Aziza (second right) and the participants show their support for actions to address climate change.
FOR centuries, we have tolerated war, crime, inequality, climate change, and lived with the mistakes of our ancestors.
We stood there, doing precious little as we watched forests being burnt, air and oceans polluted, and ecosystems destroyed.
“But no longer shall we – we draw the line here,” declared Sarawak Youth Awards 2017 recipient Aziza Aznizan.
She pointed out people were choking every day, living their lives ‘breathing in’ the mistake of adults who should know better.
“Who cares which is part of ‘the whole burning down Kalimantan’ conspiracy – we have had enough. We will not let this go without a fight.
“We’re here today to stand up for ourselves and let our voice be heard. We’re the future leaders, future scientists, doctors, vets, engineers and businessmen, and we have had enough. We want change and we want it now. Stop destroying our home,” she stressed.
Aziza was speaking at a ‘Climate Change Protest’ event held recently at Technology College Sarawak (TCS) in Kuching, which coincided with the Global Climate Strike worldwide in September.
More than 100 people, mostly wearing green, took part in a tree-planting ceremony to mark the event, symbolising the collective voice of young people around the world, demanding action to address climate change.
Participants hold their placards.
According to Aziza, the Climate Change Protest, aimed at making TCS a green campus, was held to coincide with the UN Climate Action Summit on Sep 23.
Many more climate events are being held around the world with the leaders coming together to discuss climate change.
“The objective is to promote awareness about climate change, and how real it’s getting, and also to stand up and let our voice be heard by the leaders of our country,” she said.
She added that since Sept 20, children and adults around the world have been protesting in the streets to let the decision-makers at the UN Climate Action Summit know it’s time for action – not just talk.
“These summits are attended by leaders and lawmakers who can make an impact, especially now that we’re suffering from the haze. But the leaders are doing hardly enough about it and mostly asking people to stay indoors.
“Nobody is standing up to the real monsters – the people who let this happen. Why must we keep quiet if nobody is doing anything about it?” the Paint the World Malaysia founder asked.
She then threw down the gauntlet, saying, “If adults are not doing anything about it, then we will show them how to do it.”
Participants show a sapling they planted at the campus.
Good support
Aziza said she started with TCS because it is a platform where students from various backgrounds could come together and be brave enough to ‘spark something new’ which, she noted, is not common in Malaysia.
“Everyone on campus – from staff, students and the gardener to the chief executive wore green to show their support.
“I was touched by how supportive everyone was. Whether or not they knew the specifics of climate change or its cause, they were eager to learn, understand and help to make a change.”
Participants plant a sapling at the TCS field.
Planting trees
Aziza, who has been living in Barcelona for three years and Brazil for a month now, said she was lucky to be in Brazil at a time history was being made.
“While I was in Brazil, my itinerary for the day in Sao Paolo was joining climate change protests. That was what kids my age did there during the day – paint themselves and hold up signs to make themselves heard.
“At first, it felt amazing to have so much power, standing among young people and being on live TV, stopping the entire city because we were parading in the streets. But after a week, I started to have my doubts. Okay, people get the message, now what?”
She said the same thing went on for a while when she was living in Barcelona as all everyone wanted to do was protesting to exit Spain but after a few weeks, it became annoying and time-wasting and damaging to public infrastructure.
She added that the trash left by the demonstrators broke her heart and she started to doubt the effectiveness of street protests.
“So, I came up with the idea that if we are going to protest, we are going to do it right. We are going to send a clear message of what we want from the politicians and the leaders. Start bringing the change we want to see. Stop deforestation, replant trees – let’s get down and do it ourselves. Maybe the leaders of our countries need someone to show them how it’s done.”
The participants managed to collect trees from donors to plant around TCS.
“This is just the beginning,” Aziza said.
Participants form the letter TCS on the college field.
Saving the Earth
“As our signboards show, we don’t have Planet B. We don’t realise how important the environment is. Deforestation is real, air pollution is real, and climate change is real. Every action we take has a reciprocal effect.
“Deforestation causes loss of habitats, thus ecosystems. It isn’t the future generations who won’t be able to see the orang-utans if habitat destruction is left unchecked. It’s our children and grandchildren.”
Going green
Twenty-four trees were planted during the event which started with chanting before Aziza spoke, followed by more chanting of “What do we want? Change! When do we want it? Now.”
TCS Harmony sang songs such as ‘We Are the World’, ‘Heal the World’, and the TCS anthem while trees were planted around the campus.
“It felt good – just like the protests I joined in Brazil and Spain – but this time, I could see a better outcome. No trash on the ground but new breathing leaves.”
Aziza reminded the participants they were all one on the planet, regardless of race, religion, and passports.
“We have one mission. We want clean air, clean sea, clean earth and peace. We’ll take care of the trees together; be responsible for the trees we are assigned to because we are future leaders.
“Every bit of the oxygen that the plants exhale in the next 20 years will be because of us,” she added.
Participants of the Climate Change protest.