Sustainable Development Syllabus As Living Skills (Kemahiran Hidup) for Prmiary& Secondary School (Draft)

I'm currently looking for volunteer to write the content& design infographics for the syllabus, as well as, filming the example of "know how". Anyone keen to join hand for a better future.

Please kindly provide comments and suggestions for improvement.


Although this syllabus is designed in Malaysia context but I give full copyright to any nation that have interest in develop such program. I'm willing to work with any country that have interest to improve their syllabus toward sustainable development goals.

Sustainable development have no boundary and thus this ideas is open to any country in the world.

Thank you!

My contact details are;

Name: Aloysius Tay Kian Guan
Contact Number : +60 11 27317552
Email: sebtay82@gmail.com / taykg82@gmail.com

Proposal for Sustainable Developement Living Skills (draft copy)

Email to Kuala Lumpur Mayor (Datuk Amin): Water Supply breakdown at Masjid India.

Be it private or public, Malaysian have never short of ideas and initiatives but not many can withstand the test of time. 

Maintenance is a big issue here, so much so as its lifespan and replacement cost. 

Much of it owe to the lackadaisical attitude, especially when money is not out of their own pocket.

In this case, I think it is very generous of city council to provide free drinking water for public especially at high traffic area. It's not only a source to quenching thirst but also indirectly reduce plastic bottle and pollution. 

Sadly, the noble intention seems to have been forgotten. Not all blame to the government. I think as user or responsible citizen, we should help to notify the authority whenever necessary; change filter, repair, water leakage& vandalism. 

Therefore, if install a smart system that can automatically notify city council is too costly then public can play the role, as long as let us know the threshold of water filter, contact number, water meter or even donation box to offset the cost!  

Email to Kuala Lumpur's Mayor, Datuk Amin Nordin: Congratulation on Botanical Lake Garden Make-over.

Despite the advanced technological breakthrough over the century, human is inseparable with nature. It is in natural landscape that we still find our soul, our connection as human being and one of the sentient  being on earth.

Every city should have sufficient area of open space to fulfill the psychological and spiritual hunger of hectic lifestyle.

I'm delighted to find the revitalization of Perdana Botanical Lake Garden that have been depleted over the past decades.

Baobab trees

One of the notable structure is the large glazing canopy,Adansonia Grandidieri or known as Grandidier's Baobab tree, a unique trees distinguishable from the movie Madagascar (which indeed from Madagascar). However, my favorite place would be the bamboo complex. I'm particularly fond of bamboo, as it is one of the greenest building materials since the dawn of time, a type grass (not tree) that can grow very fast (sequestrate carbon) and greater tensile strength than alloy steel and comparable good compression strength to concrete.
sheltering

I also notice that not many visitor during the weekend despite the make-over and free wifi. Probably due to poor accessibility from public transport. KL Sentral LRT station is nearby but the route to Perdana Botanical Garden is still secret even for locals. A more common access is from the Jalan Parlimen where tourist maps (also bicycle maps) is drawn.


Anyway, my suggestion to the Mayor is to add a public pool for swimming, water activities and bathing. For tropical people like me, we enjoy bathing during the hot day especially the kids. KLCC park is one good example where people patronage day and night everyday especially the pool area.

Swimming pool provide a cooling effects and hydrotherapy. A bathing facilities also refresh bicycle rider after a long excursion at various itinerary surrounding botanical lake garden; Planetarium, Grand Mosque, Islam Civilization Museum, Butterfly park, bird park, Tun Razak Memorial&etc.





Beside Perdana Botanical Lake Garden, I also wrote an email to Kuala Lumpur's Mayor about another location, directly opposite DBKL Building that have existing water features that would be more meaningful if converted into swimming pool and bathing facilities for public.

The area is very strategic as it is near to LRT and bus interchange where bicycle transit point could be designated if bicycle parking lots is provided (which I've make noise to them for ages), moreover, it also near to homelessness hot-spot, thus would be great if bathing facilities is provided for public. Public, bicycle rider and homelessness can clean themselves after a sweaty day under hot sun.

Plead for the 16 trees marked "x" along Jalan Ara, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2016/04/25/marked-trees-on-jalan-ara/

(Refer to http://www.thestar.com.my/metro/community/2016/04/25/marked-trees-on-jalan-ara/)

I've written to KL's Mayor, Datuk Hj. Amin, to plead for the life of 16 trees along Jalan Ara which are on the dead-roll. The reason?

Due to proximity to the road, people are afraid it will fall and hit their vehicle or people. Another reason is obstruction to pedestrian especially handicap or OKU(Orang Kurang upayah). 

However, I think there's more can be done to achieve the equilibrium between society needs, environment protection and economy viability. And obviously the trees should be save!

First, there is the forgotten MS1183& MS1184 which already merged into MS1184, a code of practice for accessibility for the built environment. In the first instance, the pedestrian walkway should not designed in such a way (non-compliance to accessibility code). Nonetheless, if the designer were a bit creative or on the ground, he or she should have make use of the drain area as part of the pedestrian path. Simply by cover the drain with galvanized steel grating or concrete culvert will solve the problem.

Trees not only act as free oxygen machine, it also sequestrate carbon and act as carbon sink to store carbon. in another word, it make our world colder, cooler and climate more stable. Especially century old trees in the tropical area which provide 28% of world oxygen.

So how to justify the cutting of trees if the fault is not with the trees? the trees exist long before the road or pedestrian path. It is the questionable consultant who didn't designed it logically.

Compliance of MS1184 has been questionable since its inception. Literally, my experience with Malaysia's Architect& Engineer is not very favorable. Most of them, especially the young one, have no idea about the existence of UBBL and what more Accessible code or Universal Design which I picked up from my working experience in Singapore.

In Singapore, Accessibility Code is very much adhered to. HDB spent billions of dollars in upgrading their government apartments for the compliance. Another also very important code for design is CPTED.

CPTED stand for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design which I also encountered in Singapore. Malaysia have a similar set of CPTED guideline published under Town Planning authority which is another myth it seems disappear into the thin air. I do hope town council and city council start audit the existing building and regulate it into Building Plan submission& CCC approval.

In Malaysia's CPTED, plants should not grown over 0.8m or trees branches should lower than 2m. it's to have a better natural surveillance and openness so theft or whatever can't hide or do their notorious things. While planting edible plants like chili or flower plants allow either public to have free food or bees to have theirs. If harvest is a problem then ginger plants would be nice as it is optional to whether you want to harvest or just let it be.

Hydrophobic coated pedestrian

I also suggested the new pedestrian path to be painted with hydrophobic paint where surface coated with it repeal water and would be fun if painted infographic on the path about environmental protection, save water or things like that.

Sustainable development come with three elements; Social, Environment& Economy. We shouldn't chop the trees (favor social, neglect environment) or close the pathway for trees (favor environment, neglect social) or spend a deal of money to make over-bridge or fancy things.

Think simple!

There are numerous ways earth regulate itself. Plants and soil is one of the best way to store carbon (carbon sink) and stabilized the climate. Fossil fuel that give life to our transport is suppose to R.I.P.(Rest In Peace) and should be doing so since we have the technology to replace it.