prompting a broader discussion about the complexities of cultural preservation and its impact on well-being.
In practice
In a discussion about conservation efforts in indigenous communities.
I believe that every leader has a right to implement his own policy. But when I see things that are done that are not right - abuse of power, wrong approaches, wrong strategies, making use of foreign consultants, including those discarded by other countries - I feel that I have to have my say.
If you want to be honest with yourself, you have to take criticism, even if you attract adverse comments from others.
There are certain things that we can deal with by following the rules. But at times, we find the rules restrict you from doing the right things. On such occasions, we have to rethink - either you change the rules or break the rules.
In my years, I had the opportunity to observe peoples and countries. I see some countries doing well, others failing, and my analysis of things is that whether you fail or succeed is a function of your value system.
Free press is not absolute. In this country, we say clearly if you start stirring up racial hatred, then we will put a stop to it. We might even close down your paper, because these things can only lead to a lot of riots and bloodshed.
Independence means we enjoy freedom. We are not colonised by people. And we can govern our own country and develop it independently so that our people can live a better life.
Government means always coercion and compulsion and is by necessity the opposite of liberty.
A lot of attention has been going to social values - abortion, gay rights, other divisive issues - but economic values are equally important.
As for the men in power, they are so anxious to establish the myth of infallibility that they do their utmost to ignore truth.
To define Buddhism without a lot of words and phrases, we can simply say, 'Don't cling or hold on to anything. Harmonize with actuality, with things as they are.'
What can you ever really know of other people's souls β of their temptations, their opportunities, their struggles? One soul in the whole of creation you do know: and it is the only one whose fate is placed in your hands. If there is a God, you are, in a sense, alone with Him.
But her's was the misery of innocence, which, like a cloud that passes over the fair moon, for a while hides, but cannot tarnish its brightness.
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