Kuala Lumpur: The year 2023 has seen extensive developments in philosophy in Malaysia. Under, co-founders, Miss Chew Zhun Yee and Dr Tee Chen Giap’s leadership direction for the organization, the Malaysia Philosophy Society carried out a series of strategic initiatives with the goal of bringing philosophy to a broader Malaysian audience—thereby increasing awareness as to the importance of philosophy to the nation for the betterment of its future.
The organization’s most recent flagship event, “Live Love Labour” – designed to act as a space for participants to gather for an enriching learning experience through various activities; often involving philosophy keynote speeches, discussion sessions and more. This year’s Live Love Labour event, titled “The Art of Bersantai,” which was structured as a one-day festival featured mindfulness-related activities to raise awareness on burn out, mental health and overstimulation and was based on the philosophy of slow living which advocates for a balanced approach to life. The event successfully achieved national acclaim and enjoyed a significant turnout. It also demonstrated that there is an ever-growing interest in philosophy in Malaysia.
The Malaysia Philosophy Society also recently released its brand-new podcast series titled “Philosophy Express.” The series, freely accessible on Spotify and Apple Music, was introduced to provide informative bite-sized episodes that communicate basic philosophical knowledge for public consumption. Given that philosophy still occupies a nascent space in Malaysia, the Malaysian Philosophy Society believes that it is imperative to make philosophy accessible through various means in order to improve reach. This is particularly crucial when it concerns younger generations who consume digital content and source their information from a variety of social platforms. This necessitates targeted initiatives in these relevant spaces.
The Malaysian Philosophy Society had also worked strenuously to establish physical gatherings in local mamaks and cafes which facilitate philosophical discussions. Branded as “Thinkers Café,” the initiative which primarily operated online expanded into physical settings and successfully forged entirely new communities eager to normalize a philosophical approach adopted in social settings in Malaysian culture—transforming the country’s communal ethos.
Other prominent institutions such as the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC-IIUM) and Persatuan Pendidikan Falsafah dan Pemikiran Malaysia (PPFPM) also saw great success in the promulgation of philosophy. The Contemporary Conference on Philosophy in Southeast and East Asia, hosted in Malaysia, allowed for great intellectual exchange as it featured scholars from across the world who discussed research in pertinent areas of philosophical concern. This has the potential to enhance Malaysia’s reputational status as a beacon of philosophical education and scholarship. Similar success was also present in the Islam-Confucianism Leadership Dialogue, attended by top government officials from both Malaysia and China, which garnered praise of international proportions. The promotion of the idea of civilizational dialogue in the forum between the Islamic and Confucian world highlighted Malaysia’s commitment to the philosophical cause of intellectual trade by engaging in conversation and diplomacy with the international community.
These were a just some of the initiatives carried out. It is the hope of the Malaysian Philosophy Society that philosophy, in the coming new year, will see increased development. The organization is projected to initiate new projects in 2024 with the goal of bringing philosophy to even greater heights of national recognition. Let it be a new year for philosophy in Malaysia.
Author: Pravin Periasamy
Networking and Partnership Director
Malaysia Philosophy Society.
