Cleaning Up Bentong for Malaysia Day | 2016年马来西亚日Gotong Royong活动
（译文请往下阅读）
Jalan Chamang (or Chamang Road) is famous for the Chamang Waterfalls, a major tourist spot in Bentong, Malaysia. It is also a winding and shady stretch that attracts many locals who enjoy jogging and cycling here. Halfway down this road is also the entrance to our retreat centre, Kechara Forest Retreat.
Thus, I was very happy when Kechara and Tsem Rinpoche Foundation in collaboration with various government departments and private companies decided to organize a mutual aid event to clean up the whole of Chamang Road in Bentong in conjunction with Malaysia Day 2016.
As spiritual seekers, caring for our environment is very important as is giving our service to the local community. Personally, I find it a great honor to be able to give the Bentong towns folk a clean and safe environment to enjoy on Chamang Road.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the many departments who sponsored and volunteered for this event, and especially to YDP Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail, who took some time from his busy schedule to grace our event with his presence in order to raise awareness of the importance of keeping our environment clean.
Tsem Rinpoche
Gotong Royong for Malaysia Day 2016
‘Gotong Royong’ is the Malay word for communal work where people of a locality come together to carry out community-centric tasks such as cleaning up the environment by clearing litter and garbage and cleaning out public drains.
In celebration of Malaysia Day, Kechara and Tsem Rinpoche Foundation in collaboration with Majlis Perbandaran Bentong (Bentong Municipal Council) organized the annual Gotong Royong for the second year running. The objective was to clean up Jalan Chamang, Bentong, so that tourists and visitors could enjoy their journey to Chamang Waterfall. In addition, a cleaner environment would help prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
YDP Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail arriving at Kechara Forest Retreat / YDP Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail tiba di Kechara Forest Retreat / 文冬市议会主席莫哈末沙希依斯迈莅临克切拉禅修林
We were honored to have the Yang Dipertua (YDP) Majlis Perbandaran Bentong, Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail, to officiate the event at 8.30am, 16th September 2016 in Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR). In his speech, YDP thanked Kechara for taking the initiative in organising this event, explaining that clearing the environment helps to curtail the spread of mosquitoes, particularly Aedes mosquitoes that spread dengue fever as well as the latest strain, Zika. He also added that he hopes this community service effort will continue on a yearly basis every Malaysia Day.
The event saw 85 volunteers from Kechara, Majlis Perbandaran Bentong, Tsem Rinpoche Foundation, Alam Flora (Environmental Management), SW Corp and Jabatan Perhutanan (Forestry Department) working diligently and harmoniously in true community spirit, covering a four-kilometer radius from the entrance KFR on Jalan Chamang right to the famous Air Terjun Chamang (Chamang Waterfall). The YDP was also seen participating in the clean up alongside his staff and volunteers from Kechara.
YDP Mohammad Shahid helps to clear trash from the surroundings ／ YDP Mohammad Shahid membantu mengutip sampah di kawasan persekitaran ／ 文冬市议会主席莫哈末沙希依斯迈动手清理垃圾
Kechara would like to thank the following kind sponsors for their contributions:
- KLH Hardware & Machinery Trading who sponsored gardening tools such as wheelbarrows, spades, gloves, face masks and disposable garbage bags. KLH is one of the main suppliers of building materials for KFR.
- Restoran & Kafe Tawakal who sponsored the food and beverages for the event. Tawakal serves some of the best halal food in Bentong.
- Majlis Perbandaran Bentong who provided the use of one lorry.
- Alam Flora who provided the use of one backhoe and one lorry.
- Jabatan Perhutanan who sponsored 30 trees.
- Mr Simon Lee, one of the building contractors for Kechara Forest Retreat, who sponsored the rental of canopies, tables, chairs and sound system.
- Mr Kent Liew, another building contractor for Kechara Forest Retreat, who secured sponsorship for the use of a backhoe from CTM Machinery and a lorry from Pam Kim Fatt.
- Mr Eddie Loke, the electrical contractor for Kechara Forest Retreat for use of his lorry.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all who have made this community event possible, from those who contributed financially and in kind, to those who spent their holiday volunteering for a good cause.
We hope to see everyone again next year. Let’s keep our environment clean!
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
Kechara House
Gotong Royong Hari Malaysia 2016
Gotong Royong merupakan kegiatan masyarakat di mana anggota masyarakat bersatu tenaga bersama-sama melakukan suatu aktiviti muhibah seperti membersihkan kawasan persekitaran dengan mengutip sampah-sarap dan membersihkan longkang-longkang awam.
Sempena merayakan Hari Malaysia, Kechara dan Tsem Rinpoche Foundation dengan kerjasama Majlis Perbandaran Bentong menjalankan akitiviti Gotong Royong buat kali kedua tahun ini. Tujuan Gotong Royong ini adalah untuk membersihkan Jalan Chamang supaya para pelancong dan pelawat dapat menikmati persekitaran yang bersih ketika berkunjung ke air terjun Chamang. Kawasan persekitaran yang bersih juga akan mencegah nyamuk-nyamuk daripada membiak.
YDP Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail makes the opening speech to all present / YDP Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail memberi ucapan perasmian kepada para hadirin / 文冬市议会主席莫哈末沙希依斯迈致开幕辞
Kami rasa besar hati dengan kehadiran Yang Dipertua (YDP) Majlis Perbandaran Bentong, Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail yang merasmikan acara Gotong Royong pada jam 8.30 pagi, 16 September 2016 di Kechara Forest Retreat (KFR). Dalam ucapannya, beliau mengucapkan terima kasih kepada Kechara kerana mengambil inisiatif untuk menganjurkan acara ini dan beliau menjelaskan bahawa dengan membersihkan kawasan persekitran kita, pembiakan nyamuk boleh dihapuskan, khususnya nyamuk Aedes yang menyebabkan demam denggi dan virus Zika. Beliau berharap acara Gotong Royong ini akan dijadikan acara tahunun setiap Hari Malaysia.
Dalam acara ini, sukarelawan dari Kechara, Kechara Soup Kitchen, Majlis Perbandaran Bentong, Alam Flora, SW Corp, Jabatan Perhutanan, bekerjasama dengan penuh semangat muhibah membersihkan kawasan sekitar 4 kilometer dari KFR, di antara Jalan Chamang dan Air Terjun Chamang. YDP juga turut menyertai akitiviti pembersihan ini bersama-sama kakitangannya serta para sukarelawan Kechara.
Educating others on the importance of community service by example, a humble YDP Mohammad Shahid has no reservations about picking up trash, a job perceived as lowly in most societies / Satu teladan dan pengajaran yang baik tentang betapa pentingnya kegiatan masyarakat, YDP Mohammad Shahid, seorang yang rendah diri, tidak pun berasa jijik untuk mengutip sampah, suatu pekerjaan yang dipandang rendah pada lazimnya / 文冬市议会主席莫哈末沙希依斯迈为人谦卑，放下身段以身作则捡垃圾，教育民众社区服务在加强睦邻精神方面的重要性
Kechara ingin megambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada para penaja yang berikut:
- KLH Hardware & Machinery Trading yang menaja kereta tolak, penyodok, sarung tangan, topeng muka dan beg-beg sampah. KLH merupakan salah satu daripada pembekal utama bahan-bahan binaan KFR.
- Restoran & Kafe Tawakal yang menaja makanan dan minuman acara ini. Tawakal menyediakan antara makanan halal yang terbaik di Bentong.
- Majlis Perbandaran Bentong untuk kegunaan sebuah lori.
- Alam Flora bagi kegunaan sebuah lori dan sebuah pengorek-kaut.
- Jabatan Perhutanan yang menaja 30 batang pokok
- Simon Lee, kontraktor KFR yang menaja kanopi, meja, kerusi dan sistem bunyi.
- Kent Liew, kontraktor KFR yang mendapat tajaan untuk kegunaan pengorek-kaut CTM Machinery dan lori Pam Kim Fatt
- Eddie Loke, kontraktor elektrik KFR untuk kegunaan lori beliau
Kami ingin mengucapkan terima kasih kepada mereka yang telah bersama-sama menjayakan gotong royong kali ini, para penaja yang telah menghulurkan sumbangan kewangan dan tenaga, juga kepada mereka yang telah menghabiskan masa cuti bekerja secara sukarela untuk tujuan yang baik.
Kami amat berharap akan dapat bertemu lagi pada tahun hadapan. Mari kita bersama-sama menjaga kebersihan persekitaran.
Yang Benar,
Lembaga Pengarah
Kechara House
2016年马来西亚日Gotong Royong活动
“Gotong Royong”是马来文字，意思是指当地社区的人聚在一起，合力进行一项社区活动，如打扫环境，清理垃圾和渠道。
配合马来西亚日，克切拉联合詹杜固仁波切基金和文冬市议会合作，连续第二年举办Gotong Royong 活动。这项目活动的宗旨为，清理干净前往文冬旅游热点–暹猛瀑布的暹猛路。清洁干净的环境同时也能避免蚊虫在我们生活的环境滋长。
Removing heavy debris: volunteers from Kechara Soup Kitchen do more than just feeding the homeless / Membuang sampah yang berat: Sukarelawan Kechara Soup Kitchen bukan sahaja memberi makanan kepada masyarakat yang memerlukanya, tetapi juga melibatkan diri dalam aktiviti seperti membersihkan alam sekitar / 合力清除大型垃圾：来自克切拉香积厨的志愿人士不仅将力量贡献在帮助无家可归者，在社区服务方面也不遗余力
2016年9月16日，我们很荣幸地再次邀请文冬市议会主席莫哈末沙希依斯文迈, 莅临克切拉禅修林为活动主持开幕仪式。沙希在演讲中感谢克切拉主办这项活动。他说，将我们的四周环境打扫干净，能避免蚊虫滋生，特别是黑斑蚊，以及最近肆虐的寨卡病毒。沙希希望此次的Gotong Royong 活动能持续在每年的马来西亚日举办。
这次活动共有85名志愿者来自克切拉团体各部门、克切拉香积厨、文冬市议会、Alam Flora、大马固体废料管理机构，以及彭亨森林局的职员和志愿人士一起加入了这项有意义的活动，充分发挥睦邻精神，齐心协力清理干净暹猛路周围四公里长，从克切拉禅修林入口处一直延伸到暹罗猛路瀑布的环境。市议会主席还身体力行跟市议会职员和克切拉志愿人士，一起参与了美化环境的活动。
YDP Mohammad Shahid clears a pile of rubbish. The removal of garbage is important not only for aesthetic purposes, but for the safety of Bentong folks who frequent this road for recreational activities such as cycling and jogging / YDP Mohammad Shahid membersihkan selonggok sampah sarap. Mengutip sampah sarap bukan sekadar untuk kecantikan alam sekitar sahaja, malah juga untuk keselamatan penduduk Bentong yang sering datang ke Jalan Chamang untuk berjogging atau berbasikal / 图示文冬市议会主席莫哈末沙希正在清除垃圾。清扫垃圾不仅美化环境，也能确保经常在暹猛路跑步和踩脚车的文冬居民的安全
克切拉团体在此特别感谢以下的热心赞助和鼎力支持这项活动的商家、单位和人士：
- KLH Hardware & Machinery Trading 赞助手推车、铲子、耙子、面罩、手套和垃圾袋。KLH 五金店是克切拉禅修林建筑材料的主要供应商
- Restoran & Kafe Tawakal 赞助参与者食物和饮用水。Tawakal 餐厅是文冬镇上其中一间供应美味清真食品的餐厅
- 文冬市议会提供一台卡车
- Alam Flora 提供挖土机和卡车各一台
- 彭亨森林局 赞助30颗树木美化环境
- Simon Lee 是克切拉禅修林的其中一位承包商，赞助大会帐篷、桌椅和音响租借费用
- Kent Liew 是克切拉禅修林的另一位承包商，协助向CTM Machinery 免费租借挖土机，以及Pam Kim Fatt免费借用卡车
- Eddie Loke 是克切拉禅修林电气承包商，免费借出他的卡车
The wonderful volunteers who spent their holiday cleaning up the environment / Sukarelawan yang menghabiskan cuti mereka membersihkan persekitaran / 这些志愿人士善用本身的时间在利益社区，乘着公共假期投入社区服务工作
A big thank you to KLH Hardware’s kind sponsorship of wheelbarrows which made rubbish collection so much easier / Ribuan terima kasih kepada KLH Hardware atas sumbangan kereta tolak yang membolehkan pengutipan sampah sarap dengan lebih mudah / 我们非常感谢KLH五金店慷慨赞助手推车，让垃圾收集工作更便利顺畅
It’s never too early to learn how to serve the community / Tidak kira umur, kanak-kanak juga boleh belajar melibatkan diri dalam kegiatan masyarakat / 投入社区服务永远不嫌早
The backhoe made collecting huge piles of rubbish a breeze! / Sumbangan kegunaan pengorek-kaut ini meringankan kerja-kerja mengutip longgokan sampah yang besar! / 挖土机在清除大型垃圾方面帮了大忙
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https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GotongRoyong2016.mp4
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Thank you Rinpoche, sponsors and the support team in making this a success for the activity. This activity created opportunity for those who practiced teamwork and worked in harmony with others in order to raise awareness of a clean environment and prevent Zika virus caused by mosquito bites.
Hope this activity will continue to be held on a regular basis for the benefit of many others.
Gotong Royong is something not so commonly heard like yesteryears, it is a coming together of the community to do something that benefits the community as a whole. It is an elevation of one’s consciousness, and it does take a more enlightened state of mind, to see that the community is much more important and essential than the individual.
As not everyone who participated in this activity, got direct benefit from this exercise. But there is an indirect benefit that, by benefitting others, they are in fact benefitting themselves. increasingly more and more thinkers of the day are thinking that the happiness of others, do in fact affect our own happiness, it is like we are all invisibly interconnected to one another like the movie Matrix. The happiness of one, affects and increases the happiness of the whole, and the unhappiness of one affects also the whole.
The only way forward, if we are going to improve the quality of the environment, is to get everybody involved. but it is also creating a cause for a cleaner place. We just need someone to start and create awareness as Rinpoche do more people will become aware and will actively work towards a cleaner environment . Great to see smile on their face…
Big thank you and rejoice to Yang Dipertua (YDP) Majlis Perbandaran Bentong, Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail, the organizing committee, Kechara Pastors, Kechara staff and all the volunteers who had spent the holiday in clearing up the rubbish along the Jalan Chamang in Bentong, Pahang.
A clean and mosquito-free environment is very important for all walks of life as polluted environments can cause serious epidemic virus or bacteria to grow and spread within the vicinity of the area.
Hopefully, there will be more and more people recognizing the importance of a clean environment by not simply throwing the rubbish at the roadside at their convenience but applying awareness of not polluting the environment by owning the self-responsibility, protect and preserve the Mother nature for our future generations. Prevention is always easier than cure.
Thank you with folded hands,
kin hoe
Spending holiday in doing cleaning is something meaningful. Kechara Organisation not only having a Retreat center in Chamang, Bentong to heal people but by organizing this activity, it brought awareness to many that it is important to keep the environment clean.
YDP Mohammad Shahid bin Ismail even took his leisure time out and work together with Kechara to clean the environment. His attitude impress many others and i believe, Bentong will have a clean space
Environment is not our big rubbish bin that we conveniently throw our rubbish into it and polluted the environment. With the new virus – Zika, the awareness towards our environment should be more alert. By simply throwing the rubbish, we are creating a karma to have dirty environment.
Love our mother earth, as this is the only habitat we have.
It is really heartwarming to see Malaysian come together as a community and discard the label of race or religion for the purpose of greater good. This is the teachings of all religions. To keep the environment that we live in clean and beautiful is our responsibility. Thank you Rinpoche and Kechara for creating this opportunity for us to give back to the society and be a good citizen of Malaysia.
I remember when I was present for last years cleaning day. It was really an experience to remember. I remember going to places other people would not even think of going, pulling out huge and yucky bags of rubbish and dumping it onto a dump truck. I felt good. Good that I was doing something for not only the town of Bentong, but for mother nature.
I am happy to see that this cleaning up is becoming a consistent thing in Bentong. Kecharians must set an example for the locals in Bentong. They must show that litter and pollution is wrong and needs to be corrected. If this occasion is repeated yearly, I am sure that more and more people will become aware of this.
Thank you to all who participated in this combined effort to clean Chamang Road in Bentong, it is heartening to know that all were truly focused on this task of making Bentong a more cleaner town.
These auspicious events were attended by the head of the local municipal council and also the forestry department speaks volumes of the recognition that they have on Kechara. The contribution by the local contractors providing their machineries for the cleanup must also be congratulated for their kind thoughts and efforts.
This humbleness shown by the respective local government departments, contractors and Kecharians working in unison to do the cleanup is something Kecharians can be proud of and hopefully we pray for many more wonderful happenings in the near future. This personal association and blending with the local authorities and the Bentong residents will make it easier for us to introduce Tibetan Buddhism to them.
Rejoice for everyone who took part in this gotong-royong event. How wonderful to see Kecharians working with the volunteers and the local municipal officials to clean up the road to Chamang Waterfalls, an attraction with many visitors. Our Guru, H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche had always promoted environmental preservation for our future and the future of our generations to come. This is a fulfilment of his vision in the nicest possible way as everyone works together in willing harmony. Kudos everyone!
这是克切拉禅修林与文冬当地政府部门连续第二年在马来西亚日当天进行Gotong Royong清理暹猛路。不少克切拉的职工、义工、政府部门员工都在这个假日参与这个有意义的活动。
暹猛路是克切拉禅修林的所在地， 也是通往文冬暹猛情人瀑布的唯一道路， 在假日都有不少游客前往这些地方参观。 通过清洁暹猛路可以让来这里旅游的游客对于文冬有更好的印象。
希望明年我们还可以再继续主办这个有意义的活动。
谢谢
As Buddhists, we learn that we are interdependent, humans, animals, the environment and all beings therein. It is important to create harmony and taking care of the environment is the responsible thing to do. After all, we need a clean conducive environment for our sustenance. It might be not a global effort, but cleaning out your own back yard and beyond, is a small but good start and does make a difference. We should never feel that our efforts are too small to make an impact.
It is very important to keep our environment and community clean and safe to live in. In Kechara we believe everyone is inter-dependent, thus it is important to respect each other, to respect our environment. By having activity like this, we are create awareness to the public the importance of keeping our environment clean and the responsibility we each have towards the betterment of our society.
Thank you! Terima Kasih! “Nandri”! 谢谢!
To every body who contributed & make this meaningful event happened again.
Sad to say, in fact, they are always people who love to left “marks” wherever they go and kind hearted people like you guys would spend your precious energy and time to take care of the environment and wipe off those unwanted “marks”.
We all have responsibility to take care of the mother nature because we all share the same Earth! We would able to spend our time and energy to do something else which are more significant, if everyone do their own small part. Etc., to dispose rubbish into the rubbish bins.
It seem like it’s a little too difficult for everyone to do so, because we are a little bit too selfish and a little bit too lazy. However, for instance, when people dump rubbish around where we are living, we would not delay to make complaints and curse people who dumped. When we do not care about the others, why should the others care about us?
I’ve no idea, what can be done to change people mind, so that we will not be so selfish and damage the Earth any further. I could only think of doing my own part and join great people to take care of the sake of our home, so that the mother nature knows there are still people who love her.
Much appreciations from me to those heros and heroines who really care about our home!
It is great effort in participating a Gotong Royong with the local government. We as a part of the community must always work together towards a cleaner environment hand in hand with the local authority.
It is not only the authority’s responsibility to care for the environment but the whole community. Hope this activity will bring more awareness to be responsible of our action, love our community and environment.
Kudos…to those who made the cleaning up of Jalan Chamang, Bentong, a successful comunity event.When we have a cleaner environment ,more people and tourist will visit the famous waterfall, KFR and the Bentong town as well.At the same time to keep the place away from mosquitoes breeding further,As spiritual seekers its wonderful to work with other local departments in caring and giving our service to the local community and to protect our environment.May those who had sponsored tools etc and to those who are involved in the cleaning up be blessed.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article.
It was a great effort by all to sponsor and participate in this gotong royong. Not only does it , at least temporarily cleans up the environment, it also raises awareness of a clean environment and that all should refrain from simply flinging rubbish out their vehicle window.
It may seem a small step, but it is also creating a cause for a cleaner environment. Over time, more people will become aware and will actively work towards a cleaner Bentong – for a cleaner environment free of mosquitoes.
Thank you for sharing this article as I’m sure it is a way of raising awareness.