Working with Akar Umbi Society has been a horizon-broadening experience. As a non-governmental organization working directly with grassroots communities, Akar Umbi Society is deeply committed to addressing marginalisation and fostering equal opportunities. Through their people-centered programmes and initiatives, they walk alongside individuals and communities, empowering them to create meaningful, sustainable change and live with dignity and purpose. I first met Chen at the

When Euan, a fellow friend and the director of Charisma Movement’s Research & Advocacy Department, asked me if I would like to talk to Sean - a medical practitioner turned newspaper columnist who now serves as the Special Functions Officer to the Deputy Minister of Communications - I said an unquestionable “yes.” Coming from a veterinary medicine background, I always felt out of place when I volunteered for different causes outside my field of practice. “What’s a vet like me

“In 2005, my starting salary was RM2,000. But now, in 2025, why are our fresh grads still earning the same?” That line, spoken by a Malaysian university lecturer preparing to leave for Saudi Arabia, still lingers in my mind. I had the opportunity to connect and conduct an interview with him to understand why Malaysians are choosing to leave the country for opportunities abroad. It captures the quiet frustration of many young professionals, who feel that their wages no longer