#sambalpodcasts: Youth Activism Talks (ft Shameera Nasreen, Youth Activist and Student)

This is the third attempt of recording this episode, because we had a lot of technical issues over the past two times earlier and this is the third day of recording this episode. So when we are talking about impact industry here, I think the context is a bit narrowed in the sense where we focus on youth movements that has been a hit on social media. I think that is how the world of us started. We started by joining youth organisations, youth movements that were doing stuff on social media and I think that's how we just got roped into this whole thing. So my journey is a bit different. My journey was through starting out a podcast and then getting into the whole thing. So basically like redirecting TSP into youth empowerment when the initial stage was just starting off as a podcast for youths to share their stories. So that is my story. But Shamira is probably very, I think her story is very diverse because not only from her involvement in TSP, she has also been involved in other youth NGOs as well. She's holding a lot of big positions. So yeah, I think the both of us, we have seen how the impact industry or especially how youth activism works in Malaysia during the pandemic and after the pandemic because we both started during the pandemic. As we were both university students and I guess we were both just, I don't know, bored at home and accidentally just got into things because we're active. So I don't know if that sounds like proper or firm, but I guess that's just how we got into it. But Shamira, what do you think about the impact industry post-pandemic? Right. So to be really honest, before the pandemic, right, before the year of 2019, I had no idea on, I mean, I knew there was a sense of impact industry, but I had no idea on how active it was. Really, I did because I wasn't really exposed to that particular culture and also that circle of friends, right? So I was exposed to all of this during the pandemic. So during the pandemic, what did I observe is that the impact industry was booming virtually because I think everyone was having way too much of time and it was convenient enough for all of us to just sit down in front of our laptops and phones to get through things. And circumstances, instances like the political turmoil that was happening in our nation did definitely contribute to that because everybody had something to say and definitely the impact industry was really contributed towards it and everyone had something to say. So they needed a platform to say and that's how a lot of platforms and social media movements did come up as well. So post-pandemic, I would say, I think in the midst of pandemic is when I get into the youth organisations where it was a proper organisation registered and it's a better platform for you to contribute and reach out to the target audience even more. When I get into that, it was fine as well because we were moving also partially virtually and it was fine. So here's the interesting thing after post-pandemic is that even though we are still kind of glued to our gadgets like laptops and phones and all of that stuff, but I think that our work and our routine to be back as we were previously before the pandemic is a major factor that the impact industry is actually rising down where I wouldn't blame anyone for it. I think that putting myself in these shoes actually makes me feel understood. I can't really understand the situation because you're trying to get a job like a lot of people lose their job and I mean there's a lot of my friends who were in the impact industry also a part of the society and the people that were losing their job. So I think that there were a lot more other factors that they need to prioritise than the impact industry. So it wasn't really their priority anymore to give the contribution towards society compared to themselves at this point. So that is what happening and actually a very interesting note is that most of the youth organisation and movements actually facing the same thing, it is not as it was during or before the pandemic as well because I think there's a lot of issues definitely affecting it. It's definitely economics because we are facing inflation and the economics is bad and we tend to prioritise what we could do to survive compared to how can I help people. Well we have had the change of government, okay we'll talk about that in a bit on how on this is just on our perspective so this is not an expert opinion but whether we feel that the current government has changed the state of youth activism, we'll talk about that in a bit but for now I think what Shamira said, people are just going back to life and obviously as human beings our priority is to survive. So people are just going back to getting better jobs, spending more time physically, spending more time in reality where they need to spend more of their energy in their jobs, families and other priorities so I guess that's why you don't see a lot in terms of the search of social media movements. I'm sure there's still a lot of social media movements out there, TSP is still thriving and we have our own story as well as on how we had a bit of a hiatus last year and we are trying to get over it and redirect ourselves and still try to do something. So yeah I'm sure a lot of organisations are facing the same dilemmas because people are going back to work, you're dealing with another reality and at the same time I think people are in the stage where they are trying to figure out whether it is worth it or whether they have time and capacity and commitment to focus to all these efforts that they have been doing during the pandemic. So yeah Shamira, I want to ask you about what's your opinion on the state of youth activism now especially since the change of the current government over the previous general elections? Right, I think the change of the government plays a very important role so certain youth activism like I think Okul is one of the best examples that I could actually point out right now right where the Akta University and College University where the students writes and also you know their voice being heard. So before this it was a challenge for these students to get their voice out and everything has been politicised and I mean if you were one of the student representative council in your universities or colleges I think you would know this right? You would have somehow faced this as well but I think the current change of the government definitely encouraging you can see it very obviously that they are encouraging these students and saying that you know what your voice matters in that in that matter of fact that I think undi lapamlas also played a very huge role in that it definitely contributes in the you know youth activism as well. So I do see youth activism after GE15 definitely on the brighter side because the current government do encourage and also you know they are not threatened by the voices of these I mean the dissatisfaction so I would say and whatever they are trying to put forward. So that is a very good change that I have seen like so far as much as that I followed I mean the politics of Malaysia so this is one of the best that I have ever seen. So this is definitely a good step that we are moving forward so I am actually excited to see and also I am waiting to see what is going to happen for the upcoming five years because if you look at Akta Belia as well so by 2026 all these organizations are supposed to only hire youths that's below 30 years old. I mean Akta Belia taking place with we narrowing down the age of Belia I think it's make and you know the capacity and also the perspective of youth is also narrowing down and also it's definitely hitting the right target as well. So that is definitely a very much of a positive change that I am actually seeing and I am looking forward for more change. So you have told me before we have had discussions on how women empowerment is a big thing for you. So to talk about that what is your opinion on women participation especially in the impact industry and what are also your efforts for this issue. So that's like two questions here one I want to know your opinion on women participation and also I want to know your efforts to like you know combat the whole low participation rates. Because I am from a typical Indian Muslim background right so on a personal note I do see it as they don't see it as a priority to fight for their rights because all they want to do is survive and they just want to get through it and they wish someone fight for them instead of them fighting it for themselves. So that is what is happening on the cultural side of it but I do see a lot of this commitment of giving women is one of the major contribution on why there is a very low participation for women itself. What I will do is that I try to bribe in more ladies that has interest and try to you know throw them and give them the strength and also the motivation to stay with us to get through this. I think how do you do it is by doing it yourself I try to do as much of things by myself to inspire them and it actually works because you know people see you once and twice that maybe people will be like oh you know what she is doing maybe she is just doing her thing but when you keep doing it somehow people pay attention to you and that is how you actually kind of grab their attention and it actually works and it really works for me is that I am able to inspire more women because I keep doing what I do and they see it as a strength because I did face a lot of challenges for my and as well but I think that you keep doing what you do and somehow these people these ladies will follow you because your actions inspire them and they want to be you so that definitely helps. So I think one of the things one of the strategies that I use to combat this is actually by doing myself and you know just try to grab their attention by addressing on what they feel and what they need and you have received a lot of recognition and award throughout the years so what is your most like I don't know favorite recognition or award so far? So far my recognition so far is what did I get from my mother is that she told me that I am making her proud so I think that is the best ever recognition that I get because I think the rest of the recognition that I got merely just motivations that would just keep me going but I think you know when you one of the best recognition that you can get is from your very close circle saying that you know you're doing the best and you're inspiring me and you're making a change from your friends and your and your surrounding is the best recognition that I would love getting because with me my mom saying you're doing a good job and you are telling me that I'm slaying and my friends telling me you're inspiring you're making a change and that means that I'm making a goal for all these ladies to be like me or better than me is what they're expecting so those are the best recognition I mean I do enjoy getting recognition and being on the limelight once in a while I mean I'm a human too right that's awesome to be in a feature in the news for people around you and all that stuff but those are merely just a temporary satisfaction. For a break so we're going to have a quick break with a quick rapid fire session called #Sambalpedas so I think this is a bit new I don't think we had this now in your previous episodes Shamira so I'm just going to explain a bit lah #Sambalpedas is a quick rapid fire session around three to five minutes where I'll just give you any fun at random questions lah what is your current wait what is the one thing on your Netflix my list that you are desperate to watch but you have no time to oh my god the current what's going on winning documentary The Elephant Whisperer ah that one I've not watched that yet okay yeah I wanted to watch it so bad for quite I mean I wanted to watch it since very before it won the Oscar award but I like I barely have time to do it and I can't really watch myself until a crime jury today and was so dissatisfied with the ending so I just decided to stop watching Corrin's stuff and I'm going to be back with my documentary yeah why it was the why it was the movie that bad it was a movie or drama it wasn't the ending that I was expecting I mean I'm from a girl's school I am just having endings for love story wait wait is it the 20th century girl because I heard a lot of comments about it I didn't watch it though but it had a negative ending right yeah okay okay I mean I don't know what why did you mention that you're from a girl's school that's that there's nothing to do with wanting a happy ending I don't know even if the typical answer but it's just that I think that my girlfriends that I've had and everything I think those times what fat was the thing you used to read a lot of fan fictions and also this you know fantasy kind of stuff all on what bad and all of that had happy endings and that is what you wanted to watch right that's what you wanted to see I mean those days were really famous for all these series coming out from normal like the twilight and yeah I kind of influenced from that era and wanted good ending for everything that I watch and yeah but sometimes it doesn't doesn't go that way and I'm trying I'm trying to like realize that okay you know what I'm an adult I'm not everything is an happy ending yeah so because at this right now so instead of watching another movie you're moving on to you're just moving on to documentaries la okay yeah you know what my heart can't handle this so I'm just moving to documentaries with it okay okay noted I mean I hope my answer was as impressive as yours but I'm just waiting to watch the new John Wick movie I'm been dying to watch that yeah so yeah I mean I mean I don't even watch the previous Ant-Man movie you know the Ant-Man that came out like months ago I mean not yeah it came out a month ago one month two months ago I've not even watched that yet so yeah I'm just so behind anything I don't know what am I even watching at this oh my god I think you are behind by just not watching Ant-Man I think a lot of Marvel fans is going to be mad at me my friend is trying to get me watch all these Marvel series I was watching Iron Man so she gives me a whole list and chronologically on which one that I should watch and I watch only Iron Man I even moved to the second one yet so yeah I mean I want to I want to but I really I can't really find my time to you know watch movies so I think I'll promise my friend here that I watch I will watch everything soon I'm a Marvel fan I mean Marvel is my childhood which is why I feel so disappointed for not being able to watch Ant-Man yeah like I'm really sad about that I mean John Wick yes I would want to watch John Wick but like the Ant-Man part is like it's just killing me because yeah I mean I'm a big I'm a big Marvel fan so but yeah you know you had more time when you were a kid right but it's okay la priorities it's fine we'll get that we'll get that okay thank you for lining me and listening to all the questions I mean answering being super deal with all the questions on sambar pedas so let's move on to the last segment towards the end of the episode okay maybe you can just try this it's like a big mystery to me and I'm sure to a lot of people out there so maybe if you could just try to be an angel and try to unravel this mystery of how you actually balance your time between being a university student not only in surviving as a student but like hopefully in being a stellar student right because we all want to be that we all if possible we want to be everything right so how are you able to balance your time as a uni student and also do the many things that you're doing at the current moment of time I'm sure it must be lonely as well because not all your uni friends are involved in the same things that you are involved in right so just share a bit of your POV I'm going to be honest here and it's not that it is not easy everything is challenging but I think that your passion gets through it but here's the thing I think Google here and then helps us all to schedule all these things and I try to prioritize my tasks um but nowadays I really get I am getting really exhausted in balancing all this time I don't really get my sleep which is very unhealthy please do get enough sleep I'm trying to I think as the process goes and as I'm going through all the organization as all the positions are coming the opportunities that I'm getting I really try to prioritize what I need and I try to find my niche so if I'm able to find my niche I think you will be able to narrow down your focus and just do what you want instead of being everywhere so I kind of like a lot of other stuff that I was doing because it wasn't really my priority anymore and I don't think I would contribute that enough so I only chose to do the things that I would contribute and that really helps me in managing my time definitely and I try to do everything as soon as possible by not procrastinating but because if you start procrastinating and you know things would just starting to trust me I'm a procrastinator as well I'm trying and this is a very unhealthy thing to know but if I really want to know how I manage my time I don't waste the time because I'm actually intending right now um which is a part of my you know um university degree as well so by the time that I'm waiting for my public transportation while I'm you know waiting for my ferry since I live at Panang I use the ferries um and also I use the train so I use and I utilize all the time in between so if I'm waiting for the ferry and I'm not doing much so instead of being on my phone I kind of just get on my laptop and just do my work that my organizational work that I'm supposed to do and then if I'm at the ferry or while going home I just I try to complete most of the stuff that is how I kind of get half of the stuff done and I try to get the rest at home because sometimes I would have meetings at nights after my working hour so I have to somehow get both tasks done in between so I just try to utilize the time that I have when I'm waiting for any public transportation that's how it works so some of the some of um I even utilize my lunch time for meetings so I think I would just go out for the person during my lunch time I get my lunch and my meeting is over at the same time as well so I try to use all this utilize all these small timings that I have to do all these other things and that is really helping me to manage everything in a month it's not really healthy that I would say uh trying to just focus in one thing that you do which is which what am I working right now actually um I'm trying to really observe where I'm needed and also where and where I can contribute the most and that's where I want to contribute and making my 100% to my 200% and 200% at one place instead um I'm working towards it but I think that uh one thing is that don't try to procrastinate every work that you have and yeah just keep your passion driving and yeah you're very right about being lonely because not everyone does do your thing uh you just wish that you could come back to a person and you know it just be yourself um it does happen sometimes but um I think it's probably great to good I think about things take time and I believe a lot in that um it and I just rely on the universe and god to get me through things yeah that's how that's how I get through things I I kind of sound really religious right now but you know I do put in a lot of faith in god passion I know passion is a big luxury for some people some people will say oh I'm not able to work for my passion because you know uh because of financial money is always a big factor but yeah um regardless you know regardless situation I hope you you'll find a job that you're happy with and yeah you just have to live a you you would get to live a good life for yourselves and um you don't have to apologize for being religious Shamira because I feel that um everyone has their faith right um obviously TSP we are not yet to judge and if god and if you know if faith and believing in god is something that helps you get through then yeah I think it's a beautiful thing so you have nothing to um feel weirded out with that actually okay um so um and yeah another one more fact about telling people to get rest I mean yeah maybe what people can do this is just my suggestion but I'm not as good at Shamira so just just uh just decide on who you want to listen to like okay to a listener just decide who you want to listen to but uh maybe what you can do is uh maybe spend three days of the week living like Shamira you know living the whole badass girl week right so like doing everything lunch while meetings and um having laptops in your public transportation and ferries I guess this is one of the gang she'll be one of those kids code in the public transportation who's just like you know hooked on to a laptop because I'm one of those girls as well so I totally understand so yeah um maybe maybe what our listeners can do is they maybe can spend three days living like that and then four days living like a normal human being actually eating at the proper time sleeping at the proper time maybe that will help your momentum I'm not sure maybe maybe I'm just giving a suggestion okay we are on to our last episode Pula we are on to the last question you see I'm so sleepy already at this point of time what um how can anyone start you know to all those um youths to all the students listening in who are like so pumped up so excited listening into the whole episode and they feel that okay I want to do a change I want to fight for my cause I want to be a voice for the people how can they start let's talk about the how much power social media holds and it's just right that you follow times uh if you want to just start I would advise you to just start don't wait for anyone because that's what I did I just started without waiting for anyone and it works and don't be shy if you do know someone who is uh inspiring to you and you feel like you could follow that particular person don't be shy to just you know for the first step of or if the person existing as in like like you and I just try to you know DM us and ask how do you yeah what what are the platforms available how can you do this just just ask for it just go for it um I think in conclusion just start it by yourself because that's what I really do because uh as long as you don't start it nobody is going to start for you and nothing is going to happen when I started uh probably people don't realize it in the initial stage but people will eventually notice and it really works uh don't be shy to sit on your passion and also keep your passion with you don't lose it you know don't burn out your passion keep um chasing your passion and just keep it as a motivation and try to find a way out of it uh tell me books because um somehow the platforms that you will be devotion I mean university is a good place to start but if you're not no more in university and you feel like starting just go ahead social media is there just start by sharing your opinions and somehow people will notice you and you will have people that will listen to you I'm just going to put another promotion back down here hashtag somehow podcast we are hiring people okay we need people on the team we need if you guys love our podcast if you guys want to listen to us consistently every month we need people to make it happen so maybe you guys are the people that we're looking for maybe you guys are like the stars in the universe that I'm praying for every day you know I'm praying for every day to meet good people to help me so maybe you guys are the one you know you guys are the good angels you know god is who is waiting to be given to me I don't know so um if you guys are interested just like in the DMs um at the sambal pod we are at the sambal pod on twitter at the sambal pod instagram we are very active on instagram you can just slide in our DMs okay thank you so much amirana strain thank you so much no really thank you so much um even if the listeners are not listening to me thank you I'm just saying thank you so much because um yes we took a lot of effort to make this episode happen literally for this episode like this is our third time of recording our third attempt and yeah I hope you guys would enjoy this episode I hope it was something uh it was I hope it's a conversation that you guys can relate to you know because I think at the end of the day we're all just trying to make our own right just trying to do the best we can and yeah um as you can as you know Shamira is um very willing to give a contact details we share contact details on the episode description below and feel free to check them out