Agora

Give me some space. Give me just some space where I can spend my Saturday afternoons, a retreat from the sterile, air-conditioned corridors of those shopping malls. Give me just some space where I can enjoy a picnic with my friends. Give me just some space where I can be sheltered from the scorching sun. Give me just some space with trees, green grass, benches and pebbles, to watch others play softball or throw a frisbee. Give me just some space with well-lit pathways and snaking lanes which lead nowhere, just to explore in the evening breeze. Give me just some space with a canopy, so that bikers can enjoy the shade once in a while. Give me just some space so that I can look up at the clear blue sky, lounging as time goes by. Give me just some space so that I can feel that I live in a place.

We don't. What's the number one thing you wished would change in the place you live in? I'm not talking about a trip to IKEA for your personal living space. It's something bigger. Beyond your drive way, your porch. Your immediate surroundings or even the township that you're in. When was the last time we paused and reflected on the state its in? Are there clogged drains, litter, stray animals, broken lights, mosquito infestation, rats, roaches, cracked sidewalks, potholes, unused empty spaces, overgrowth, weeds? Just to name a few. Maybe you think it'll be nice to finally add more park benches for people to sit in. Or maybe, to have a park to start with. "Livability" as a concept is not widely discussed on its on, but implied: whether the place has a high quality of living, infrastructure, public transportation, education, amenities, suitable climate, access to jobs. All of these decide whether a place is "livable" or not. B...

We are living through tough times. Rising prices, stagnant wages, soaring crime rates and unlivable conditions are making the life of the average Malaysian harder. Yet, the powers that be still remain irresponsive to the needs of the people by making poor policy choices. The Malaysian social contract has been a subject of controversy, particularly because any debate or discussion about it touches on the special rights and privileges of the Bumiputera. Any talk about it has to do with how non-Malays are given citizenship rights in return for special privileges for Malays and indigenous peoples. Does it always have to be this way? Why can’t we redefine or reframe our discussion about the social contract? First we have to understand what a social contract means. Many of us are unaware that we have voluntarily given up certain rights to our leaders when we become citizens of Malaysia. When we are born into this society, we automatically surrender some of our rights and freedoms in...

Today I depart for Kuching. I don't have many expectations for the trip, but it is my first time going to East Malaysia and living, for an an extended period of time, in an Orang Asal village. I'll be part of an expedition called 'Impian Sarawak'. Frankly speaking, it is a politically sponsored volunteer program to visit a village and assist in the building of a gravity feed water system while having an opportunity to live amongst the villagers there. I hope to observe and learn about how they live and carry out their respective responsibilities. At the same time, this is a momentous occasion for Malaysian history, insofar as 'change' is concerned. I hope that as ambassadors of a growing movement for change and as fellow Malaysians who are committed to bring about systemic change, we can bring that care and genuine support to the villagers. As we identify with their problems and plight, I hope that I can personally find a common ground on which I can fight along...

If there are two irrefutable truths about why I chose to come back to my home country, the first would be the common identity which I share with my fellow Malaysians; the second would be the passion which flows through my veins. What is the passion which I speak of? This passion takes many shapes and forms, but it is constantly the fuel for my motivates and the spark that I rely on to accomplish everything from the mundane to the extraordinary. Mainly, this passion is one that equates personal identity with a purpose larger than myself. This passion is the desire to equate personal goals with the common struggle; that the personal is political - that life is politics and politics is life. I have identified a few passions which have motivated me to not only apply my political education in my work tasks, but to also assert myself in other areas of Malaysian life: the social, religious and recreational. In this post I'll focus mainly on my passion for being involved in grassroots poli...

We often hear of people moving to foreign lands to pursue better opportunities, to live more comfortably and to build happier families. Other countries present us with financial security, job prospects, friendlier people and desirable living standards. When I was 14, I embarked on a journey which I regard as the pivotal point of my life. It was a journey undertaken with faith and a hope that the pursuit of happiness will be easier over there, where the grass is greener and the skies blue. It was a journey to come home. As I write this, my journey has brought me home to the country where I was born and it is a place which I can truly call home. My identity is Malaysian, and 9 years in North America has taught me that nothing will ever come close to compromise that reality. I chose to come back because of a confluence of factors, but for this post I'll focus on identity. I'm often asked about why I chose to return to a country in which hope has been dashed by poor governanc...