KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 ― President Barack Obama's official visit to Malaysia will be memorable for many youths, particularly the participants of the Young Southeast Asia Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) who are attending a three-day workshop in Kuala Lumpur.
Over 100 young leaders, aged 18 to 35 and from the Asean region will get the golden opportunity to meet with the American president during a town hall session at Dewan Tunku Canselor, University of Malaya tomorrow.
YSEALI is an initiative of the US government to invest in Asean's youth, as announced by Obama last December, to expand and institutionalise diplomatic and programmatic engagement throughout Southeast Asia aimed at empowering the next generation of leaders.
“It is a reassurance that the work I do right now is important and that there is massive potential for the Asean region to develop with the support of the United States,” TeachForMalaysia talent acquisition manager Fareeza Ibrahim, 26, said.
“I think through YSEALI, we'll learn that ordinary people can do extraordinary things and that the US government is committed to ensuring the work we do in civic engagement gets the support it needs."
“It's very exciting to know that President Obama will come to our workshop,” said Indonesian Rakhmawati Rakhma, 22, who is a volunteer with YES Kennedy-Lugar programme, launched to erase the misunderstandings between Muslims and the US since the 9/11 tragedy.
Rakhmawati was optimistic that as a result of the YSEALI workshop and the town hall event, participants would understand how to turn their ideas into solid action.
Kornnatt Surapat, 33, from Bangkok is thrilled to be able to meet Obama. “He is one of the most inspiring and determined leaders who empowers people to strive for what we believe and to be the best that we can.
“President Obama's presence truly shows that he places strong importance on youth development in Asean. It will surely increase soceity's awareness about what we do and aim to achieve,” said Surapat, who added he would love to take a group selfie with the president.
Wilson Beh is president of the Malaysian-American Alumni Partnership, an umbrella organisation for the close to 6,000 Malaysians who have been sponsored by the US government to study in that country, including Fulbrighters, Eisenhower fellows and more.
“I have been wanting to meet President Obama since I was an intern at the World Bank in Washington DC I met President (Bill) Clinton in 2012 when I represented Malaysia at the Clinton Global Initiatives University,” said 24-year-old Beh.
“I have always had great interest in President Obama's rise and struggle to be the first African-American president. His stories can be an inspiration to fellow Malaysians who are striving to be part of a developed nation and create a more harmonious society."
The aims of the YSEALI workshop this weekend include developing the skills of Asean youth to make them effective leaders through skills training, and to provide professional skills to enable youth to be community leaders and quality stewards of US grant money.
The initiative also aims to raise awareness of regional issues that impact Asean as well as the US government's efforts to rebalance the region.
