The hope of the rakyat is not in any politicians but in the unity of civil society

Civil society gets a celebrity boost

By Yow Hong Chieh

September 14, 2011

Helmed by singer/songwriter Pete Teo, "Undilah" wants you to get out there and vote. — Picture by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Celebrities have been used to sell everything from shampoos to airline tickets. In fact, in the United States, they even go on the stump for their favourite election candidates.

In what looks like a game of catch-up or political awakening, Malaysian artistes and film-makers are adding their voices to viral campaigns aimed at strengthening civil society in Malaysia.

Working with shoestring budgets and bolstered by the goodwill of volunteers, these direct-to-public initiatives harness the power of social media and the Internet to carry their message of empowerment to a new generation of hyper-connected voters.

In other words, they are reaching out to the youth of this country.

One such effort is “Undilah”, helmed by singer/songwriter Pete Teo, which aims to hammer home the point that every vote counts and that the government is ultimately responsible to the people.

“This is my country. Stop shitting on the sidewalk. It’s that sense of ownership that we need to inculcate,” Teo told The Malaysian Insider.

Namewee says his directorial debut "Nasi Lemak 2.0" is about the muhibbah spirit. — Picture by Jack Ooi

“Ultimately, this bunch of people who sit in Parliament... they work for us. We don’t work for them. Their salaries are paid by taxpayers. And once every four to five years, we decide whether they go back to Parliament again.”

Malaysians who gripe about the state of the nation should not just pin their hopes on “heroes” like Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim or even former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to right perceived wrongs without first making their wishes known through the ballot box, Teo stressed.

The trailer for “Undilah” is already out; against a funky rap song and lyrics that go, “Undilah, jangan tidur” you see — yes, all in one video — singer Namewee, actor/director Afdlin Shauki, actress Sharifah Amani, politicians like MCA’s Wee Ka Siong and PKR’s Nurul Izzah and even AirAsia’s Tan Sri Tony Fernandes exhorting you to get out there to vote.

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