National Camp 2010 Final Statement

Declaration of faith in Action National Camp (NC 2010)
“Discipleship Empowered By GOD’s Word For Mission:
Building A Future Of Hope For Malaysia”
Pace Bene FSIC Centre, Papar, Sabah.
Malaysia, 10th – 25th May, 2010.


Thirty-two tertiary students from various institutes in Malaysia and a representative of International Movement of Catholic Students Asia Pacific (IMCS AP) gathered as one in Pace Bene FSIC Centre, Papar, Sabah, from 10th to 25th May, 2010 to participate in the National Camp, 2010, with the theme “Discipleship Empowered By GOD’s Word For Mission: Building A Future Of Hope For Malaysia”. This is the second National Camp organized under the aegis of the Malaysian Catholic Student Council (MCSC) with the collaboration with Campus Ministry Office, Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu and Diocese of Keningau.

This camp offer information exchange on personal development growth, human development, social justice issue, globalization, and spiritual development. For our exposure, we were divided into three groups and have been assigned to go to three sites in Keningau, which are Oil Palm Estates, Rubber Estates, and residence of the undocumented foreign workers (Timorese).


1. As students, we encountered the following realities and issues:

Personal Development
• Deeper knowledge about marginalization at the global context is essential.

Political Issue
• The questionable governance of Malaysia.
• Clear implication caused by power abuse by politicians’ - POVERTY.
• Political suppression towards the society which has tarnished human rights.

Globalisation
• Monopoly by certain individuals causes a variety of social ‘illnesses’, repressive laws and economic imbalances.
• Contradiction between the application of humanity and sustainable development.

Native Customary Rights
• Indigenous people are facing great deprivation caused by irresponsible authorities and leads to impoverishment at both local and global level.
• Lack of Human Rights education for the indigenous people and non compliance of United Nation Declaration of Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP).

Spiritual Value
• Linkage failure between the teaching of Christian values and its practise in social reality.

2. Throughout the camp, we have experienced/ aware that:

• Physical, emotion, socio-economic, spirituality, intellectual and culture (JESRIB-Jasmani, Emosi, Sosio-Ekonomi, Rohani, Intelek, Budaya) consciousness is crucial in forming a critical view in social justice issue and self development.

• The situation whereby millions of indigenous people, labours, women, children and youth been marginalized caused by the self-centred politics, inequality in distribution of economics, through denial of their basic needs, human dignity and rights.

• Current globalisation as a complete contradiction to be Christ-like communities and contribute to unfairness, inequality and imbalance model of society.

• Our faith as the foundation of spiritual enrichment and empowerment to fight against the injustice in society.


3. Therefore as Catholic Students, we should carry out the following:

• We have to build and achieve our own critical mass to pursue huge numbers of students in order to influence social awareness and the actions that can implement constructive change in our church, country and the world.

• Stand firm on our feet, as faith is the foundation of beliefs and values on what is right and wrong. To do this we will have to carry out screening and filtering the information that we perceive from globalisation, and there after use it as an instrument for positive social transformation.

• Protect students’ rights towards the freedom of religion and expression by inculcating alertness to the student communities regarding the consequences of converting to other religions; we should also become the voice of people through inter-religious dialogue, conferences, forums, and various method.

• As main actors, we should break the taboo of discrimination in religion and culture; attempt to gather one voice towards social injustice by respecting each other through activities conducted.

• To prevent being unconsciously influenced by globalisation, by raising our cultural understanding and to respond together as international society by engaging with each other, continuously using critical thinking based on the Catholic Social Teaching and Human Rights standards.

• To evoke humanity, sensibility for human beings (beyond individual justification, extend to other people’s justification) shall promote community events or organizing exposure programs with the marginalized.

• Exchange information to perceive general problems based on our faith, through finding and adapting solutions among each campus organization and other national movements. Have constant networking with various NGOs for concrete actions when we face problems which occur in different sectors and keep in touch with the marginalized for the latest update.

• Create the integration of community by prioritizing faith as the centre of every action and plan made-implying Jesus Christ as our Role Model and Gospel Values as our spiritual guidance.


4. We demand from the Malaysian Government to:
• Provide education and other basic needs to the indigenous people, migrants and other marginalised groups as a fundamental rights
• Encourage genuine corporate social responsibility in local and multinational companies.
• Educate government officials to improve their professional governance, ethics and personal development.


5. We appeal to our Churches to:
• Walk forward with faith in action to bring transformation in the society and also in our country.
• Voice out their prophetic voice loud and clearly.
• Promote and mainstream the Catholic Social Teaching and other relevant church documents.


In conclusion, we challenge ourselves to be more critical and progressive Catholics and empower ourselves to leap a big step ahead; towards social transformation for a better realisation of democracy in our country. We should always be united to overcome impoverishment, social injustice and constant analysis towards the issues together looking at wider perspectives.




Proposed Thematic and Programmatic Coordination Council Level
Coordinating

Council Themes Programs
Kuching Culture of death KAYA, Singai Camp
Globalization JUSTICE AND GLOBALIZATION ICC,KYCS

Kota Kinabalu Native Customary Rights
Educate People and Follow ups
HIV and AIDS/Abortion Exhibition Concert

Melaka Johor Charity MJ Student Voluntary Group(SVG)
Collaborate with Civil Society
Environment Justice Recycling Project(collection,
study methods and good practice)
Soil management

Penang Human Rights
Catholic Social Teachings PCCG
PCC Exco Camp
Mass (Media )Distribution
Form Committee to develop
content/module


Proposed Theme for State Camp

Camp Theme
Sabah: Youth Building and Leadership on Human Rights Awareness
Sarawak: Culture of Death
Semenanjung: Human rights + Scripture ,Sacraments and Social Teachings (HR +SSS)


Themes for Malaysian Catholic Student Council
1. Catholic Social Teachings
2. Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC),CCC,Catholic Social Teaching (CST),Vatican 2
3. Catholic Social Teaching (CST)


This statement is endorsed by Malaysian Catholic Students' Council (MCSC) at MCSC V Meeting on the 26 May 2010.