Sembang@WWF 2019

Sembang@WWF

About Sembang@WWF

Sembang@WWF 2019

was a success!

Our endless gratitude to all those participated in Sembang@WWF 2019. We owe you big time for the success!

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What is Sembang@WWF 2019?

Check out what went down during

Sembang@WWF 2019!

Tackling Plastic Pollution from the Centre of a Stage

WWF-Malaysia’s storytelling platform, Sembang@WWF saw hundreds of young adults came from all across Malaysia to witness their inspiring friends taking the stage to speak passionately about plastic pollution. Created five years ago, the event is an opportunity for students to speak on various environmental issues held each year in conjunction with the Global Earth Day.

Held for the second time at Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia, the event featured a forum discussion titled ‘Joining the Conversation: No Plastic in Nature’. In addition to the speakers sharing their views, a representative from the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, expert from the circular economy and WWF-Malaysia officials sat down to share the challenges and issues surrounding plastic pollution in our country.

About Sembang@WWF

What is Sembang@WWF?

Storytelling connects us to humanity because it helps us relate and empathize. With the magic of storytelling, we created a platform called ‘Sembang@WWF’ in our youth programme. The session gives an opportunity for students to speak on various environmental issues. It aims to engage and transport the students’ mind to stories on poverty, haze, wildlife poaching, shark finning and many more.

Sembang@WWF is an instrument for us to listen and share ideas on what we can do as individuals to make a change for a better environment. Through this platform, our programme aims to build youth leaders who are fluent in the concepts of climate change and are aware of its unprecedented threat to our planet. We need them to empower everyone with the knowledge to inspire action in defense of environmental protection.

The idea hinges on one of the steps advocated in the strategies of ESD - informing and involving society in their on-going sustainability initiatives in their respective schools, teacher education campuses, universities and even communities.

Sembang though it alludes to a laidback sentiment in Bahasa Melayu, will be the total opposite of its linguistic meaning in execution. The word was chosen because it embodies the spirit on inclusivity of ESD. It also symbolises aesthetic value and traditional knowledge promotion, which are among the core values of ESD.

Sembang@WWF 2018 speakers. Last year's Sembang@WWF was held at

Sunway Nexis in Kota Damansara, Selangor.

Latest updates

Sembang@WWF 2019

Sembang@WWF 2019 -

What's with Plastics?

Why is the theme this year What's with Plastics?

‘What’s with Plastics?’ is the theme for Sembang@WWF this year because it is generic and it allows room for a robust discussion on plastics in several relevant perspectives. The theme will allow us to unpack the myths on plastic as well as to understand the benefit that it brings & also the destruction it caused due to its mismanagement. Thus, advocating a stricter policy to mitigate the mismanagement of plastic and to influence a more sustainable consumption & production pattern of plastic usage & disposal.

The objectives of this programme are;

To enhance awareness of current plastics related issues in Malaysia,
To encourage discussion & networking between youth leaders, public leaders & plastics industries, &
To influence a more sustainable consumption & production pattern of plastic usage & disposal.

Interested to know why we are emphasising on plastic pollution for Sembang@WWF 2019, take a look at the video below:

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The Storytellers

Min Kim Chai

Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Tuanku Bainun

Sembang@WWF Title :

Alternatives & Reusables to replace plastics

About the Storyteller :

Member of the Skuad Lestari IPGKTB, Min Kim and his team are concerned about many of the environmental issues. They are the everyday heroes that strive towards making a difference to our environment. Fueled by his passion to create a better tomorrow for the next generations, Min Kim is honoured to use this storytelling platform to share his views on plastic pollution and how one can become a better consumer.

Nor Farahaini Zainudin

Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Perempuan Melayu Melaka

Sembang@WWF Title :

Banning the Plastics Ban

About the Storyteller :

Nor Farahaini which means ‘happiness in the eyes’ embraces the meaning of her name proudly. She loves looking at nature as it brings her happiness and she finds being closer to it is very therapeutic. Farahaini believes that taking care of the environment is everyone’s responsibility and will undoubtedly benefit all humankind in the long run. She is pleased to be chosen as one of the speakers for Sembang@WWF 2019 as this opportunity will allow her to call for support from youth around Malaysia to take better care of mother nature.

Chong Xin Yi

SMK Damansara Jaya

Sembang@WWF Title :

Is recycling enough?

About the Storyteller :

Chong Xin Yi enjoys drawing and writing poetry during her free time as it allows her to express herself and she finds it very therapeutic. She is the President of the Buddhist Society in her school and she finds her teacher as a source of inspiration to care for the environment. As a girl that has been raised in a Chinese-speaking family, she wishes that the English language does not refrain her ability to make a difference in this world. She hopes that everyone will start doing their part in making the world a better place by conserving the environment, so that the future generations will be able to experience and witness the magnificence of the various flora and fauna that we have today.

Lean Ting Jin

SMK Damansara Jaya

Sembang@WWF Title :

Circular Economy of Plastics

About the Storytellers :

Chase Lean is a high school student studying in SMK Damansara Jaya. He’s in love with nature since he was a kid - he finds trees, birds in the sky and even the dinosaurs fascinating. He finds writing stories and articles are a great way to share his thoughts with the world. This young and proud author of a book called ‘Being Human’, he believes that everyone has the power to make a unique difference in society be it on environmental issues or poverty. He calls for a greater support for Planet Earth because together, we can make it a better place.

Farhana Alia is a Form 5 student from SMK Damansara Jaya. When not preparing for her SPM examinations, her other interest includes listening to music. Unable to resist good storytelling, she is also an avid reader of all genre. Since she was a child, she developed a keen interest in science, particularly on wildlife and nature. While she believes that scientific advancements are important to mankind, it should not be at the expense of harming mother nature. Her interest in nature peaked during when she was in primary school, wherein she was elected as the vice president for her primary school's Nature Club. In an effort to reduce her carbon footprints on the earth, she applies the basic 5R principles of refusing, reducing, reusing, repurposing and recycling in her daily activities.

Muhammad Alham bin Jamain

SMK Bandar Tenggara 2

Sembang@WWF Title :

How our consumption patterns affect biodiversity and habitat loss?

About the Storyteller :

Muhammad Alham merupakan pelajar tingkatan 5 di SMK Bandar Tenggara 2, Johor. Di sekolah, beliau sangat aktif dengan memegang beberapa jawatan seperti pengawas perpustakaan dan naib presiden kelab. Beliau amat suka flora dan fauna kerana ia dapat membantu memberikan ketenangan sekali gus memberi beliau idea serta ilham untuk menghasilkan karya sajak. Subjek kesusateraan Bahasa Melayu ialah kegemaran beliau lebih-lebih lagi sajak dan syair. Dengan menyertai Sembang@WWF, beliau berharap agar peluang ini dapat membakar semangat beliau untuk terus memperjuangkan warisan Bahasa Melayu.

Anusha Dewi

SJKT Natesa Pillay

Sembang@WWF Title :

Introduction to Plastics

About the Storytellers :

Anusha attends school in Teluk Intan, Perak. She loves reading and she is proud to have parents who support her in all her endeavours. As the star athlete in her school, Anusha loves having a lot of friends around her. She loves devouring ‘Nasi Lemak’ and hopes to become a chef when she grows up. Her principle in life is never giving up no matter what and always strive for success.

Hail from Teluk Intan, Perak Sarwinness looks up to the movie star Vijay and wishes to be as good as him. He hopes to become a successful doctor and repay his mother’s kindness for raising him. His personal mantra is to embrace love but not hate.

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The Experts

Dr. Nagulendran Kangayatkarasu

Deputy Secretary General (Environment & Climate Change) Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC), Malaysia

About the Expert:

Dr Nagulendran Kangayatkarasu, or better known as Dr Nagu, joined the Malaysian Government as a Diplomatic and Administrative Officer in 1995. A Chevening Scholar, he has been for most of his career working on issues related to biodiversity, biosafety and environment. His doctoral studies at the University of Nottingham focused on biodiversity governance in Peninsular Malaysia. He has been involved mainly in policy formulation, developing legal frameworks, diplomacy and negotiations as well as stakeholder engagements on the many issues and facets of national and global environmental governance. He feels that it’s a joined responsibility of all to ensure environmental concerns are mainstreamed into national and global socioeconomic development agenda. He too advocates that changes at an individual level to live in harmony with nature is a powerful catalyst to augment the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr. S.Sri Umeswara

Founder & CEO of Era Suria Ecopreneurs Sdn Bhd (ES ECO) – Circular Economy Experts, holds a Master of Science and a PhD in Energy and Environment at the Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST).

About the Expert :

S.Sri Umeswara is an “Ecopreneur”, who is a strong supporter of sustainable living and he advocates the circular economy concept. He has been a member of various government committees as policy and climate change advocate. He was invited to participate in various forums, labs, workshops, surveys, seminars and conferences, so as to share his expertise and to present his views both locally and internationally. He has over 10 years of experience in integrated communications, public and government affairs spanning a wide spectrum of non-profit organisations and associations in Malaysia, Asia and Global. He is also a Malaysian Delegate and Subject Matter Expert at UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Expert Group on Marine Litter and Microplastics. He believes in collaboration and strives to bring organisations and businesses together with the community to achieve success.

Nor Shidawati Abdul Rashid

Senior Manager (Formal Education) WWF-Malaysia

About the Expert :

Nor Shidawati Abdul Rashid wears several hats in WWF-Malaysia, She leads and manages the Formal Education sector of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Programme. Additionally, she is also the National Coordinator of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Programme in Malaysia as well as the Head of Secretariat for National Education for Sustainable Development Workgroup. Her expertise and area of interests include project and programme development and management, youth empowerment, environmental and sustainability education design and training and social impact measure. Among the things that keep her motivation and drive going in life is the idea of affecting change in behaviour and mindset among the younger generations through our education programme. With 21 years of experience in the education industry, of which 15 is in environmental conservation, she brings along experience, knowledge and skills gained through her engagements with WWF's networks, globally and locally.

Shantini Guna Rajan

Marine Policy Manager WWF-Malaysia

About the Moderator :

Shantini Guna Rajan, an avid environmental advocate is a proud Malaysian who has a close affinity to nature since childhood. Thus naturally, after completing her undergraduate degree in law, LLB, from the University of Nottingham she pursued and completed a postgraduate Master’s degree in Environmental Law in 2009 in the same university. Upon returning to Malaysia, she completed the Certificate in Legal Practice and was subsequently admitted to the Malaysian Bar. Shantini had been employed as a researcher at the Maritime Institute of Malaysia [MIMA] a policy think tank, and an Advocate and Solicitor at Messer Skrine. She is currently the Marine Policy Manager with WWF-Malaysia and is humbled by the supporting role she plays in providing policy and legal support for the marine program. Shantini is an alumni of the Young South East Asia Leadership Initiative, a US State Department-sponsored Fellowship Programme and was also a speaker at the 2018 Pesta Harapan Youth Policy Town Hall. She finds herself constantly inspired and guided by nature, which she feels, is nothing short of a perfect system. She is an ardent student of life and seeks to continue the process of self – empowerment which aids her in the careful exercise of discretion, making informed decisions, and ultimately, leading an exemplary life.

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