The Questions That ASEAN Youths Failed To Ask Obama. Should We Be Worried?
If you could ask the President of the United States one question, what would it be? 400 youths including the 103 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative participants had the opportunity, but civil society groups say the questions they chose to ask were a missed opportunity.
By Mei Mei Chu — 28 Apr 2014, 05:31 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
NGOs are disappointed at the questions Asean youths posed to US President Barack Obama during the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Town Hall on 27 April 2014
NGOs are disappointed at the questions Asean youths posed to US President Barack Obama during the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Town Hall on 27 April 2014
Image via wordpress.comCivil society groups who attended the town hall session with US President Barack Obama were disappointed that Asean youths dubbed "future leaders" did not take the golden opportunity to ask him questions on policy issues today.
themalaysianinsider.com
Though more than 100 participants of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) - an intiative launched by Obama last December - were present only eight questions were permitted.
The eight questions asked by youths from 10 Asean countries revolved around the 44th US President's happiness, regrets and legacy
"Hi, Mr. President. I’m from Cambodia, and I went to Institute of Foreign Languages at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. And I’ve got a very simple question for you. What was your dream when you were in your 20s, and did you achieve it? And if so, how did you achieve it?"
"To Mr. President, what would be your own key words or encouragement for each of us leaders of our next generation while we are cooperating with numerous diversities such as different races, languages, beliefs and cultures not only in Myanmar, but also across ASEAN? Thank you."
"Good evening, Mr. President Obama. I’m from Malaysia. I’m an undergrad from University of Malaya. So my question is, in your position right now, what values that you uphold the most that you think is very important, that makes you what you are today? And what do you wish to bring that value to the young people of today that can change the world to become a better world? Thank you."
"Hi, President. Very short question. What are the things that you regret now that you have done in the past?"
"Well, okay, I have a very short question. What does happiness mean for you?"
"Mr. President, thank you very much. We have a question from our friend in Singapore. He asks, what is the legacy you wish to leave behind?"
Civil Society Groups felt the limited time could have been better spent with questions about pressing issues affecting Malaysia right now
Civil Society Groups felt the limited time could have been better spent with questions about pressing issues affecting Malaysia right now
Image via imgur.comInstead, they deemed questions such as "what happiness meant to the US president" and "what his greatest regrets were" as unnecessary, when instead queries should have been over US' foreign policy and transgressions of rule of law in Malaysia.
themalaysianinsider.com
But the NGOs felt the limited time with Obama should have been better spent with questions about pressing issues affecting Malaysia now.
ISIS Malaysia assistant director of foreign policy and security studies Elina Noor hoped questions were more related to current affairs rather than broad-based and philosophical
ISIS Malaysia assistant director of foreign policy and security studies Elina Noor said that she had hoped the questions were more pointed and related to current affairs as opposed to being broad-based and philosophical.
themalaysianinsider.com
"We would have wanted him to explain the elevation from bilateral relationship to partnership with Malaysia that was just announced in the press conference with the Malaysian prime minister, " Elina said.
themalaysianinsider.com
Women's Aid Organisation advocacy officer Yu Ren Chung says there was a lack of questions about US policy and how it affects people in South East Asia
Women's Aid Organisation advocacy officer Yu Ren Chung also lamented the lack of questions about US policy and how it affects everyone else including people in Southeast Asia, especially on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and transparency issues.
themalaysianinsider.com
Yu added, however, that there were some good "takeaways" from the session, when Obama mentioned that sexual orientation should not be discriminated against, and that people should not organise themselves politically by ethnicity and religion, but instead on ideas, the rule of law and democratic ideals.
Representatives from Pusat Komas say the youths should have seized the opportunity to ask Obama about human rights violations and growing voices of extremism
Lena Hendry of Pusat Komas, meanwhile, felt that the students should have taken the opportunity to ask the president about human rights in relations to transgressions happening in Malaysia currently.
themalaysianinsider.com
Arul Prakkash from Pusat Komas said that participants should have seized the opportunity to apprise Obama about the growing voices of extremism in the country and the attack on minorities, especially non-Muslims.
themalaysianinsider.com
He said that if given the chance to pose a question, he would have called on the US president to engage with Malaysia not only on an economic level, but to look into human rights violations in the country.
Lawyers for Liberty representative Michelle Yesudas says there should have been more discussion about racism, religious politics and rule of law in Malaysia
Lawyers for Liberty representative Michelle Yesudas agreed with Hendry, saying that they were hoping for a more constructive platform to discuss issues related to racism, religious policies and rule of law that has been breached in Malaysia.
"If I had a chance to ask him a question, I would have told him that the rule of law was not being taken seriously in Malaysia, and sought his response to that," Yesudas said.
themalaysianinsider.com
Katrina Joseph Paul of Tenaganita, "This is a reflection of the failure to analyse, be critical and hold leaders accountable for issues affecting human rights."
President Barack Obama hosted the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Town Hall to engage Asean youths who are to be future leaders of change in their community
Image via astroawani.comKatrina Joseph Paul of Tenaganita also complained about the lack of questions on policy, adding that this raised serious concerns about the future generation of leaders from Asean countries who failed to ask pertinent questions.
themalaysianinsider.com
"This is a reflection of the failure to analyse, be critical and hold leaders accountable for issues affecting human rights, including the fate of migrant workers for instance," she added.
However, Obama commended the participants and their questions before ending the town hall
Obama is all smiles as he delivers his speech at the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative Town Hall at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur today.
Image via themalaysianinsider.com"Let me just say this by way of thank you to all of you. I think you’ve asked terrific questions. I’m so impressed with all of you and what you have done and what you’ll do in the future. I do want you to feel optimistic about your future," Barack Obama.