December 18, 2007...1:03 am

votED - Exercise Your Rights

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I’ve been a very busy busy bee. But, with something new and something helpful I hope.

For too long, the youth of my generation have been called apathetic, accused and berated for being apolitical, and said to be driven by pop culture and mass consumerism, materialism - instead of wanting to be educated and informed about politics and the government.

Sometimes, I don’t blame us for being this way, I’m not saying it’s okay to be apathetic, but it is a whole lot easier. With all the emotions I have been feeling in the past week - let me tell you having a real job and trying to be useful to the ’cause’ (to push for good, responsible, just governance and accountability) at the same time - it’s emotionally draining and extremely tiring.

As a first time voter this year, my friends and I knew hardly anything about the electoral process, let alone what a ballot paper looks like. Yes, we are what you call - voting virgins. We asked a few friends, and found out that most of us, media savvy, tech savvy, young, urban and educated fared rather poorly when it came to our knowledge of the voting process and exercising our rights as young Malaysians.

So we came up with votED. What is votED?

It’s Voter Ed(ucation) and exercising your rights as Malaysians. The core team consists of 5 girls, various multi-ethnic backgrounds, with no political affiliation or backing. Just young, Malaysian women with heart. We started our Facebook group about 3 days ago and as of now, have 475 members. We’re extremely proud to have such caring, responsive, and interested Malaysians as our members.

We plan to follow this group with discussions, debates all centered around educating young voters about candidate information, the electoral process and exercising our democratic rights. Soon, we continue with talks/parties/events on the topics aforementioned. We will inform you of the dates as soon as possible.

If you support the cause of educating young Malaysian voters on the importance of elections and votes, feel free to stick this logo on your blog. The team behind votED thanks you for your encouragement and support.

voted1.jpg

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14 Comments

Filed under Friends, General, Malaysia, Me Myself I, News, Socio-Political

14 Comments

  • Dan-yel
    December 18, 2007 at 1:29 am

    I have to complement your and your friends’ ingenuity! Something hip and cool to lure in the non-geeks! (forgive me if I use the words “hip and cool” inappropriately, I’m a geek by the way)

    Hm… About the logo, it’s so pink, my worst enemy. Anyway, for the the greater good I shall sacrifice the sanctity of my blog space (and my no-trendy taste)! ;)

  • meeshlet
    December 18, 2007 at 1:30 am

    Yes, Danyel you better! It’s for a very good cause! Education! :P

  • Dan-yel
    December 18, 2007 at 2:06 am

    By the way, get yourself together sis. You’re not alone. I have been under such tremendous depression this past few weeks. When I was browsing through my previous posts, I missed so much of my simpler times, which was only just a few months ago. I couldn’t believe i was so carefree then, yet I wasn’t any more a cheerful person back then.

    Care to rock with me? Cheers… It’s cool to be an activist! “Last night”

  • meeshlet
    December 18, 2007 at 2:13 am

    Hey! I’m well aware there are a lot of us out there like this. It’s good to have a support group. Polytikus and I think we should start something called Activists Annonymous! Hahaha

  • Dan-yel
    December 18, 2007 at 2:42 am

    Activists Annonymous!? That’s so cool SIS!!

    Perhaps, either you or Polytikus get to be AA#1, it’s an ‘honour’ you know… ;)

  • Tiara
    December 18, 2007 at 5:15 am

    Hi, I’m Tiara, and I am an activist.

    (Hi Tiara!) :P hahahahha.

    I plugged VoteED on my EducateDeviate blog here: http://educatedeviate.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/voteed-educating-malaysian-voters

    seemed apt for a blog about educated deviancy!

  • meeshlet
    December 18, 2007 at 5:47 am

    I just got that bit about your blog and educating and deviating…

  • zorro
    December 19, 2007 at 12:31 am

    Finally, youth has come to the fore. Syabas Meesh. Proud of you….will buy you beer tonight. I will ride beside VotEd.

  • farida
    December 20, 2007 at 5:51 am

    Hi,
    I’m 59 and it feels so good to see youth rising up to the challenges this country is going through. The future belongs to you. It won’t come to you clean and shining on a silver platter. The present is battered and torn and we,your older generation, allowed it to be so, and are now desperately fighting to bring order out of chaos. Work alongside us for the future we all want.

    I give you my pledge that if youm YOUTH, have a need and I can meet it, I will be there.

    Cheers,
    farida

  • zewt
    December 20, 2007 at 7:19 am

    well done… 475 … not exactly a big number but it’s something.

  • meeshlet
    December 20, 2007 at 7:51 am

    Grandpawpaw, thanks so much for your support!

    Farida- You echo my thoughts. Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. When the event comes up will post it here, you’re more than welcome to join us.

    Zewt- As of today, close to 630 Malaysian youth. To me, in a country that’s continuously said to be in possession of a very largely apathetic youth, that’s a way to go.

  • Biggum Dogmannsteinberg
    December 22, 2007 at 9:01 am

    Isn’t the “ED” supposed to stand for ‘Erectile Dysfunction’? :)

  • shar101
    December 23, 2007 at 4:11 am

    Well done, Meesh. Look forward to the first gathering.

    Btw I need to organise a bunch of writers for a ‘project’. Will call you with the details.

    Cheers.

  • meeshlet
    December 27, 2007 at 9:37 pm

    Big Dog - It stands for Education. But, you know, maybe Erectile Dysfunction if your first guess for a variety of your own reasons? ;)

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