Balancing political statements with your charity's mission on social media can be tricky. Here are several factors to consider when deciding whether to continue posting political content:

### 1. **Mission Focus**

   - **Clarity and Consistency:** Focusing on your charity’s mission helps maintain a clear and consistent message. It ensures your audience understands your primary goals and isn’t distracted or alienated by unrelated political opinions.

### 2. **Audience Engagement**

   - **Donor Diversity:** Your donors likely have a range of political beliefs. Posting political content could alienate a segment of your supporters, potentially reducing donations and engagement.

   - **Community Trust:** Building trust with your community involves demonstrating reliability and neutrality, primarily if your mission serves diverse groups.

### 3. **Legal and Ethical Considerations**

   - **Nonprofit Regulations:** Many countries regulate political activities by nonprofits. For example, in the U.S., 501(c)(3) organisations are restricted from engaging in political campaigning and can risk their tax-exempt status.

### 4. **Brand Image**

   - **Professionalism:** Maintaining a professional image can be crucial for credibility. Political posts may be viewed as unprofessional or divisive, detracting from the charity’s core activities.

   - **Public Perception:** People may perceive the charity as biased or having a hidden agenda, which could impact overall support and participation.

### 5. **Strategic Communication**

   - **Message Alignment:** Ensure all communication aligns with the charity’s goals and values. If political statements align directly with the mission (e.g., advocating for policy changes that support your cause), they may be appropriate.

   - **Engagement Strategy:** Focus on content that highlights success stories, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and the impact of donations. Positive and mission-centric content typically generates more engagement and support.

### 6. **Risk Management**

   - **Crisis Management:** Consider the potential backlash and have a plan to address any adverse reactions. Being prepared can help mitigate damage to your charity’s reputation.

   - **Conflict Avoidance:** Staying away from political discourse can help avoid unnecessary conflicts and maintain a harmonious online community.

### Conclusion

While political statements can sometimes be relevant to a charity's mission, it's often more practical to concentrate on content that directly promotes your cause. Highlighting the positive impact of your work, sharing stories from those you help, and providing transparent updates on how donations are used can build more robust, more inclusive support.

In summary, focusing on your charity’s core activities and mission is usually the best approach to maintaining a supportive and engaged community, maximising donations, and avoiding unnecessary conflict

Registering RoS

Deciding whether to remain self-reliant or join established donation platforms and register with government bodies depends on several factors. Here are some points to consider for both options:

####Staying Self-Reliant

**Pros:**

1. **Autonomy:** You have complete control over the charity's operations, including decision-making processes and how funds are used.

2. **Flexibility:** Being unregistered allows you to adapt quickly without the need to comply with regulatory requirements.

3. **Lower Administrative Burden:** You avoid the paperwork and reporting obligations required by government bodies and formal donation platforms.

4. **Direct Relationship with Donors:** You maintain a personal connection with your donors, which can enhance trust and loyalty.

**Cons:**

1. **Limited Funding:** Without access to more extensive, structured donation platforms, your funding sources might be more limited.

2. **Credibility:** Potential donors might hesitate to contribute to an unregistered organisation, limiting your reach and impact.

3. **Sustainability:** Depending solely on personal funds and informal donations might not be sustainable in the long term.

4. **Legal Risks:** Operating without formal registration can expose you to legal risks, especially if there are specific regulations governing charitable activities in your region.

### Joining Established Platforms and Registering

**Pros:**

1. **Increased Funding Opportunities:** Registration and joining platforms like sokong.org can open access to a broader range of donors, grants, and other funding opportunities.

2. **Credibility and Trust:** Being a registered entity enhances your legitimacy and trustworthiness in the eyes of potential donors and beneficiaries.

3. **Support and Resources:** Established platforms often provide resources, training, and support to help you run your charity more effectively.

4. **Long-term Sustainability:** With increased funding and resources, your charity will likely sustain and expand its operations.

**Cons:**

1. **Administrative Burden:** Registration involves paperwork, adherence to regulations, and ongoing reporting requirements, which can be time-consuming.

2. **Less Flexibility:** Complying with regulatory requirements and platform policies can limit your flexibility in how you run your operations.

3. **Costs:** There may be costs associated with registration and using donation platforms, which can eat into your funds.

4. **Potential Loss of Personal Touch:** As you grow and formalise operations, you might lose some personal connection with donors and beneficiaries.

### Considerations for Decision-Making

- **Scale of Operations:** If your charity is small and manageable with personal funds and local donations, staying self-reliant might be feasible. However, if you aim to expand, joining established platforms and registering might be necessary.

- **Long-term Goals:** Consider your vision for the future. If you plan to grow and reach more people, formalising your operations can provide the necessary infrastructure and credibility.

- **Regulatory Environment:** Understand the legal requirements in your region. Operating unregistered might expose you to legal risks, so it's crucial to weigh these factors.

- **Resource Availability:** Assess whether you can handle the additional administrative burden of registration and joining donation platforms.

### Next Steps

If you decide to pursue formal registration and join donation platforms, here are some steps to follow:

1. **Research Requirements:** Understand the legal requirements for registering a charity in your region.

2. **Seek Advice:** Consult with other registered charities or legal experts to navigate the registration process.

3. **Evaluate Platforms:** Compare different donation platforms to find one that aligns with your goals and offers the best support.

4. **Plan for Transition:** Develop a plan to manage the transition from self-reliance to a more formal structure, including training for your team and communication with your donors.

Ultimately, the decision should align with your charity's goals, capacity, and long-term vision.

Johor's Social Hero Foundation gets muddy with mangrove replanting.

On 19 May 2024, at Kampung Pendas Laut, Johor's Social Hero Foundation (SHF) organised a mangrove tree planting event today at Kampung Pendas Laut in Gelang Patah.

Forty participants got into their wellies to plant saplings from two types of local mangrove trees: the 'Api Api' and Minyak varieties.

The participants included students from the local school, SK Pendas Laut, the State's Forestry department, the local youth club, representatives from the Tenaga Nasional Berhad association called Pelitawanis, students from the University of Reading, and other volunteers.

Staff from the Forestry Department were on hand to demonstrate the correct way of digging into the soggy marsh to safely plant the saplings without damaging them. 

Quizzes for kids

Before getting into the mud, Social Hero Foundation Programme Director Ms Farrah Baptist quizzed the 10—to 12-year-old students about the importance of mangrove forests to determine whether they understood the significance of preserving the mangrove forests in their area. 

Many were aware because their parents are coastal fishers who have imparted their knowledge of mangrove forests to them. 

"Apart from the fact that the mangrove is where fish spawn, the trees are vital to capture carbon in the air, and this will help alleviate the effects of global warming affecting us all," Farrah explained to them.

 

"These trees you are planting today will take ten, 20 years to mature, and they will play their part in the fight against global warming. Even though you won't feel the effects, your children will; you are planting these trees for your children," she reiterated.

Farrah said in the briefing to the students, " Global warming is being felt all around. There are floods in areas of Johor that have never experienced flooding before, and your parents are returning with fewer fish and prawns.

"And you feel the heat every day, right?" she asked, receiving a raucous response. 

When asked what they should do to help against global warming, with some hesitation and coaxing from Farrah,  they listed proper rubbish disposal, conserving water and electricity usage, carpooling with parents, and cycling to school.

They have been briefed about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in school, and it took a little encouragement for them to voice what they know of it.

Artisanal Fishers Hard Hit by Global Warming

Kampung Pendas and the other villages along the rural stretch of Jalan Tanjung Kupang are traditionally fishing communities. Despite the monstrosity of Forest City, the development of which had disrupted the ecology of that part of the Straits, and the dangers of laying their nets at the mouth of Sungai Pulai, once a rich fishing spot for fishers but now denied them because of the ships that use the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, coastal fishing continues to be the livelihood of the people in the 10 villages of Tanjung Kupang.  

These coastal fishers have felt the effects of climate change to the extent that they admit they can no longer predict tidal flows, which affects their ability to bring in the daily catch. 

Coupled with coastal developments along the coastline of the Straits of Johor, such as Forest City, the livelihood of fishers has depreciated to an alarming level. 

A quick look at the fish mongers operated by fisher families of the village met with a diverse quantity of fish; some had plenty while others had not so many to sell.

The claim is that those who had little to sell relied solely on what their family members brought from the waters and rivers of the Straits, while those who had plenty brought items from other markets and grouped them together with their catch. 

Seventy-Four saplings for Kampung Pendas Laut

Seventy-four saplings from the Bakau Minyak and Bakau Api-Api varieties were planted in the village, which was procured from Kelab Alami, a social enterprise initiative made up of local young people that monitors the health of the Tanjung Kupang coastline.  (Read about Kelab Alami here: https://bit.ly/4dJSXWh).

This is the inaugural tree-planting event by SHF, a non-profit organisation based in Johor, "established to sustainably carry out charitable activities, promote national unity, and implement racially integrated programmes." 

The Foundation also raises funds to ensure the initiative's sustainability and continuity and fully subscribes to and promotes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

 

Kg Bakar Batu; another village facing extinction

Johor Bahru, March 10, 2016: The residents of Kampung Bakar Batu, Perling Johor Bahru have demanded that they be treated fairly by the State government and the property developer who now owns the property that the village sits on. Speaking at a press conference organized to highlight their plight, village spokesman Norman Abdul Hamid said that there have been no discussions between the State government, the developer and the village working committee (JKK).

“The only people we have met have been the lawyers acting for the developer, Nodedua Sdn Bhd and there wasn’t any discussion, only them telling us ‘their instructions’,” Norman said.

Norman and the 70 residents who attended the press conference expressed dismay at the previous JKK and its chairman who they accused of letting them down by not having any discussions with the villagers on the proposals by the developer.

Norman Abdul Hamid

“All of a sudden, in early October last year, we were presented with an undertaking letter (Aku Janji) to vacate our homes of over 50 years for a miserly compensation of RM15,000 and to move to low-cost rented flats.

Of the 150 families living in Kampung Bakar Batu Perling, 18 have accepted the compensation and they have moved out to rented low-cost flats also in the Perling area.

The 65-acre property is a piece of land that juts out into the Straits of Johor, flanked by two rivers, Sungai Skudai and Sungai Danga that flows into the Straits.

Being in close proximity to high-value developments such as Danga Bay, any development promises to be of similar high value for wealthy foreigners and locals. Kampung Bakar Baru sits on the irrigation and drainage reserve of this spit of land and in reality falls under the country’s Irrigation and Drainage Department.

 “This is one reason why our applications for temporary occupation have failed, but they seemed to have sold the reserve to the developer,” Norman said.

Norman and a few of the residents who spoke at the press conference reiterated that they were not against development, but they wanted to meet with the developer and State government representatives to discuss the way forward.

“The RM15,000 cash and relocation to rented flats are not fair compensations,” said Norman. He explained that more than half the heads of families here are full time coastal fishermen.

“Where are they going to moor their fishing boats? “There are two households who live solely on boat building and repair; where are they going to do this specialized work?” asked Norman. The JKK have submitted proposals to the Johor Palace, State government agencies and the Menteri Besar.

Villagers who accepted the RM15,000 compensation have moved to rented flats, leaving their houses in ruins, becoming potential mosquito breeding grounds

Amongst the suggestions put forward in the proposals was upgrading the village with better infrastructure, build replicas of traditional Johor houses, thus turning it into a ‘living’ museum. They propose that they live in these houses and help run the living museum.

“Some of us have ancestors who lived here when the Orang Asli were still living on their boats and that island across was their open burial ground,” said Norman, pointing to a once mangrove island, now turned into land lots for their buyers to build luxury homes.

Another proposal is for compensation of RM150,000 and a medium cost home per remaining family at a suitable location where fishermen and boat builders can still carry out their vocation.

The Orang Asli Seletar were allotted a reserve of about 14 acres within Kampung Bakar Batu with another two acres as their traditional burial grounds. “So I think we are deserving of more than RM15,000 and a rented flat,” Norman added. One of the properties that they have identified for relocation is just adjacent to the Orang Asli settlement of about nine-and-a-half acres.

Also present at the press conference was Cheo Yee How, the state assemblyperson for Pengkalan Rinting who promised to bring up their plight in the next State Assembly sitting. The village falls under his State constituency.

Somewhere in Tanjung Kupang

Country’s first international drone race takes off

Malaysia’s first international drone race took off to a flying start with 31 competitors from three countries racing to compete for RM32,000 worth of attractive prizes for the three categories.

The racers had to race through a 160-metre tight, twisting circuit, negotiating four air-gates and four air-flags in groups of three per class heat.

Air-gates are domes installed on the ground of about five feet high and10 feet wide and the drones have to go under these, while air flags are flag poles marking the turning points of the circuit.

“The racers are divided into three categories based on the airframe size of the drones.

“So they are the 250, 330 and 450 categories with the 250 class being the top category,” explained Hamdi Hamdan the race director.

“The racers go through qualifying time trials and then they compete in the finals and the championship,” Hamdi added.

They race five laps of the circuit, three or four at a time.

Hamdi Hamdan

The race is under the US-based Aerial Grand Prix franchise and is organized here under the Drone Malaysia association.

Hamdi explained that these types of drones are put together by enthusiasts.

The enthusiasts he said would buy the airframes, motors, propellers, flight controllers, ‘first person view’ cameras and monitors, video transmitters and receivers and whole bunch of stuff and they put all these together to build a racing drone.

(Learn abouthow to build a racing drone)

However, he wasn’t quite happy with the number of competitors.

“Considering the number of enthusiasts for these type of drones around the country, the number of competitors for this first race, was disappointing,” he said.

“We also didn’t get much support from local businesses like the distributors and retailers of components and systems,” Hamdi added.

“Maybe they adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude,” he said.

Hamdi however expressed gratitude to component distributors from Singapore who sponsored free parts such as propellers and other items for the competitors.

The races were given one day to practice on September 26^th while the race proper was  held on a haze-enveloped sky on September 27^th, but that didn’t cloud the enthusiasm of the competitors.



This inaugural race was held at a Universiti Malaya field but Hamdi is intending to have next year’s race in a covered location incase of inclement weather.

“We have a longer time-frame to organize next year’s event and we hope for more local and regional participants,” Hamdi said.

In the meantime, he and his team hope to organize races around the country and aim to put together a national drone-racing league.

Present at the event was drone NGO, Malaysia Unmanned Drones Activist Society or MUDAS.
MUDAS is in the forefront to promote safe drone flying ever since aerial footage of airliners landing at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport shocked the nation.

Haidar Abu Bakar

“We’re working with the authorities to put together a framework to promote responsible and safe operation of drones, particularly for those who operate them as a hobby for photography and videography,” said Haidar Abu Bakar of MUDAS.

“The racing hobbyists here are OK; they don’t fly high, they practice and complete away from the public, but it’s the guys who buy drones fitted with cameras like the popular Phantom series of quadcopters that we are worried about,” Haidar added.

“They have to be made aware of the existing regulations, such as flying below 400 feet, not to fly above crowds and heavy traffic and away from tall buildings and no-fly zones,” he added.

“All too often these commonsense guidelines are ignored and it’s important to have some measure of regulation to prevent untoward incidents and accidents,” he said.

Taking top prize for the inaugural race was Worassorn Subsri from Thailand who competed in the main 250 class.

Worassorn Subsri

“This is my first ever drone race; I’ve never even competed in any local race in Thailand, so I am surprised and happy,” said the 35-year-old who took up the hobby just six months ago although he was flying RC helicopters before then.

He came away with the coveted DJI Phantom S900, a six-rotor drone capable of carrying a payload of 8.2kg. What this means is that it can carry high-end cameras such as the Panasonic Lumix GH4.

Just the frame itself costs RM6,000.00.

“Drone racing is getting to be a popular sport around the world and our ambition is to organise an Asian championship one day,” Hamdi said.

Johor is GHB's frontline state

GHB with Johor Opposition leaders

“Johor will be the frontline state with Melaka and Negeri Sembilan as anchor states for Gerakan Harapan Baru going forward towards the 14^th general elections,” said the movement’s secretary Dr Dzulkely Ahmad. 

Met at GHB’s Johor open house here at Taman Universiti yesterday, the former Kuala Selangor MP said that they had not expected such overwhelming support in the locations where they had held their roadshows.

“Last night we were in a small village in Pontian called Ayer Baloi and there were quite a few hundred people listening to us,” he said.

Together with him at Ayer Baloi were GHB’s top leadership including former PAS deputy president and now GHB chairman, Mohamad Sabu, Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, PAS lawyer Hanipah Maidin, Suhaizan Kaiyat, Dr Hatta Ramli and others. Also in attendance was DAP supremo, Lim Kit Siang and PKR Johor chief Hassan Karim with their respective leaders and supporters.

“We feel the silent majority wants to have their say in light of all the controversies such as 1MDB, the questionable RM2.6 billion that was in the Prime Minister’s account that has yet to be satisfactorily explained by the PM himself, the depreciating currency and many other issues that has left ordinary people in despair,” he said.

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, GHB Secretary

“But we are not unfamiliar faces so we have the Pas people coming to meet and listen to us and we have youths who are new to politics and who’ve taken an interest in the backdrop of the crisis that the country is facing; and this crisis is hurting them,” Dr Dzulkefly added.

“There is a good mix of races, ages and income levels; from the rural to the urban that are interested and hopefully they’ll see us as a shot in the arm,” he added.

“We are however disappointed that PAS has chosen to criticize us harshly, using words like ‘barua’ (slave) of DAP which is uncalled for.

“We are moving ahead with the policies that were agreed to by PAS itself in the Pakatan coalition and which they reversed at the last muktamar.

“PAS needs to be more mature in its politics, and not emulate Umno in its level of attacks,” he added.

“Islam is still our clarion call; an Islam that is universal, that is inclusive, that believes in justice for all, that is fair, regardless of race and religion,” he said.

The open house also saw the introduction of the Johor Gerakan Harapan Baru committee headed by its chairman, YB Hj Aminolhuda Hassan Assemblyman for Parit Yaani aided by three deputies, Dzulkifli Ahmad, Mazlan Aliman who is also president of Persatuan Anak Peneroka Felda Kebangsaan (ANAK) and former PAS youth chief Suhaizan Kayat.

Newly minted GHB Johor president said that although it’s too early to gauge the level of support, but there is certainly an increase in awareness of GHB in areas where they have had their roadshows.

“Last night we were in Pontian and for a small village to come out to hear us was encouraging,” he said. 

Gerakan Harapan Baru’s chairman Mohamad Sabu, popularly referred to as Mat Sabu said that the political situation in Johor has changed significantly.

“Since the 2008 and 2013 general elections, Johor is no longer the bastion of Umno and Barisan Nasional,” he said when met at the sidelines of the Gerakan Harapan Baru Hari Raya Open House.

“There is a change in the mindet of Johor’s youths who are working in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and elsewhere and because of this, Johor has great potential for the new Pakatan Rakyat together with GHB to win more seats at the next general election when compared with other states,” Mohamad Sabu said.

“Coupled with the political turmoil surrounding the removal of the deputy Umno president and former deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, we feel that Johor is ready for change, but there must be a Pakatan Rakyat as no party will be able to affect change in the state without this coalition,” he added.