You-Want's Life

Projek Amanat Negara (PAN) is one of the four flagship events by United Kingdom and Eire (Ireland) Council for Malaysian Students (UKEC) which is a conference-based event promoting intellectual discourse and scholarly discussions among students in the UK. I was part of the Curriculum team for the 17th edition of PAN, which took place at Cardiff University in February 2020. Our team started working months prior to the event and I was given the chance to design the topics discussed at the event alongside my teammates.  Themed 'Malaysia and Malaysians, Transcending Boundaries', the event brought everyone's attention to  a range of important topics across Malaysia's economic potential among South East Asian countries and Malaysian youths' potential in grabbing available opportunities. Our sessions that day named 'Malaysia Beyond ASEAN', 'A Palm Oil Based Economy: The Harsh Realities Contended' and 'Speak Out, Youth'. I was extremely privilege...

It's funny how it has been a week since I arrived at Sunway Pyramid Hotel- time really does fly. Many might detest the lack of social interaction at a quarantine centre, but for me, as an introvert who usually spends more than half a day in my room, I have somehow immensely enjoyed this time of isolation.   Like many who returned from a foreign country with a time difference, I spent the first few days adjusting my sleep schedule. I ended up waking up before dawn, way much in time to watch sunrises, and took naps at noon even though I consumed coffee earlier that morning. This is my first time returning from the UK, I wonder if other first timers go through a similar experience.   I remember mentioning in my previous blog post that the food I received was slightly insufficient. Good news is, there have been an increase in the amount of food they give us. I can't tell for sure if anyone made a complaint, but I am extremely grateful for the change as the meals nowadays ar...

I had (well, still have) really huge plans coming up this Summer, but looking at the Covid-19 situation now, my plans are made really uncertain. I have always wanted to remain in the UK for the entirety of my first year at university for various reasons, including my summer plans and my wish to experience working on the service line at a local outlet. Despite the developing pandemic, cancellations of my university's remaining terms and a lockdown in the UK, I still wanted to stay back. My main concerns of returning to Malaysia were the risks of contracting the virus on my way home, and potentially bringing it back to my family members. There was also no adequate quarantine space at home, thus a safer option for me was to remain in the UK. However, as the pandemic worsened, my family and I decided that I should return to Malaysia before all flights entering the country were banned. The decision was made after much contemplation. On the 5th of April, the day before my flight, the n...

One of the things I truly appreciate about Kolej Tuanku Jaafar is the support of its community, especially teachers like Mr Thaw and Mr Hughes, in realising project ideas. We went from a mere thought of sharing poetry to organising poetry slams and starting a poetry blog; from realising a lack of mental health awareness in Malaysia to organising a workshop. I am sure others have many similar stories to share too. With support, ideas can be turned into projects to bring positive impacts to the greater community; awareness on important but little-known issues can spread like a ripple. If you are always full of ideas and hoping to make a social impact in Malaysia, I believe Charisma Movement's Inspire Initiative is a platform you shouldn't miss. Charisma Movement is a youth-led volunterism organisation which offers opportunities to volunteer in Malaysia, in several different fields including education and environment. Every year, our Inspire Initiative project looks to cond...

Life has been an adventure for me since coming to the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom. I spent much time navigating through several societies, only hoping to unlock new experiences. One of those which I have invested a great amount of time in is the Warwick Malaysian Night, a 2-hour musical in which I play an owl named Owlbert (creative, right?). Warwick Malaysian Night (Minight) is an annual theatrical play presented by Warwick Malaysian Association. This year, it is themed 'RIMBA', which is the Malay word for forests. As we know, Malaysia has its own tropical rainforest ecosystem. Following the recent grievous news of extinction of the Sumatran rhino, our play was purposed to raise awareness on wildlife conservation, especially the Malayan tigers, which we had seen an exponential decrease in numbers over the past decade. The show is set to take place on 22 February 2020 (Saturday). It follows the journey of a group of animals in a Malaysian rainforest sett...

A recent statement from the Public Service Department (PSD) announcing the abolition of the Critical Service Incentive Payment (BIPK) involving 33 service schemes has stormed Malaysia. BIPK is an additional monetary allowance introduced in 1992 to attract recruitment to join the public service. PSD believes that said policy is no longer relevant in the view of ‘sufficient’ professionals in the country and its huge surplus of applicants compared to the available number of positions. The cut was initially set to commence its effect on 1 January 2020, affecting fresh graduates nationwide. What is the reason for an uproar from Malaysian youths, especially the doctors in the country, as they argued for the authorities to not proceed with the allowance cut? Are our number of existing positions in public healthcare actually ‘sufficient’ to fulfill the nation’s needs? What current situation and other persisting issues in the medical field may have contributed to the abolition of BIPK? Where ...

’Euan, we would like you to be a Naquiah Prefect.’ Those were the words that came through the phone, making my heart pump like a drummer fisting a drum non-stop. Naquiah Prefect is a body of senior students which supports the well-being of the Middle School (Form 1 to Form 3) at Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar. Our duties include spending an hour per week at the juniors’ boarding house to coach them in heir studies. I also hold termly events and weekly activities that help them bond better, like sports sessions, parties and movie screenings. I was so concerned to take up the role initially. I was unsure how much commitments it requires throughout my term. I regarded the position as a waste of time that I do not need in my personal development, for I am aware and proud of the communication skills, work attitudes and other attributes that I possessed at that time. But no, Mr. Hughes told me that the role was not set for my personal development. It was for the younger students who board at sc...