Thoughts on Poverty

La di la di dum dum. Dum dum.

I'm at work, as usual. Now actively seeking ways to change this situation. :) Plan is in motion, hope it works out well and for the better.

I can't fathom though why it is so difficult to raise even half of the requirements for food and medicine for the Sudanese fleeing the violence in Dafur, a country now torn apart by strife. What's with the world today? Oil prices are at US$45 per barrel, I'm sure there are many oil rich countries that can help. I'm sure most countries consume too much as well. Simplistic point of view : Why can't they channel some to those in need? Does that make me a leftist? I think that makes me human.

We have limited resources, there's only so much we can use. If we use more, someone else will be deprived. Simple math.

And we should really worry about the growing gap between the rich and the poor in our own backyard. What we have is a lack of concerted effort and political determination/will to actively pursue poverty eradication. There is also the heavy bureaucratic machinery. For example, a person below 30 even if he has a family cannot be considered for the housing programme (low cost wooden houses for rural areas), regardless of his/her income level and number of dependents. It has been pointed numerous times as well, that the ceiling of RM 500 as the poverty line is idiculously low. I have always been amazed at how any family can live with RM 1500 and below ( RM 2000 imho if urban). They must do it with much deprivation. Which is wrong, wrong, wrong.

What can we do? Lets discuss that some other time.

I need to get out of the slave house now :P