construction on site
April 7, 2010I recently visited a construction site that uses our IBS products.
Pride filled my heart when I saw how nice and clean the site was, and how the houses were perfectly erected.
Straight, neat, strong; it was exactly how we market it to our clients and potential clients. We tell it like it is.
This project is the government’s initiative to give Orang Asli proper housing for them to live comfortably. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding Orang Asli, because NGOs want to preserve their habitat and native lifestyle, but government is trying to develop the country as a whole without leaving anyone behind.
But that’s not the point of my post. I simply want to share with you the pictures of these houses in construction.
As explained in my IBS post, the IBS blocks we offer are interlocking in that they have tongue and groove to ensure easy installation and straight alignment.
The biggest advantage is that it’s cheaper than conventional, and it’s super super fast. We can build a house like this in 10 days. It takes me longer to order custom-made shoes!
I was the only woman in that visit! 30 men surrounding me. Before you get excited for me, let me clarify that they were all married.
So, nothing to get excited about really. I didn’t even bother with lipstick.
Erm, probably the wrong day to wear stilettos. But still, I survived the construction site! Girl power.
I do understand that you just wanted to share the IBS products but I can’t help agonizing over the eye-soring bald area used to be known as the forest.
The government’s “development” project of not leaving anyone behind means nothing – this is an ingenuine or wrong way about in supporting the progress of the Orang Asli.
Not to say they should stay in jungles, of course not – that is their prerogative to decide. I just find it ironic that the government is βbuilding fast & comfortable homesβ when theyβve just destroyed the natural homes. What’s even more daunting is the fact that all of this took so little time to destroy (of what takes hundreds of years to nurture)
“The forest is the Orang Asli’s briar patch; their racial memory of being sustained by Mother Nature goes back thousands of generations. Chop down the trees and replant the land with cash crops like rubber and oil palm – and the Orang Asli become rootless, disconnected from their own past, insecure about their future and therefore apathetic. The Orang Asli soul is bonded with the land, the living earth, nature itself. In mythic terms they regard their wild habitats as the petrified flesh of their ancestors.” -Antares, Magick River
I understand you didn’t mean anything hostile or mean V, and this effort comes from a good heart and your good intention but the thought of all of this happening with little thought or worse, being proud to be part of this is one I cannot bear. We should all start to think critically of the long-term effects; especially those with corporate success & wealth could make a bigger difference (spesifically property development companies). I may be barking at the wrong tree here, but am just using the comment space.
xM
Omg mooza, you are terrible. She was just saying how proud she was to see her products, it has nothinG to do with what the government is doing to orang asli. If u feel so strongly, write to the government, not scold the ppl who are trying to make a living.Btw, that house you’re in right now, wasn’t it a forest before?
Avatar was just a movie, dumbass.
love lina’s comment!
mooza, did you know that orang asli was classified as “flora dan fauna”?!! that’s terrible…they’re human beings, they deserve to develop with us…they don’t know how to even begin, that is why government is taking the initiative.
btw, pd was just sharing with us a thing or two on IBS construction, don’t have to put her down for being proud of her company. sheesh.
Hi PD! Do you export IBS to other countries??
Lina: I did say it comes from a good heart & intention but the root of this venture is based on exploitation (gomen). Of course, this is just commentary of a product but how could one ignore the connection irregardless it being a conscious or unconscious one? And one should be fully aware what effect one has on every aspect.
Ala-din: Malaysia’s forest is not Hollywood. By 2040 at the rate of deforestation, our trees will be replaced by oil palms/rubber plantatio/”development” entirely. Go outside of town, boy.
NB: “they donβt know how to even begin, that is why government is taking the initiative.” By saying they can’t think for themselves – it’s implying they are 2nd class citizens. I think I remember something called the “the white men’s burden” which uses the same thought as its basis for colonialism. I’m not even gonna comment about where the government gets its money for the ‘initiative’ from (yeah) but this is not the time nor space.
Apologies for any hurt feelings.
Nat96: We do! We are currently in Indonesia and are having plans to set up a plant in Saudi Arabia.
Otherwise, we ship products to other places outside Peninsular (like Brunei and also Sabah), although transportation cost is quite high.
Depending on the volume of the project, we are open to setting up a mobile plant on site if necessary.
ohh no…..do you mean the trees will be replaced by more trees and houses for ppl with no homes? that’s awful.
ok im not interested in joining the argument,just wana say GORGEOUS shoes pd!!!! *bimbotic mode switched on*
no Mooza, very good point, why does everyone get so protective of pd haha she wasn’t criticizing her, just making a point about the environment vs. development π
and pd, is this construction technology being used anywhere else in the world? or is it patented by your company?
sweet! Thanks for the info~ will email you if I have anymore queries..i smell a business opportunity for us there hehe since Im from one of the countries you mentioned. Cheers π
Ala-din, dont know whether to cry or laugh at your witless sarcasm. The ‘more trees’ you are referring to is kelapa sawit. Acres and acres of kelapa sawit instead of lush natural forest that is the natural habitat of the Orang Asli. I dont think it should be easily brushed aside. The plight of the Orang Asli is actually taken very seriously by international organizations, international communities will be rather horrified if I copy paste your comment to their forums. But you are right. Govt is building house for people with no home. But it will remain just that, house for people with NO HOME. They have lost HOME in deforestation, when govt could do a lot to save it.
Orang Asli should be given adequate education just like kids in KL are getting, so they can rock their lifestyle but graduate from awesome universities. They can live in their natural homes but still have equal opportunities. They dont need new houses in hostile environment but still no access to proper education, they might as well then stay in their natural homes.
Sorry PD to ruin your happy blog like this :s I just dont get it why some of your readers get really defensive when it is clear that Mooza here is NOT attacking you, personally. I am glad the govt takes your company to build the houses, at least it is efficient and in good hands. Has nothing to do with you. And hey, your blog really does trigger a lot of meaningful things π
Im not trying to be protective of PD (not that I need to) but I do find that the 1st comment was a lil personal when she said “…the thought of all of this happening with little thought or worse, being proud to be part of this is one I cannot bear”
Hmm
mooza, look at wat uve created. havoc! i hope ure happy now. -(
LOOK EVERYONE. TO EACH THEIR OWN. SO STOP BICKERING FOR F**K’S SAKE.
hey, i just coincidently found your blog thru nuffnang and its good. I’ve read a couple of post and the way you blog puts humor into daily mundane activities. Thanks for giving me a interesting aspect of looking at things..
Oh and I used to work in the property line to.. probably to one of your competitors π and I’ve worn heels there. Not a simple task tho, trying to avoid puddles, mud, the uneven ground, the tiny stones that often makes me lose balance and trying not to embarrassed myself in the process. Kudos to you girl!! This is what I call girl power!!!
i’m going to go way out of the comment theme you have in this post now..
heels at a construction site?
now that is hardcore….
π