“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results”
– Milton Friedman (1912-2006), recipient of the 1976 Nobel Prize for Economic Science.
LAST Wednesday was quite an ordinary evening until my family and I decided to dine at the Kuriya Japanese restaurant in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. The place is well known for its ambiance and authentic taste.
As we sat ourselves amidst the warm lighting and soft murmur of conversations, our table was soon filled with a variety of dishes: maki rolls, dragon rolls, fresh sashimi and tempura. However, as the meal progressed, the atmosphere subtly shifted from cheerful to one of contemplation.
My wife, always one to keep up with current health events, broke the comfortable silence.
“Have you heard? Some people are being really cautious about Japanese food lately.”
Our children, engrossed in their meals, looked up, their faces etched with confusion. I paused, chopsticks in hand, wondering where this was headed.
Before I could gather my thoughts, she continued, referencing concerns surrounding possibly tainted Japanese seafood. My mind raced to those humorous viral videos where youngsters made fun of sushi eating practices. “Those pranksters have already been dealt with by the authorities,” I interjected.
She waved her hand dismissively, “No, not that. I’m referring to the recent developments in Fukushima.”
Ah, that made sense now. She was talking about the decision by Japan to release a million tonnes of treated water from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean on Aug 24. This is like filling 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
Predictably, the decision was met with resistance, particularly from neighbouring countries. I recalled reading about China’s decision to halt imports of Japanese seafood, which sent ripples through the culinary worlds of Beijing and Hong Kong.
Then I took a sip from my drink, thinking about the morning meeting with my colleagues from G. Sachs. We had talked about this issue, and many others.
“Why is China so quick to question Japan?” I wondered aloud.
Especially when China’s Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station, which is very close to Hong Kong, releases more tritium than the water from Fukushima.
“It’s just silly politics,” my eldest commented, showing she understands these issues better than I thought. True, it’s easy to play the blame game when it helps your image, especially against a longtime rival.
South Korea, on the other hand, deserves praise. At first, the country had doubts, but they trusted the decision once the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supported Japan. Obviously, spreading fear without real facts can sometimes be worse than the thing people are scared of.
Without going into too much detail, it’s enough to note the IAEA’s findings were clear: the release adheres to international safety standards, with only a small radiological effect.
To simplify for children, I joked, “So, no, this water won’t turn you into the next Marvel character.”
Midway through our meal, our conversation shifted towards a more local concern.
Malaysia has seen a concerning rise in food prices recently. Every piece of news highlighting food scarcity, Madani circus and the ever-so-“bloated” agricultural subsidies that are choking the very essence of capitalism adds to the unease.
Instead of giving in to worry, many say, “Let’s get those cookies on discount!” or “Maybe I should try planting some kangkung behind our house.”
If you think about it, that’s profoundly human. We might not be able to fly to Scandinavian countries for carbon emissions lessons or develop drought-resistant crops, but we do what we can in our balcony garden or mastering the art of food preservation, there’s always something we can do.
By the way, I recalled a 2016 report by “The Lancet” that linked climate change to potential food crises. Predictions were grim, suggesting half a million people might meet their Creator annually by 2050 due to food shortages, with Asia being the hardest hit.
I may not be an expert on climate, but when I reviewed the report back then, some figures just didn’t add up. In my response, I pointed out a few details they might have overlooked or oversimplified.
Life is about making choices and finding balance. If our country makes more money, we can produce more food. But more growth could also mean changes in the weather, which can affect how much food we grow. So, it’s not all bad news, you see. We won’t have less food in the future; we might just not grow as much as we thought. That’s a big difference, right?
Unfortunately people talk about ‘climate change’ as if it’s the only thing that matters, but what if it’s not even true at all? We shouldn’t get too caught up in it.
Back to our sushi dinner — given these concerns, should we even be still eating it?
With a teasing smile, I said to her, “Perhaps a dab of wasabi is all the safety check we need.”
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
