The 'Sea Gypsies' of Borneo

Sabah's indigenous Bajau Laut native, also known as 'Sea Gypsies' or nomads of the sea, are arguably some of the most marginalised people in Malaysia. The Bajau Laut tribe inhabits the coastal region of Sabah and have been practising their nomadic and traditional lifestyles for many generations. Despite that, many Bajau Laut have no legal nationality documents and are often labelled and grouped together with other 'immigrants'. The issue of statelessness within the Bajau Laut community has denied them access to education, funding support, healthcare and most importantly, the question of their national identity. In addition to the matter, the Bajau Laut is forced their way out into the city in order to sustain their living due to the restrictions on fishing which deeply affects their traditional way of life.

The community of the Bajau Laut is greatly affected by the condition of statelessness which affects many individuals within this and other ethnic minorities in Malaysia. The outbreak of civil unrest in the southern Philippines in the mid-1970s led to an influx of thousands of Bajau Laut and other ethnic groups into nearby Sabah. Whilst some were accorded refugee status, many did not seek to register themselves as refugees. The conditions attached to the refugee pass have changed frequently in the intervening period,  causing many of them ineligible for continued status as a refugee. Consequently, a large number of Bajau Laut people in Sabah possess no valid Malaysian identity documentation or being unwilling or unable to return to areas in the southern Philippines. Furthermore, under the Malaysian Births and Deaths Registration Act (1957), a child will be deemed stateless if she/he does not possess birth registration documents proving the citizenship of both parents. Thus, statelessness is passed down many generations, as many Bajau Laut living in Sabah are neither Malaysian citizen nor have valid refugee status. Stateless people cannot  access healthcare and education in Malaysia, and they are also vulnerable to violence, detention or arrest.

The Bajau Laut of eastern Sabah live within the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME), which includes the Tun Sakaran Marine Park which is the largest marine park in Malaysia., covering around 350km, and is also the only marine park to include a resident population which consisted of approximately 2500 people in 2006. The same report concluded that approximately 60 per cent of the park's population may be considered stateless, with the Bajau Laut accounting for around half of this group, whilst only 17% of park residents were Malaysian citizens. The restrictions on fishing which was implemented by the Marine Park affected the Bajau Laut community in their traditional way of living. The Bajau Laut community, who are highly dependent on the sea as their main sources of food supply and income, were forced to move into the city to find other alternatives to ensure the survival of their tribe and families.  They did not have much choice as it was the only way they can continue to feed their families and themselves. Those who stayed behind and fish illegally in the territories of the Marine Park will be caught by the park guards to be sent to prison. 

The issues of statelessness further adds on the problems faced by the Bajau Laut community when migrating into the city. The Bajau Laut are automatically labelled and stigmatized as 'immigrants' and are forced into hiding for the rest of their lives, as to avoid being arrested for illegal migration. The position of the stateless denied these people access to property, protection, education, healthcare and financial/crisis funds or donations. Without the proper access of education, and the basic knowledge of reading, writing and counting, the Bajau Laut community faces the hardships of getting jobs in the city to sustain their lives. They have been very dependent on the sea for their daily source of food and it is a proven facts that the Bajau Laut is only good in marine related activities, such as diving. There's no doubt that this community will feel displaced and alienated upon migrating to the city when they have been living by the sea throughout their entire lives. Besides that, the Bajau Laut community also does not have a place to stay upon migrating to the city. Temporary housing is not provided for them, also due to their stateless position. This group of people struggle to live on and continued to seek refuge under the bridge. The survival of young babies, those who were very ill and the elderly was difficult and most of them were not able to survive due to the lack of access to medical healthcare.

Various non-government organisation (NGO) that monitors and advocate for the respect of human rights in Malaysia have risen to this issue and many have voiced out the problems and crisis that is arising in the Bajau Laut community. There are a few possible solutions and suggested courses of action that will be carried out by NGOs to highlight the importance of this issue and to resolve this crisis. Volunteers from these organisations will approach this Bajau Laut community who are in the city and proceed to help provide a temporary shelter  home for those who are really in need. Some of them have also conducted a press release and petition signing, in regard with this issue to address this problem to the government. At the same time, there are plans to conduct talks and workshops as well as writing about this issue and problem via social media to help spread awareness to the public. Proposals have been written to the government on suggestions for NGOs to work hand in hand with the Marine Parks and come up with a solution that will benefit both parties, the Bajau Laut and also the Marine Parks. The idea of the project consists in involving the Bajau Laut community to work co-operatively with the Marine Parks to preserve the marine eco system. Funding from the government will go to the Bajau Laut community as part of their income so that they will no longer have the need to fish in the protected areas of the Marine Park.

In conclusion, the people of Bajau Laut are highly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, as they are ill-treated and taken advantage of, by the higher authorities.
The Bajau Laut communities are human beings as well and they too deserve their equal rights as a citizenship to this country, considering the fact that they have been residing in Sabah for centuries. They should not be denied their right to claim citizenship and being part of the land. As citizens of this country, we should also spread awareness and highlight the importance of this issue so that the Bajau Laut community will no longer be treated or seen as 'invisible'.

Prepared by,

Lim Joo Yi

Corporate Executive

Vision College

Old Learning Styles vs New Learning Styles

Most of our life, we need to learn. We start learning from the day we were born and will continue to learn until the day we die. The most important lesson we can learn from this is the ability of our marvellous mind to absorb is endless. 

The belief we need to build in our self conscious mind is that, our mind can either help or make us struggle with anything we need to learn later in life. The learning styles we come across when we were children are different because of our teachers and parents. As we grow and learn in high school or college, we adapt and create our own style of learning. 


Lately, I came across a book called super learning by Sheila Ostrander. This book investigates the new styles of learning that uses music and slow reading by the teacher to the students to create more accomplished students. 

As a business student in the 1990's, I was always struggling to balance my work life with my own studies. Going to classes on weekends and working full time in a bank have challenges. I faced an uncertainty that what we learn, can it really be absorbed in our mind?

Stress

As I read the book, I learn to understand that our mind needs peace and calm more that it needs stress to actually learn anything?

Music and Learning

Have you noticed why a lot of parents send their child to music lessons. Studies have shown that music helps the child use their mental faculty better. In the same way we can use music to enhance our super-learning mind. The techniques discovered by this Bulgarian scientist has help many countries be successful in sports and other academic achievements.

Healing Power of Belief

This is a real power in our mind, if only we learn to exercise it to help our bodies heal more rapidly. There are examples of people who uses the same super-learning technique to avoid sunstroke and survive in the desert more comfortably. Wouldn't it be great if Vision College nurses could have the skills to heal people of pain with this incredible new learning skill?

Learn Languages in Minutes

The mind has such a limitless capability that with the right teaching, a teacher can teach a foreign language in minutes to his or her class. Imagine the possibilities that Vision College students could learn English faster and understand better; be able to articulate and be more active learners in the process.

Super Learners

It is my hope that more students in Vision can grow and learn to be super learners and excel in academic and other aspects. 


Put your worries and problems to one side, forget about all the bad stuff, and immerse yourself in a good book like the one I mentioned. It definitely will benefit you in so many ways.




Prepared by,

Kelvin Khoo

Marketing Assistant Manager
Vision College

Into the Nature and Aboriginal Community

Did you ever thought of bringing yourself to some adventurous yet healthy lifestyle after having a hectic day? If so, I would like to suggest you guys to take some time to do hiking as I believe your body need some booster after a while. I enjoyed myself doing this though I'm neither an expert nor a regular participant of it. 

Well, I do start my passion in hiking back during my study time. The first mountain I conquered was Gunung Irau or popularly known as Mossy Forest; and it took about 9 hourse of hiking journey (from 10am to 7pm) to get back to the starting point. Gunung Irau is the highest mountain in Cameron Highland with the height of 2110 meters above sea level. it was very challenging since the weather was a little bit rainy and the track was full of mud and slippery. Through this mission, I learned on how to control my emotions; since I was physically tired and I have to complete the journey or otherwise I will be left alone in the jungle.

Apart from that, I also made new friends from different states and background. I managed to know that some of them are actually in professional careers such as accountant, engineer, etc. It shows that they are utilising their time with something fun and beneficial. Now, I am still into hiking and the latest hike I checked were Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve and Bukit Batu Putih, Port Dickson. I am hoping to conquer more in the future. 

Moving to another relax activity is engaging with aboriginal community. I still remember the first village I went to was in 2014 at Sungai  Siput Perak. The mission was to outreach towards this community since they are lack of basic necessities such as food and clothing. But the most important thing is to guide the small minority of Muslim withing that village in terms if Fardhu Ain (obligatory knowledge) and other basic knowledge such as teaching ABC to children who didn't have the privilege to go to school. I came to ponder myself on how they can be so happy with their lives even though they are living far away from the city without a proper shelter, education, and even the access to the internet. The key is to appreciate what they have and their love towards inherited lands from one generation to another. 

What is so special about this community? There are about 2 major groups of aboriginal which are Negrito and Senoi; and each of them representing different culture, language and socio-economics. More interesting, they love entertainment and listening to music. No wonder every single house I visited will have subscription to Astro and Njoy because entertainment is the way to keep them happy. My experience in visiting them is precious. They are a bit shy, but if we approach them with a proper way they will give positive responds to us.  

Although several years have passed, I still hope to have the opportunity and gain new experiences. Learning is not only something formally done in class, but nature and community also give us some lessons. Do bring yourself out of your comfort zone and you will realise there are actually more to be discovered. 

Prepared by, 

Nur Saadah Sumeh

Admin, Registry Department

Vision College

A Chapter at Kampung Sorak

People always ask about hobbies. To be honest, I do not have any, but I do some community service during free slots. Now, I would like to share my experiences at Kampung Sorak, Serian. It was my very first time in the land of Borneo, and I had a very good time.

There, we were placed to stay with a Bidayuh family. As a guest, we have to be open minded to accept what they offer, since they have no responsibilities in offering us a 5-star hotel services. The host felt sorry for the limited resources, but to me it was good enough which I could not ask for more. A million thanks to those who provided us shelter, not just a space but also a warm family to be with.

The family has 4 generations staying together, peacefully. 8 of us stayed at the house with no wifi, no television, and the signal was not good; but all these led us to have more connection with each other. There were no 5-star hotel facilities, but definitely a "5-star in connectivity and communication".

I miss the yummy food and the people there. The food was simply good and I had the first experience eating tempoyak. At first, I really can't comprehend the taste; but after it was cooked together with anchovies, my taste buds changed. It was the last dinner we had with them. I never had such great experience having dinner with so many of them together by just sitting on the floor. It was also the only photo that the 8 of us took together with the host. Indeed we became a one big family, and they treated us like their own. 

About the Camp

We organised a 3-day camp at the community hall in order to educate the children, and also spending more more quality time with them. Initially, we were expecting only 80 students, but because the residents were so supportive and we find it hard to decline them; we agreed to have more students. In the end, 90 students participated the camp. The age range was between 6-17 years old and the camp turned out to be so happening. The camp also emphasized leadership skills among the participants regardless of their age. I find the participants enjoyed themselves throughout the days and they actively participated in all the activities conducted.  Seeing them enjoying themselves us the best reward for us. 

Samar the Brave

I had the privileged to take care of 17 kids during the camp and we named our group, "Samar the Brave". "Samar" means tiger in their language. On one of the days, all groups are required to perform a dance. I wasn't really involved in their performance. They chose their own song, and choreographed the dance steps. They even allocated their own time for practicing. Some of them told me that they were feeling nervous but they did very well eventually. I recorded their performance and watch the video whenever I miss them. 

Cultural Night

It was my first time joining their cultural night and we were asked to dress up in our traditional costume. I was so lucky to  be given a chance to wear their traditional costume, and one of the family members borrowed me a set of dress. So I decided to lend her my Cheong Sam instead. We were treated like VIPs when entering the hall, and each of us were presented with a handmade necklace. We had the greatest night or our lives filled with traditional beats and music. We let our feet feel the rhythm and danced all night with the local people. 

One thing I love about joining camps is that I manage to meet a lot of inspiring people from all over Malaysia, with different background but holds the same mission. As a volunteer, you need to be a friend to the community; a friend who can build up their confidence regardless where they came from. If you are a volunteer like myself, always remember to have good intentions in your heart and also the passion to put a smile on someone's face. 

Prepared by,

Lee Siew Mun

Media Team

Vision College

A Beloved Cosmologist

Do you know Stephen Hawking? His full name is Stephen William Hawking, was born on 8th January in Oxford, England. Stephen went to St. Albans School at the age of 11; and later continued to study Physics in University College, Oxford.

In 1962, Stephen did his research in cosmology. In 1963 Stephen was diagnosed with ALS, a form of Motor Neurone Disease, shortly after his 21st birthday. In spite of being wheelchair-bound and dependent on a computerised voice system for communication, Stephen continues to combine family life (he has three children and three grandchildren) with his research into theoretical physics, in addition to an extensive programme of travel and public lectures.

But, he managed to get his PhD in 1965 with his thesis titled 'Properties of Expanding Universes' and he became a research fellow, then Fellow for Distinction in Science (1969) at Gonville & Caius College.

Professor Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's general theory of relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes in 1970. Professor Hawking has over a dozen honorary degree and was awarded the CBE in 1982. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the US National Academy of Science. Stephen Hawking is regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Einstein.

His publications include The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime with G. F. R. Ellis, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, with W. Israel, and 300 years of Gravitation, with W Israel. Among the popular books Stephen Hawking has published are his best seller A Brief History of Time, Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays, The Universe in  Nutshell, The Grand Design and My Brief History. 

However, on 14 March 2018, our world renowned physicist, Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76. He died peacefully at his home in Cambridge. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything, paid tribute to Stephen, saying: "We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet."

Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Prof. Hawking in a BBC drama, said Stephen was "a true inspiration for me and for millions around the world."

Rest in peace, Stephen Hawking.

Prepared by,

Zaty Razali

Course Counsellor

Vision College