This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 22, 2022 - August 28, 2022

What does Merdeka mean to the youth of today? How prepared are they for the future and its challenges? ESG spoke to a few of them on this topic. Not surprisingly, climate change and the environment are major issues they want to talk about. 

Many scientific reports have highlighted the severe climate change impacts that could occur by 2030 — which is eight years from now — if carbon emissions are not curbed. 

For the youth of today, this could mean more extreme weather events, food shortages and disease outbreaks when they are at their most active years — that is, in their 20s and 30s. Already, many of them have had their education disrupted by pandemic-driven lockdowns in the past two years.

1 Aidil Iman Aidid, 23, environmentalist and second year student at University of Malaya

To me, Merdeka means that Malaysia should be free from issues related to the climate crisis like extreme weather shocks and food insecurity. Our sovereignty is dependent on a habitable planet for all generations. 

Malaysia must retain its national integrity by adapting to climate change through nature-based solutions, food sovereignty and community resilience. Merdeka should also mean that we are able to celebrate this country without any fear [of risks] that [could] jeopardise our future. We must create a resilient society, where values of environmental justice are upheld. 

I do not think I am. This is largely because Malaysia lacks environmental education as an independent subject across primary and secondary schools. 

According to the National Youth Climate Change Survey 2020 by Unicef Malaysia, the primary source of information on climate change for young Malaysians is social media. This indicates that education institutions are not reinforcing environmental awareness among Malaysians. 

A lot of young people, myself included, are dependent on news of climate doom that can either mobilise us or make us stagnant, instead of an optimistic system that can [help us] better prepare ourselves against climate change. 

I am constantly anxious about my future. While I’ve been fortunate enough to turn my negative feelings into action, I am certain that many young people succumb into hopelessness. Malaysia needs climate-smart education in schools. 

What would you like to see from companies and the government to create the future that you want for Malaysia? 

The Malaysian government and companies must actively engage with children when it comes to environmental consultation. They should be treated as important stakeholders, since they are one of the most vulnerable groups to climate change. 

The government and companies must support the advocacy done by children mobilising for climate action. Furthermore, the government must ensure school infrastructures are resilient enough to withstand the challenges of climate change for children to learn in a safe environment.

Companies can help with this by providing technology transfer, [sharing] expertise and [supporting] an adequate workforce. Recognising the rights of children to a healthy, clean and sustainable environment is vital in empowering a climate-aware generation.

2 Mogesh Sababathy, 24, co-founder of Project Ocean Hope, Malaysia; representative to the United Nations Youth4Climate Summit in 2021; and PhD student at Universiti Putra Malaysia

Merdeka, to me, isn’t just a form of expression of love for a country that was liberated by freedom fighters from the grip of colonialism. It also incorporates elements of gratitude and shared responsibility to ensure environmental sustainability. 

We should understand that the spirit of patriotism is not just about defending the country. It’s also about playing a part in society to ensure a good quality of life and healthy environment for us and the future generation. 

Malaysia is very fortunate to have rich and diverse natural resources that provide Malaysians with a healthy environment and support livelihoods. 

However, we [have seen] more frequent reporting of extreme temperatures, sea level rise, floods, droughts, forest fires, loss of living species and spread of diseases over the last decade. 

We must recognise that there is an urgent need to take transformative action. Our climate action needs to be aligned for our collective efforts to be effective, otherwise we will reach the point of no return sooner than expected. 

All in all, Merdeka would mean nothing, especially for the future generation, if we are too caught up in our own doings today and leave them with an unliveable nation.

Honestly, it’s scary and I feel extremely anxious when I think about the future that we and the future generation would live in, by the rate of environmental degradation and increasing impacts of climate change [that are projected to occur.] 

A report published in the Science journal mentioned that up to 54% of living species could become extinct from climate change due to human actions. If things proceed as expected, the risk of global extinction will be significantly accelerated. This clearly shows that we have been speeding in the wrong direction. 

We must understand that what we are facing now is the result of our negligence not just for a year or two but over the past decades. It is also a clear warning of what could happen if we allow this climate crisis to continue until it gets worse. 

In short, we are not even close to being prepared for what’s ahead. There is a dire need for comprehensive strategies to strengthen adaptation, resilience and loss and damage measures. 

We must promote capacity building, research and technology sharing to ensure that the climate crisis is addressed. We must emphasise on the need for a socially just and equitable society by providing decent jobs and adequate support for affected and vulnerable communities. 

What would you like to see from companies and the government to create the future that you want for Malaysia?

I would like to see companies and the government move more progressively and commit to urgent transformational shifts to reduce the impacts of climate change. Change will not happen without political will, economic stability, effective policies and, most importantly, meaningful compliance with climate change commitments. 

My call to them is to synergise their capacity and be held accountable to work with young people and communities to address climate change. This includes:

The above recommendations are adopted from the Youth4Climate Manifesto, of which I was a drafting member at the Youth4Climate Summit in Milan last year.

3 Neoh Ying Rui, 20, member of the Malaysian Youth Delegation and student at Beihang University, Beijing, China

I think that Merdeka is a strong proof of success that we can achieve if there is unity, leadership and strategic planning. I believe that the qualities shown in the process of achieving Merdeka are also crucial now to propel our nation forward. 

It is clear that any individual or company acting alone is not enough to address future challenges. Collective action and partnerships between the government and private sector are essential to deal with complex issues like climate change, resource shortage and the low-carbon transition.

I feel that more preparation and skills are needed to face the future world that is constantly changing. This was witnessed during the pandemic, when we faced an unexpected global issue and required a lot of sectors to work together. Therefore, multidisciplinary future leaders are needed to face the different upcoming challenges.

What would you like to see from companies and the government to create the future that you want for Malaysia?

I hope that companies and the government would focus more on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in their framework and strategies moving ahead. It is also important to have stricter and more relevant policies and regulations enforced to ensure companies and individuals can be more accountable for their actions. 

We should also be aware that social, economic and environmental impacts are associated with each other, so different experts should work together.

4 Pamela Victor, 30, communications officer at Global Peace Foundation Malaysia

I wish the meaning of Merdeka I learnt in school (being free from the chains of colonialism) could still be used in context today. Instead, here we are, facing what could be a dying planet if nothing is done. How is one supposed to feel and celebrate freedom when the country one so proudly calls their home doesn’t give them a sense of a secure future?

No, I don’t feel prepared enough to deal with natural disasters here in Malaysia. Nature and the earth are acting much faster than the policymakers here, so there’s definitely no chance any of us will be ready for that. In terms of skill sets for a green economy, I’ll say only a small percentage of Malaysians are. It is a growing population but it’s not going to beat the majority anytime soon. The rest are either unaware of the urgency, or simply oblivious to what is happening.

What would you like to see from companies and the government to create the future that you want for Malaysia?

From the government, policies that will save the earth instead of further harming it. Policies that will educate instead of instruct and policies that take into account [the needs] of the future generations.

For companies, [for them] to be more genuine in their efforts when it comes to “giving back”, instead of simply greenwashing or doing it for an audience. There won’t be any use for profit if the earth is in ruins, so best to make it last as long as possible rather than accelerate its demise.

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