You-Want's Life

I've long worked behind the lens. When I started experimenting with photography almost a decade ago, I was heavily criticised for the wrong angles, the misfocused subjects, and my pointless artistry. I tried and tried without proper equipment or professional guidance, but the determination to validate my photography skills had kept me going against the currents of criticism. In the midst of helping others 'capture a moment', as I would call it, I saw myself starting to request for similar photos to be taken for me, in hopes of keeping memories of my own in photographs. One person told me once, 'You're kinda like a model'. That was about 4 years ago, when I had finished high school for a couple of months. My hair was flowing a little freer than before and I had more time on my hands to run around Johor Bahru with my friends, looking for adventures and photoshoots. That 5-word line was an inspiration I did not see coming. In fact, I did not realise it had done the...

Ever since my volunteering trip to rural Sabah in 2017, I have learned that there are kids out there with great potentials but not the privileges to explore them. I have met students who live so deep in the area that it takes them 2 hours to walk to their schools; and some who have only started going to school when they are 9 years old because their parents preferred for them to stay back and help with their farming chores. I felt SO lucky to have basic necessities like electricity supply, internet connection, transport arrangements to schools, and even the ability to read and write well. It hurts me seeing wasted potential in the younger generation, and I would like to extend a helping hand.   Seeing how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the entire nation both economically and socially, I dread to imagine the current situation in rural Sabah. Good for us, Charisma Movement has worked with 3 schools around Kota Marudu in Sabah, namely SK Temunda Salimandut, SK Sampa...

Underprivileged children’s education has been an active discussion at my dining table for years now. Throughout my schooling years, I hardly truly learnt the true definitions of being underprivileged. My family was not rich, but at the very least my parents knew the importance of education and had ensured that we prioritise our studies throughout our schooling years. This itself, is a privilege not every child in my country has. A very horizon-expanding trip for me took place back in 2017. I took a flight to Sabah, one of the less developed states in Malaysia, and entered the rural areas with some other volunteers. That was the first time I learned about an actual challenge faced by most children there- familial commitments are often prioritised over education. Most families there farm for a living. To some, children are an additional manpower for the profit they can make, in order to put food on the table. Learning that the lack of awareness of education being a long-term key to escap...

Did you know, even when sea turtle eggs are successfully incubated, it is estimated that only 1 out of 1000 babies would survive till adulthood?  My recent site visit to Rimbun Dahan Turtle Hatchery, Terengganu has opened my eyes to the fragility of sea turtles' survival. Sea turtle eggs are exposed to dangers of being poached by humans, hunted by monitor lizards, infested by fungi and maggots; when they hatch, babies might be attacked by predators such as foxes, crabs and sea birds on their way to the sea. Even when they reach the ocean, carnivorous fish and sea birds remain huge threats.  When my group was handed baby sea turtles to release, we got to let them race. I named mine 'Gomenasai', the Japanese word for 'Sorry', as an apology on behalf of humans to their kind. It's been way too long since humans started poaching sea turtle eggs and destroying their habitats and nesting grounds with pollution as well as coastal development. We were told that the best ...

This is a short photo blog on my recent trip to Kuala Terengganu. While I did not manage to visit many touristy places, I still do have some photos to share with you! ;) The new Kuala Terengganu Draw Bridge. Scenic view from Panorama Restaurant , which is located on a hill top.  Chinatown in Kuala Terengganu. There are 7 beautifully decorated alleys here. Turtle Alley is one of them! They are mostly decorated with murals, wall art and props. I had Spicy Butter Chicken Spaghetti at the Hidden Cafe in Chinatown. By, Euan Thum.

Read previous episode:  WCP by CM Day 3: Into A Mangrove Swamp! The fourth day of our trip started off early as well. Charisma Movement 's Environmental Project Director, Bella, led the way in Kuala Terengganu as we went to Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) to pick up SEATRU staffs, Syam and Akil. They were to accompany us on our trip to Chagar Hutang Turtle Hatchery on Redang Island that day. University Malaysia Terengganu is well-known for its Marine Biology course, Chagar Hutang's beach is in fact was gazetted by the Terengganu state to conserve the turtles. At the same time, Sea Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU) was given the authority to work on the research and education purposes too. It took us a 45-minute boat ride to arrive at Chagar Hutang from a jetty near Marang.    As we were dropped off at the beach, all we could notice was the pollution-free water and clean beach with poles sticking out everywhere. We then learned that they were markings of sea turtle nests...

Read previous episode:  WCP by CM Day 2 Part 2/2: Releasing Baby Sea Turtles We left Kemaman early in the morning, with our bags packed, as we head to Kerteh. We were going to spend the next two nights in Kuala Terengganu, which is the state capital of Terengganu.    Similar to the past two days, the representatives from Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) led the way as they were facilitating our Wildlife Conservation Project by Charisma Movement . We drove past Petronas (Oil & Gas price leader in the region!) buildings- research centres and probably facilities that process petroleum harvested from their off-shore platforms. Terengganu is located in the East Coast of West Malaysia, by the South China Sea where many oil drilling rigs are built. We were excited to check out our next destination, EcoCare Centre Kerteh , as we were promised a series of activities revolving around mangroves.   We started off with breakfast at the centre as we arrived ...