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Tuesday May 5, 2009
What d'ya say?
R.AGE got a whole bunch of adults to ask youths – you! – one question each; now it's your turn to respond to them.
Don't you just hate it every time some old dude goes "Why you young people always so like that ah?". Or when they trash talk our music, going "All this heap-hop museek ah, don't know what they’re singing also ..." No offence, but it's no secret that the older generation is often puzzled by how we think and live our lives. Over the past few weeks, R.AGE approached many of Malaysia's prominent personalities, and told them our young certainly aren't living "in their own world".
In fact, we like to believe that this generation of youths is totally proactive, and want to get involved.
We invited the "adults" to pose their one question to our youths, the Facebook-Twitter-iPod generation who has never known VHS or cassettes or Atari (and defined them as those below 29). We said, "Ask 'em anything at all!"
What you'll find on these pages are questions from politicians, artistes, fashion designers, activists etc, each with an inquiry into the worldview of Malaysia's current generation of future leaders.
There are even more questions on rage.com.my from personalities like Yasmin Ahmad, Jeff Ooi, Hishamuddin Rais, and others.
If you and your friends have an answer to any of their questions, or better still all of them, make sure you e-mail it to us at alltherage@thestar.com.my.
We don't want to be a hard-selling direct sales agent, but remember this: if you don't respond, it'll just confirm a lot of the perceptions older folks have about us, that we're indifferent, that we've got nothing better to do but Facebook, and that all the "heap-hop" music has numbed our brains towards any issue that's worth a shizzle.
Your responses will be posted up on this website gradually, so keep coming back to read what your peers have to say.
Leave us your name, age, location and perhaps a line or two about you so we know who you are.
So do what you do best now – get online and start writing. Let's define this generation as the one that has the inclination, and the initiative to speak up.
The questions are (click on the names below to read responses to their questions):
Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister
How would you like to see Malaysia in the future?
Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Transport Minister and MCA President
What do you understand by "youth empowerment"?
Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, Youth and Sports Minister
What can you contribute to the country in this time of economy crisis?
Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Women, Family and Community Development Minister
Are you ready for gender equality?
Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes, CEO Air Asia
What will it take for you as the youth to think 'Malaysian' first and Chinese/Malay/Indian next?
Khairy Jamaluddin, Umno Youth Chief
When you look into the mirror, do you see a member of an ethnic group (Malay, Chinese, Indian etc) or do you see a Malaysian?
Hisham Hussein
When you are confused about your sexuality, to whom and where can you go to talk about it?
CW Kee, Cartoonist - Kee's World
What drives you crazy?
Anas Zubedy, Managing Director Zubedy (M) Sdn Bhd
What do you think about yourself?
Ivy Josiah, Executive Director, Women's Aid Organisation
How can we educate men to stop committing violence against women?
Jit Murad, Playwright and Actor
What things about us seem unfair to you?
Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir, Writer/activist
What do you really think of your parents (and no need to be politically correct and only say nice things!)?
Shebby Singh, Football commentator/pundit
There are many things that can motivate us, but that is different from what our own motivation is. What is your motivation, and why?
Zainal Abidin, Singer
What is the definition of an artiste?
Lee Khai Loon, Secretariat Member of Youth for Change (Y4C)
What will make politics more interesting to you?
Anita Sarawak, Entertainer
How important is national pride to you?
Dr. Irene Fernandez, Tenaganita Director
If you were elected into power, what three immediate changes would you make?
Datuk Misbun Sidek, National badminton coach
What does it take to become a champion?
Datuk Dr Jemilah Mahmood, MERCY Malaysia President
How important is it to you to put aside time for voluntary work in the community, whether locally or globally?
Lim Guan Eng, Penang Chief Minister
If you were the Penang Chief Minister, what is the one policy action you would take to the people?
Dr Adeeba Kamaruzzaman, Malaysian AIDS Council President
If there's one thing you would change about school, what would it be?
Youssouf Oomar, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative to Brunei
How do you perceive your role and responsibility as a citizen of Malaysia and the world?
J. Anu, Artist
What are you reading?
Datuk Yasmin Yusuff, Artiste
Do you believe only the young can speak to the young?
JJ, Hitz FM Radio Announcer
We had games like Chopping, Kunda Kundi, Catching, Five Stone, Galah Panjang, Police and Thief and many more. What games bring you out of the house?
Michael Wong (Guang Liang), Singer-songwriter
How will your lives be different if music ceased to exist?
Zang Toi, Fashion Designer
What fresh new ideas do the young generation have to help solve global economy crisis and world peace ?
Francesca Peters, Singer
Is there more to you than money, money, money, the rat race, finding a rich partner and "scoring"?
Jo Kukathas, Theatre actor and director
When you close your eyes and see yourself, what do you dream you are and what do you dream you can become?
Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, Former De Facto Law Minister
Do you care who your leaders are?
Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Immediate past president of the Malaysian Bar
Do you feel disconnected from the politics of Malaysia and in this regard how much do you value your right to vote?
Khalid Samad, Shah Alam MP
What are the characteristics of good governance and what is your role in ensuring that these characteristics are truly embodied by the government of the day?
Camelia, Singer
What do you think is a good age for a young person to leave home?
Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing, President Limkowing University of Creative Technology
Do you feel that creativity (or freedom to express oneself creatively) is sufficiently encouraged in this country?
Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria, Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Ethnic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
If, as a young person, you are able to lead this nation, how will you seek to build a Malaysia where there is greater consciousness of being Malaysians first?
Patrick Teoh, Actor
Why are so many young Malaysians apparently so apolitical?
Winnie Loo, Hairstylist
You all are so blessed with everything lay on your table whether is technology, transportation and even communications, but what do you see yourself 10 years from now? Can the world be a better place with your new generation knowledge?
Yasmin Ahmad, Film director
What is the best thing about being in a multi-racial country?
Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Khoo Kay Kim, Historian
Do you think lecturers in a university should learn to be more effective teachers?
Jeff Ooi, Jelutong MP
How would you like to see Malaysia become in 10 years time?
Hishamuddin Rais, Writer
Should the young know who is Tun Sri Lanang, A.Samad Ismail, Usman Awang, Victor Hugo, Tagore, Lu Xun or Tolstoy?
Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, Transparency International Malaysia president
Do you feel that you have got a good deal as a Malaysian citizen?
Aznil Hj. Nawawi, TV personality
How can we become a developed nation without sacrificing our local and traditional values?
Ujang, Cartoonist
Apakah yang anda fahami tentang pentingnya mencintai sungai dan alam semulajadi?
Azean Irdawaty, Actress
What does being grateful to your country mean to you?
Datuk Faridah Merican, Executive Producer KLPAC
What is the most important thing about being a young Malaysian?
Eddin Khoo, Writer and traditional arts activist
What do you think you are all about, really?
Marina Chin, Bukit Jalil Sports School principal
The youths of today will have the most impact on making the vision of 'One Malaysia' a reality. How are you as young Malaysians today going make this dream a reality?
