AK Rockefeller Malaysia

Malaysia

The Day Begins

Photograph by Zashnain. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.     ...

I am not a thief

I am not a thief

That’s what Malaysia’s former prime minister had to say after facing 25 additional corruption charges in court. Prosecutors accuse Najib Razak of illegally transferring hundreds of millions of dollars fro ...

Inequality in Bolehland

Inequality in Bolehland

Will there be any improvements to the state of poverty and hardship for Malaysians and migrant workers? What are NGOs and government agencies doing to improve the quality of life for marginalised communities? Or will ...

The Swirling Desolation of Time

The Swirling Desolation of Time

I have lost track of time. There is this bizarre feeling of a swirling abyss, somewhere, ever-consuming. Time is perhaps not relevant, often I ask myself – not relevant to me? Emotions are high, while exhaustio ...

Federal, State Govt Fails to Protect Indigenous Land Rights of Temiar Community

Federal, State Govt Fails to Protect Indigenous Land Rights of Temiar Community

In early August 2018, a plantation company destroyed a six-month-old blockade set up by an indigenous Orang Asli community in the Malaysian state of Kelantan. According to a news report, Jaringan Kampung Orang Asl ...

Dream State

Dream State

Poverty in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Art and photography by Zashnain Zainal   ...

Capture the Real You

Capture the Real You

Homelessness and urban poverty in Kuala Lumpur. Photography and art by Zashnain Zainal | Malaysia. ...

Dark Side

Dark Side

Shadow is the dark side, Where beings are hidden from plain view. Invisible not just to sight, but also to our other senses, our consciousness, We hope, and pray, that they, those dark beings, do not stir from their ...

Malaysia: Lawan Berita Palsu Dengan Fakta, Bukan Akta

Malaysia: Lawan Berita Palsu Dengan Fakta, Bukan Akta

Malaysia’s government has introduced a sweeping “anti-fake news” bill that critics say could stifle criticism of Prime Minister Najib Razak and his supremacist political party before a national ele ...

Struggling Urban Communities

Struggling Urban Communities

In a realm of loss, individuals are forgotten and neglected by the mainstream doctrine of social development. Photographs by @bedlamfury Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2018   ...

Blinded by the Light

Blinded by the Light

Marginalised communities struggle in Kuala Lumpur, the heart of Malaysia – a capital known as the garden city of lights. But the government and ruling political parties continue to compliment themselves for  ...

Misery Waiting at the Bottom

Misery Waiting at the Bottom

Public agencies and government systems have grown increasingly rigid, often swollen with bureaucracy and stifling with corruption. The poor and marginalised communities continue to live in a pitiful existence – ...

The Curse of a Fine City

The Curse of a Fine City

I have returned to the bustling city, which was once my home. Despite my exhaustion, my eyes feast on the familiar sights of Kuala Lumpur, those lingering memories. Time has been merciless upon this city – a na ...

Housing Beyond Reach

Economic prosperity is an oddity of some sort, an irony at best, especially for marginalised communities in Thailand and Malaysia. According to experts, the economy is expanding, but based on what I have observed dur ...

Urban Paradise

Urban Paradise

Kuala Lumpur is a developed and successful urban paradise ~ with modern structures, sophistication and elitism. Yet poverty grows unchecked, and apathy is a doctrine worshipped by many. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2017 &n ...

Solivagant

Solivagant

The unapologetic urban rogue. A lone non-conformist to the predictable, senseless whims of Malaysian high society. Mental health services and outreach activities are dwindling and often inaccessible to those who wand ...

We do not want to see them

We do not want to see them

I grow weary of failed promises… Of housing for the poor. Of a social welfare system that would improve the quality of life. Of protecting the dignity of the underprivileged. Yet human rights and societal value ...

They seek dreams to escape the nightmarish reality

Day and night, the poor continue their struggle in a realm that offers little in compassion. Urban poverty in Kuala Lumpur. Society embracing moral bankruptcy.   ...

He Slumbered in a Nightmare

He Slumbered in a Nightmare

Wrecked by poverty and societal apathy, the homeless community finds no peace. The Dream Within A Nightmare Society appears to relish in delusions, where as long as they mind their own business, they can afford to re ...

The Complexities of Thai Education System in Patani

Ibrahim Keela, a 25-year-old youth activist and student, shares his thoughts with AK Rockefeller about the institutional challenges on education and livelihood. He hails from Yala, a province in south Thailand. Th ...