By NASA MARIA ENTABAN, SHARMILA NAIR, IAN YEE and MARCIA ANNE GANDHI

THERE has never been a better time to be a young Malaysian than now. Information about anything you want comes at the tips of your fingers, there are vast career opportunities all over the world as well as in Malaysia, back homeand most importantly, people are starting to sit up and take notice of what young people have to say.

While most youths remain in the country in order to be close to their families, many jump at opportunities to live abroad and experience a different lifestyle, but on every Aug 31, no matter where they are in the world, Malaysians’ thoughts turn to home soil.

In conjunction with this year’s Merdeka celebrations, we asked young Malaysians why they are proud to be Malaysian, who their favourite Malaysian icons are, what their proudest Malaysian moment is, what they appreciate most about Malaysia, and what their hope for the country is.
Here’s what they had to say:

Ash Nair, artiste

What makes you proud to be a Malaysian?
That Malaysians are a brave people with the spirit to discern truths for themselves.

Inessa Irdayanty, actor
Who is your favourite Malaysian icon/public figure?
Tan Sri P. Ramlee. I am in the entertainment industry. I have not found a single soul in Malaysia, who is as creative, as hardworking, as talented, as intelligent in his works, as P. Ramlee.

Ramsey Matthew Westwood, club DJ
What makes you proud to be Malaysian?
Well I’m proud to be a Malaysian because it is a country free from natural disasters as well as a moderate living lifestyle.

Chelsia Ng, actress
What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
That my friends and family are here in Malaysia. People I love and cannot live without. This is home and will forever be home. Also the fact that I can go out at 4am in the morningand still be able to get yummy makan just ‘round the corner!

Megan Tan, host

What makes you proud to be Malaysian?
I’m proud of how warm we are as Malaysians. Ask anyone from around the world, well so far the ones that I’ve asked have said that we are very friendly and polite people. I’m also proud of how rich and diverse our cultures are in Malaysia. We share a common understanding and respect for each other’s cultures and we stay strong as a nation. I am proud of our togetherness.

Rahul Kukreja, One Buck Short guitarist
Who is your favourite Malaysian icon/public figure?
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes … he owns airplanes, an F1 team, a football club and has the official title of “Sir” … anyone who has a “Sir” in front of their name is a hero if you asked me.

Victor Trixter Chan, club DJ

What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
One reason why I love our people, is that you are always welcome in their home, whenever there’s a festive celebration. Every year during Deepavali, me and my foreign friends will pay a visit to my former neighbour, and they always expect my presence and have all the food ready for me, even though I didn’t get an invitation! Haha!

Phoon Chi Ho, comedian, writer
What’s your hope for Malaysia?
My hope is that, in the age of K-pop and Lady Gaga, Malaysia won’t lose it’s cultural flows/expansion against (OR Malaysia’s multi-layered cultures won’t drown under) the onslaught of foreign cultural flows.

Leona Chin, motorsports drifter
What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
I appreciate awesome holiday destinations, we have fabulous beaches, we have wonderful climate, we have peaceful place filled with extraodinary tropical forest with many wild life species, flora and fauna.

Silas Liew, fashion designer
Who is your favourite Malaysian icon/public figure?
The late Alex Eu, he inspired a lot of young designers including myself.

Rayyan Haries, student
What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
Its racial diversity. We are all different and yet we are all still one as Malaysians. It’s really great to be part of something this unique and diverse.

Sureshkumar Paramasivam, personal trainer
Who is your favourite Malaysian icon/public figure?
Tan Sri Tony Fernandes. I have worked for him before and he is a great human being before he is a boss. He’s very humble, approachable and never takes “no” as an answer. He’s proven that anyone can take the nation to greater heights as he has through his multiple, international-level business dealings.

Li-Ann Lim, assistant manager
What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
I appreciate the fact that I don’t have to go far to see paradise on Earth. We have wonderful beaches with beautiful sand. I live in Seremban (Negri Sembilan) and my backyard opens to a jungle where I can go trekking in the weekends. At night, I get to appreciate the noise from insects and animals. The nature is diverse here.

Hyacinthe Kaur, recent graduate

What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?
When I was at the Malaysia vs. Singapore football game! The massive crowd that came out to support was just amazing.

Angela Loo, communications officer
Who is your favourite Malaysian icon/public figure?
Datuk Lat (Mohammad Nor Khalid) because his is the one person who has taught me a lot about the Malaysian culture. He tells us about the Malaysian everyday life in funny and humourous ways, and there is so much you can learn by reading his comics.

Vivy Yusof, founder of Fashionvalet.net
Who is your favourite Malaysian icon/public figure?
Datuk Sheila Majid. She’s made us proud in international waters but she still returns home and keeps it real.

Nadia Heng, Miss World Malaysia 2010/2011

What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?
I remember going for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex and seeing our gymnast team give an amazing performance rightfully bagging their first ever team gold!

Roshan Chandrasekhar, K-Town Clan member
What makes you proud to be Malaysian?
We’ve come so far yet we still manage to maintain our values, cultures and beliefs.

Dorita Leslie, student
What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?
When Penang’s assam laksa made it to the top 10 of CNN’s 50 Most Delicious Food in the World. It’s all about the food!

Shaun Krishna, student
What’s your hope for Malaysia?
That Malaysia will continue to be peaceful and that one day our national football team may qualify for the World Cup.

Amanda Charmaine, student
What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?
For me it was watching Jaclyn Victor win Malaysian Idol. I was so proud that a Malaysian vocalist can kick butt!

Michelle Wong, account executive
Who’s your favourite Malaysian icon?
Datuk Michelle Yeoh because she co-starred in a James Bond movie (Tomorrow Never Dies).

Mandy Chock, copywriter
What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
That we are generally peaceful people, and that everyone has some sort of love affair with nasi lemak.

Laura Low, student

What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
The variety of delicious food, arts, culture and heritage and its other little intricacies such as our Malaysian driving habits, Malaysian timing and the usage of Manglish.

May Qin, student
What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?
I saw a young pizza delivery guy help out a senior Malay man when his car broke down on the road. He helped him push his car to the side and even saw him through until he got proper assistance. Bangga!

Sasha Gomez, student

Who’s your favourite Malaysian icon?
I would have to say Nicol David because she has achieved so much at such a young age.

Arnold Loh, radio personality
What’s your hope for Malaysians?
To stand up for and stand by what we believe is right and to be more open-minded.

Sarah Lian, actress
What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?
I instantly recognise the warmth of Malaysians when I returned in 2008. In Malaysia meals not only satisfy the belly, but the soul as well which is why we take so much pride in the food we have to offer.

Safiq Rahim, national football team captain
Who’s your favourite Malaysian icon?
Mokhtar Dahari and Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Victoria Boey, student
What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?
The first time I saw the Malaysian flag being raised in the school hall when I was in primary school and singing Negaraku with my schoolmates.

Lok Jay Dee, radio personality
Who’s your favourite Malaysian icon?
I’d have to say Yuna. She’s the perfect example of a greater Malaysia in the future.

Liyana Fizi, artiste
What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?
My proudest moment this year, was during a football match. Felt so proud watching Malaysians come together to support our home team.