CE-KU; noun {malay}: To press sharply against soft objects poor policies weak ideas

Our vision is to promote the exchange of ideas, opinions and solutions among Malaysian students.

Our mission is to provide a platform for students to discuss pertinent Malaysian issues in an open and constructive way.

About Us

CEKU's Editorial team 2022/23

CEKU is the editorial arm of UKEC. We are a team of passionate student writers from the Catalyst Office, committed to promoting the values of democracy, free speech, justice and holism. 

Our articles are written to be informative, persuasive and analytical in nature. We believe in the power of the pen, and that by encouraging participation in intellectual discourse, the collective wisdom of our dreams of a better nation will lead Malaysia to the right path of sustainable progress.

While still being part of UKEC, our writers operate at an arm’s length from UKEC itself. This gives them the freedom and independence to pursue any articles they deem important without fear of influence from any organisations. As such, the opinions offered on this platform are not an indication of UKEC’s position on a particular topic. We are merely the vessel that carries the voices and opinions of the Malaysian Student Community.

Our writers, writing for YOU

Lee Cheng Jie

Lee Cheng Jie

Editor-in-Chief
2nd Year, BA (Hons.) Philosophy, Politics and Economics
University of Manchester

If you ever fail to locate Cheng Jie, lay out a trail of teh tarik, pineapple pizza, B99 episodes, Malcolm Gladwell books, and she will come running to you.

Emilia Lye

Emilia Lye

Executive Editor
3rd year, LLB Law
Queen's University Belfast

Emilia's weekly routine sums up her character in which she: (1) listens to either BFM/BBC every morning (2) binge reality tv (3) consumes chocolate religiously.

Nur Damia Qaisara Noh

Nur Damia Qaisara Noh

Creative Editor
1st Year, BASc Politics, International Studies and Global Sustainable Development
University of Warwick

Damia’s idea of fun are 3 Bs: bed, books, and (kpop) boys. She tries different hobbies to fill time, but has concluded that she’s best at wasting time by bingeing something in bed.

Maisarah Abdullah

Maisarah Abdullah

Writer
1st Year, BA/BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics
University of Warwick

When she’s not contemplating life choices, Maisarah is browsing through easy-to-cook uni meals since the UK ones are just too bland for her tastebuds. Cili padi? A necessity.

Iman Afif

Iman Afif

Writer
2nd year, MEng (Hons.) Chemical Engineering with Energy and Environment,
University of Manchester

Baking and petting street cats are Iman's top-tier dopamine boosts. Now, we fear she has gotten too powerful with her new oven and neighbour's kittens.

Lim Hong Bin

Lim Hong Bin

Writer
2nd year, BSc Economics,
University of Manchester

Hong Bin is always cooking something up—either an argument in his head or an experimental dish in the kitchen. Else, catch him diving for discs on the frisbee court.

Sailesh Krishnakumar

Editor-in-Chief

2nd Year, BSc Economics

University of Warwick

History buff. He will drag you down to have a hours long deep conversation with him, its a slippery slope once he begins speaking to you. 

Diya Aisha Sharizal

Creative Editor
2nd Year BSc Economics and Environment
University of Edinburgh

Ong Li Jun

Ong Li Jun

Writer
2nd year, LLB Law,
University of Manchester

Weeb; daydreamer; aspiring lawyer. With a heart stronger than his motivation, Li Jun's passion in Malaysian politics resonates through his writing and terrible puns.

Qadirah Stephens

Qadirah Stephens

Writer
1st year, LLB Law and Politics,
Cardiff University

Other than reading 3 books at a time, you can find Qadirah over-analysing pop culture in her writing or sipping teh tarik.

CEKU Articles: Pressing for Change

Browse the next big idea, here on CEKU!

a boy contemplating

Learning to be Alone: The Reality of University Life as an International Student

As an international student studying abroad, you often try to prepare as much as possible to get adjusted to the new environment. From classic university horror stories to advice from friends and relatives, preparation seems smooth until the actual experience kicks in. More often than not, you find yourself having to adapt to different situations on the fly that no amount of advice or preparation could save you from. This is the steep learning curve that everyone goes through when we become more independent. Having to rely on ourselves most of the time is especially true for international students studying abroad, as all forms of physical chains that confine us to our zone of comfort have been released. Once the dust has settled, the endless days of studying and preparing for exams begin. Between the hassle of improving our grades and balancing priorities in our life, we realise that we are alone most of the time with no one to rely on.

The Perversion of Faith – An Anecdote of Misogyny

An oft-cited defence of Muslims against Islamophobes and critics of the religion is that what those on the fringes of the religious practice and preach is not what Islam stands for. In addition to a gap between theory and practice, there is also a gap between the mortal and the divine. Islam is a perfect divine religion, but those practising it are imperfect mortal men.

This imperfection manifests itself in many ways. Some are as innocent as in the way Muslims pray (notice how some schools (madhhab) hold the hands over their bellies whilst others don’t?).1 Some as far as whether women are sui juris in terms of marriage.2 And there are even ones that go as far as differences in basic theological principles. For instance, on whether people have free will as it relates to predestination (Qada’ and Qadr).3 The core idea here is that these differences in opinion epitomise the problem of human interpretation of the divine – that they are fundamentally imperfect.

cartoon of a woman sitting in a hospital

Ma’am, You Are Not In Pain

I have seen a loved one carrying a misdiagnosis for nearly a decade, an acquaintance prescribed medication for adenomyosis after countless doctors, and millions of women retelling the same stories differently. Women constitute half of the global population and yet, gender bias runs rampant in healthcare.

Photograph of Alison Turnbull Hopkins with banner, "Mr. President How long must women wait for liberty," picketing for suffrage outside White House gate.

Why We Need More Girl Bosses: A Political Context

Democracy is not a foreign concept in the 21st century. Reigning champion as most countries’ governing system, democracy seems to ride on the notion of equality. At the same time, it doesn’t really seem to represent each and every individual equally. We could look back on the origin of democracy itself, in ancient Greek, where only males could participate in it. Centuries later, even though certain circumstances have improved, most women are still sidelined in politics. We’ve heard of campaigns for more women’s representation and participation in politics, but why does it truly matter? Why would having more girl bosses in the political arena be important in Malaysia?

Comic strip with two children sitting in front of a tv screen showing areas impacted by climate change

Climate Change – What Does the Science Say?

Climate change is widely accepted as an issue, but it is not always intuitive. How is a substance as invisible and harmless as Carbon Dioxide (CO2) able to wreak havoc on earth at a scale being claimed – after all, is CO2 not what we naturally produce when we breathe, and what fuels the existence of the beautiful greeneries of the earth? If the reports from a few months ago claim that we are headed towards some of the hottest heatwaves Britain has seen, how, then, are we experiencing one of the coldest winters in recent years? Yet, climate change is an issue that has been well-understood by the scientific community for decades; it is the nuances that are difficult to communicate. These nuances are often lost in headline statements such as ‘keeping 1.5 ˚C within reach’ or ‘reach net-zero by 2050,’ fuelling much scepticism, or rather a lack of urgency, among the public. This article aims to inform the reader of the key concepts underpinning climate change science and clarify common misconceptions. 

drawing of scales of justice

The Light and Shadow of Inequality

Ever since civilisations started establishing themselves on the planet, inequality, a phenomenon of unequal distributions of wealth, could be seen manifesting within these societies. In the early stages of civilisation, it is seen as who had more land, more livestock, and more of something, as it indicates that they had more “assets” than the other. However, these “assets” were not quantifiable as economic systems were not developed enough to quantify the value of these goods. As such, it was challenging to measure inequality.

Supporters holding PAN and DAP flags

A Mottled Malaysia

A couple of months back, I drove to the Royal Lake Club at the heart of metropolitan Kuala Lumpur. As I stepped out of my car, I checked my pockets for my cigarette case containing my beloved Sampoerna. I lit the cigarette as I was early for my meeting with a Minister from Bersatu.

Less than 400 metres west is Dataran Merdeka; many battles have been fought there. 1998 witnessed seas of Malaysians square up against the Federal Reserve Unit as they rallied in the name of ‘Reformasi’. In the late 2000s, Malaysians took to the street again to demand free and fair elections, ‘Bersih!’, they cried as the surroundings were blurred with tear gas and showers of the FRU’s chemical-induced water cannon. Cries of ‘Kleptocracy’ filled Dataran Merdeka in 2015.

photo of the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian sky line where the Twin Towers is situated in the centre

Post GE15 Reflections from a Political Scientist

The past few weeks have been a tumultuous period for Malaysia. As the dust settles (for now), and Malaysia’s 10th Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, prepares to helm the new government, it is timely to take a step back and consider the current state of the country, as well as lessons that leaders and ordinary citizens should takeaway. As an individual who studied political science, here are three points of reflection about nation-building and where we go from here.

A black and white photograph of a man descending down a spiral staircase

The Surviving Mind — Today is A Gift

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” “Step out of your comfort zone,” “You will be fine,” such so-called motivating quotes have never failed to crop up in our sight, be it on our social media pages, our daily conversations with acquaintances, or even loved ones.

Photo of a pile of clothes which is stacked up to look like a sea wave

A Fashion Crime

As we browse through our favourite online shopping websites, a notification suddenly pops up, informing us our favourite brand has just released its latest collection. Suddenly, we feel a rush of endorphins and dopamine signalling through our brains as we imagine ourselves wearing these clothes, blindsided by the price tags. For a moment, we take a step back, telling ourselves not to give in. However, our desires soon take over as one item multiplies into two. Within 15 minutes of retail therapy, our shopping cart consists of four pairs of ZARA jeans, 7 H&M blouses, and three pairs of Shein shoes. Although we feel a sense of pleasure, the environment might think otherwise. Whether we are aware or not, we have contributed to one of the biggest polluters on Earth.