Written by Azad Azman and Koh Aun Qi
Day 1
Our eight-month journey towards understanding national unity in Malaysia begins! The National Unity Youth Fellows met each other for the first time and were introduced to the public at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs’ (IDEAS) 5th anniversary celebrations. The event was held at the Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur.
Day 1
Our eight-month journey towards understanding national unity in Malaysia begins! The National Unity Youth Fellows met each other for the first time and were introduced to the public at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs’ (IDEAS) 5th anniversary celebrations. The event was held at the Memorial Tunku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur.
After that, we headed towards the Institut Integriti Malaysia, where we would be staying for the night. In the evening, we had an icebreaker session and introduced ourselves to the entire group properly – about where we were from, what we did for a living, and how we’d heard about the Fellowship. We discovered that altogether, we hailed from 11 different states and one Federal Territory, and came from diverse backgrounds. Some were young working professionals, working for either the government or in the private sector, while others were pursuing university degrees spanning a wide array of subjects – from Pharmacy and Computer Science to Public Policy. The session was conducted by IDEAS’ Chief Executive Officer Wan Saiful Wan Jan and its Chief Operating Officer Tricia Yeoh.
It had been a long day, but even so, a good number of the Fellows stayed up for a discussion with Wan Saiful, and were still talking animatedly while the rest of us went to bed!
-Aun Qi
Day 2
We started off the program this morning at 8.47am with an introduction to the Institut Integriti Malaysia (IIM) and the Institut Kemahiran dan Latihan Integrasi Nasional (IKLIN). Both units fall under the purview of the Prime Minister's Department. There were insightful points raised by the representatives of the institutions as well as the Fellows, but the point that got me thinking more deeply was on the notion of 'integration' as a means for national unity and harmony for Malaysia, as opposed to 'assimilation'. I would have loved to take this discussion further, but we were running short of time. Overall, I think it was quite a good session.
After the morning tea break, we had a 2-hour engagement with Dato' Saifuddin Abdullah, former Temerloh MP and current member of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). He's a wonderful man to chat with. There were many issues that we debated (NUCC, politics, national policies, education, media, etc). We agreed on some points, but we agreed to disagree on certain other points. Being a person with vast experience in politics and civil societty, I found his humility very heartwarming.
Before we adjourned, we had a short discussion with Mustaqim, the secretary of the non-governmental organization Negara-ku. I think their intention of garnering support for national unity is good, but i'd reserve my concerns on certain matters that are championed by the group, as well as the usage of the word 'Negara-ku' as the name of their group in championing their cause. Nevertheless, it was good to have had the opportunity to discuss and debate with him.
The second day of the National Unity Youth Fellowship has been intellectually rewarding, and I look forward to meeting the Fellows again in March! I really have to thank IDEAS, in particular Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Tricia Yeoh, for the enriching as well as humbling experience! Thank you!
-Azad
It had been a long day, but even so, a good number of the Fellows stayed up for a discussion with Wan Saiful, and were still talking animatedly while the rest of us went to bed!
-Aun Qi
Day 2
We started off the program this morning at 8.47am with an introduction to the Institut Integriti Malaysia (IIM) and the Institut Kemahiran dan Latihan Integrasi Nasional (IKLIN). Both units fall under the purview of the Prime Minister's Department. There were insightful points raised by the representatives of the institutions as well as the Fellows, but the point that got me thinking more deeply was on the notion of 'integration' as a means for national unity and harmony for Malaysia, as opposed to 'assimilation'. I would have loved to take this discussion further, but we were running short of time. Overall, I think it was quite a good session.
After the morning tea break, we had a 2-hour engagement with Dato' Saifuddin Abdullah, former Temerloh MP and current member of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). He's a wonderful man to chat with. There were many issues that we debated (NUCC, politics, national policies, education, media, etc). We agreed on some points, but we agreed to disagree on certain other points. Being a person with vast experience in politics and civil societty, I found his humility very heartwarming.
Before we adjourned, we had a short discussion with Mustaqim, the secretary of the non-governmental organization Negara-ku. I think their intention of garnering support for national unity is good, but i'd reserve my concerns on certain matters that are championed by the group, as well as the usage of the word 'Negara-ku' as the name of their group in championing their cause. Nevertheless, it was good to have had the opportunity to discuss and debate with him.
The second day of the National Unity Youth Fellowship has been intellectually rewarding, and I look forward to meeting the Fellows again in March! I really have to thank IDEAS, in particular Wan Saiful Wan Jan and Tricia Yeoh, for the enriching as well as humbling experience! Thank you!
-Azad