Welcome to SPAP

[UPDATE: WE WILL BE BACK IN ACTION IN DECEMBER, CHECK REGULARLY FOR UPDATES!]


Welcome to the official blog of the Students For Penan Awareness Program (SPAP). We hope you can participate in this program and become a social activist for this cause, in the name of volunteerism and humanity!

WHO?

SPAP is a project created by Malaysian secondary school and college students for all Malaysian students .

WHAT?

SPAP is a new project that has been created to alert young Malaysians (and beyond) about

the injustice and issues that afflict the Penan people of East Malaysia.

WHY?

The Penan are one of  the many ethnic groups in Sarawak, but are particularly marginalised and taken advantage of. They are one of the last nomadic tribes in the world, but rapid deforestation and the lack of governmental attention is pushing the Penan people and their culture into disappearance.

HOW?

We are going to alert Malaysian youths, since if affects the people of their country and they are the most influential and energetic members of society. Participate in this project and get your school/college/university involved! We will give you materials (posters) free of charge. Then organise activities such as one-day fasts, discussions, signature drives and mural painting with thumbprints to get it going. Anything thats creative and raises awareness. We'll help you!

WHERE?

All this will happen in your schools, colleges and universities. Don't forget to spread the news through word of mouth!

WHEN?

We're ancitipating this to happen as soon as possible, starting in October. The project should be in full-swing starting in January 2010!

Participate in SPAP!

Participation in this program is free. Taking part means involving yourself (and preferably a group of friends) in organizing activism activities in your school/institution. After all, the idea is to tell people about the issue. So, just how does this program work? Well:

• Materials such as posters and leaflets will be distributed to your institutions to be displayed in central locations. This is to briefly tell people about the issue.
• Advocacy day; spread the news about this project and designate one day in your school/institution to tell people about the Penan people or any social/humanitarian/environmental issue that concerns you.
• Any other activities that you can think of! A one-day fast at school, creating murals with finger prints... anything that will generate awareness. Remember to have fun!

Be A Volunteer!

Volunteers play important roles in running the Students for Penan Awareness Program. We will need your help in making this project a success! Try your hand at social activism and lend your voice to the Penan people.

[4/11/2009] Now Calling For Volunteers In:

1. Creative department; designers to design posters that will be distributed to all participant schools. Also, people who can generate ideas for project activities.
   
2. Publicity department; individuals to blog and inform others about the project.
3. Individuals to represent the project in their school/institution. Will carry out the project, distribute materials, and become person of reference for the project in their school/institution.

Take part in SPAP now! E-mail projectspap@gmail.com for more information.

Learn more about the issue

Here are some useful links to learn more about the issue that the Penans face. Also get informed about the latest news and developments on the Penan issue.

Rengah Sarawak: This is a great place to stay up to date with the latest developments about what the Penans and the government are doing.

The Bruno Manser Fund: An organisation founded by Swiss activist Bruno Manser. Dedicated to protecting the forests of Borneo.

Survival International: The international tribal rights advocacy organisation,  Survival International, gives its attention to the Penan people of Sarawak.

Invitation Letter

Here is the e-mail which initially sent out to announce the creation of SPAP. This is your invitation too! Participate in Students for Penan Awareness. Send this to your friends to get them interested.

The jist of the issue

The Penans have long depended on the jungles of Sarawak for many aspects of their lives. Now, with intense logging activities (of which much is illegal) that decimate the lands of Sarawak, the Penans have lost much of their hunting grounds and living spaces. The Sarawakian government, which is the very institution that could curb illegal deforestation, has instead turned a blind eye. Officials with links to certain logging multinationals profit from corruption.

Previously, the Sarawakian government has not given their plight much attention. But with the advent of awareness among people, there is a greater realisation among society that the Penans are in dire straits. On the 17th of September, the Sarawakian government has even come to a consencus with the Penans. Among them, the government promised to:

• Build clinics, kindergartens and schools for clusters of Penan settlements with 4 to 5 villages
• Provide electrical and water supply to Penan settlements
• Get the National Registration Department speed up issuance of birth certificates and MyKads to Penans
  

More can still be done to adress the issue of harassment, rape and murder cases committed against Penan people by loggign workers. Yet, this shows that awareness does indeed have influence over the situation! If we continue to advocate for this issue, more and more governmental intiatives will be taken to improve the lives of the Penan people.