As of today, I think I've visited all of the Pusat Kubajikan projects in Sabah. The organization has been in the regional paper (Sabah Times) at least four times since I've been here. Once for the My Constitution Campaign, which aims to teach Malaysians about the document and about their rights. Malaysia is a democracy and has a system of checks and balances, as well as federal and state governments similar to ours in the US. The country is 47 years old (not 53) and Malaysia day is Sept. 18 (not August 31), facts that aren't in wide circulation at this point. Between the various ethnic groups: Malay, Indigenous, Indian, and Chinese (the big ones) the 13 Federated States plus 3 (?) territories, a major issue here is a lack of unity. I know a lot about the constitution at this point, including that a person does not become a citizen immediately upon birth in Sabah or Sarawak, and that university students can't participate in any type of political meetings. The constitution has been amended over 700 times.
The Suri Murni Crisis Center for pregnant teenage girls has been in the newspaper the other three times. "Baby dumping" or abandoning newborn infants in dumpsters, alleys, etc. is a big problem here. Abortion is illegal, but I'm not sure what the situation is exactly with contraceptives. Religion, especially Islam the dominant faith, definitely does not promote premarital sex or discussion about the subject. So girls get pregnant, whether through consensual or non consensual sex, and keep the pregnancy a secret. Nobody asks, and the families don't see what they don't want to see. The Crisis Center is a place that these girls can go, where they receive medical care and take part in enrichment programs, and can decide whether to give the child up for adoption, give it to a family member or friends, or keep the child. Apparently, in some places, a girls can offer a gift (penance?) to the village in the form of like a slaughtered water buffalo, and then they can't talk to her about her baby born out of wedlock and she's accepted back. As the paper said "this is not the end of the world".
SMCC also serves as a place where girls who have been victims of trafficking can go for help. Immigration is another problem in Sabah, with undocumented workers coming primarily from the Philippines and Indonesia.
As of Monday (I believe) I will be starting work in the village of Pukak. I have visited it twice, once to go white-water rafting, and another time to visit the facilities and staff. It's a beautiful location, right by the river and among lush mountains. I'll be living at the Retreat Center with two local girls who also work at the Youth Hostel, Petrolina and Valentina. There are water buffalo hanging around by the river, all kinds of lizards, and four puppies. I'm excited to start being useful although I'm not sure how this is going to work. The kids speak both Bahasa Malay and Dussan although the staff does speak English.
I won't have much Internet access as of Monday, so if you want to get in touch, now is the time!
Wow, I still can't believe you're in Malaysia. Sounds like you're learning a lot. I can't even imagine what it would be like to live there but this post reminded me to be greatful for what we have here. I think I missed a call from you yesterday cause I was working..try to call tomorrow! Miss youuu, I'm going to go downstairs now to look for that book.
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