An oasis of knowledge

Professor Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak
My View - The Sun Daily
April 26, 2016

AN "oasis" of knowledge is springing up quietly in a premier university.

The University of Malaya (UM) in celebrating its 111th anniversary this year, put up an extraordinary showcase of how it supported Sustainability Science as an emerging transdisciplinary knowledge base.

Recognised as a Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development at Central Semenanjung, UM has been able to captivate the minds of many visitors through several cross-disciplinary research and learning activities that it persuasively displayed for a month in the campus.

It was very impressive to see the involvement of students, staff and outside parties – ranging from civil society groups, government departments like Mardi and private companies.

Indeed, the Sustainable Science Cluster within UM has successfully brought together other disciplines transcending the silo-ed knowledge boundaries to arrive at many comprehensive "sustainable" solutions.

They range from affordable housing and slope management to composting from organic waste (more than 10 tons!) and rehabilitating the iconic lake in the university.

Yet another is trying to "light up" villages in Sarawak that are still deprived of basic amenities like electricity and water.

With the coming state election such a state of affairs perhaps is more telling vis-à-vis mega projects like the building of the expressway across Borneo.

But this is what the "oasis" of knowledge on sustainability is all about.

It is grounded on more basic humanitarian needs rather than of political needs in the name of so-called "development".

The Sustainability Development Goals Initiative that was launched early this year at the United Nations, of which Malaysia is a signatory, talks about human dignity and justice among its overarching goal.

This is what UM has demonstrated and reminded us of what "development" ought to be.

The previous generations had made many wrong assumptions leading to a number of serious mistakes through their (relative) ignorance, and later arrogance.

Consequently, the present generations have to pay dearly for it and are compelled to compensate through better knowledge and a sense of humility that we do not have all the answers. And that nature can hit back if we fail to change our mindsets.

Ironically, during the days of our forefathers this vulnerability was minimal, if any, since the thinking then was well-balanced in the scheme of things.

Something that we have lost, and must quickly reclaim through the "oasis" of knowledge like the ones UM is nurturing in its iconic living laboratories that teach and apply relevant knowledge of preservation and conservation. Not just "raw" innovations regardless of it causing more harm technologically speaking.

What is even more impressive is that there seems to be a passion-bound sense of commitment that roped in even the alumni of UM in nurturing the "oasis".

Many came in bringing their own experiences and heightened awareness of what works and thus led the way, at the same time giving back to the alma mater.

This is rare as many alumni prefer to stay away because they are busy with their own "nests" or otherwise ask the tired question: "What's in it for me?"

On this note, nothing can be more demonstrative than the rejuvenation of the UM lake that had become an eyesore.

In the early years, a river ran across the campus as in many oasis. It was a symbolic lifeline of how nourishing education was then.

However, as university education became reduced to a numbers game (read: commodification of knowledge), the lifeline was figuratively severed, making it more of a bazaar attracting willing buyers and willing sellers.

Gradually knowledge was choked by the marketplace, and the oasis faded away. Learning was substituted by earning, focusing more on extrinsic (monetary) value, unbalanced by the intrinsic ones that provide dignity and justice.

UM is poised to revert to its prestigious standing as the "oasis" of knowledge that is more sustainable than what it used to be, given the flurry of activities and consciousness that is now passing through the campus ignited by genuine passion at various levels including its leadership.

The iconic lake will once again act as a fountainhead sprouting the true purpose and ethos of education. As a leading institution of higher learning, this can be very influential in separating the wheat from the chaff that is now messing up the education system.

Too much of the latter is clogging the knowledge lifeline that UM seems determined to clear up by being an "oasis" of knowledge as it celebrates the triple one anniversary. Kudos and best wishes.