When I arrived in Malaysia at 24 years of age, I had a backpack, a summer’s worth of savings from Martha’s Vineyard and a burning desire to work on rainforest projects. I had secured a role as a volunteer research assistant based a handwritten letter to Isabelle Louis, then Director of WWF-Malaysia. And so began a journey that would lead me see the connection between forests and water, to study water resource management and build a career in water.
So to be back in KL this week to accept an award on behalf of Ruán Magan and the entire team, for Best Long Documentary Feature and Special Water Sustainability Film Award for Our Blue World, @16th Annual Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival, had a very deep special resonance for me.
The film resonated strongly the KLEFF judging panel and audience. Sukhvinder Singh of Air Selangor, used the word ‘soulful’ to describe the film, Nurul Nabila Shohimi, EcoKnights said it ‘touched the heart’ and Kennedy Michael from Alliance of River Three, said he felt a sense of connection and shared mission with people in the film. Kennedy is working on audacious moon-shot project to restore the Klang river. He identified with Li An Phoa, mission to make the world’s rivers drinkable, and with Kongjian Yu’s struggles, when people dismissed what he was dreaming of. I was reminded of the words of Mark Nelson, ‘a group of Irrationals in pursuit of the Impossible’.
When I worked with WWF Malaysia, there was a palpable sense of energy and enthusiasm and a very young, dynamic and passionate team with a can-do attitude, or to use the Malaysian expression, Boleh-Boleh!
Of the people I worked with, many have stayed in conservation and achieved impactful things. Dylan Ong went to co-found @NBS Malaysia, a group that has managed to preserve large areas of peat wetlands in the east of peninsular Malaysia, and create a tiger reserve and also co-founded the charming and unique bookshop Sunda Shelves, with Surin Suksuwan, a cross-roads for community gatherings. @yasmin rashid founded EcoKnights. The late and great Balu Perumal was my mentor and guide as we surveyed the highland rainforests around Frasers Hill, and Donovan Louis is the Conservation lead at the Malaysian Nature Society.
These people inspired me, and so meeting everyone again, seeing what they have achieved, reminds me of the impact that we can have.
At KLEFF I met the next generation, young ecology students from UM, full of the boundless energy of youth, Artists and film-makers such as Jacob Van Klang. To think of the collective impact that all of these people will have, is heart-warming and encouraging.
I have seen the film screened in enough diverse settings now to know the human connection with these water stories is universal. Malaysia is in the tropics, and yet, Taiping Lake, in the wettest town in Penninsular Malaysia, almost dried up after a month of drought and scorching heat.
The questions that come up are always a pleasure to answer. Can we solve water? Boleh! Thanks to Fadly Bakhtiar all at KLEFF.
