Many of us would know Malaysia as home. It is mostly known for its multi-ethnic population but is more loved for its food. Within the Malaysian context, and even across the globe, many nations are concerned with social justice issues.
From poverty to mental health, these highlighted issues prove to be significant to the average Malaysian, especially for younger generations. As Christians, we are called to be the salt and light of the earth.
For this section, we derived insights from a 2022 research study that was done in a partnership between the Barna Group, Alpha Malaysia and World Vision Malaysia that studied millennials’ responses to social justice issues. Their study represented the perspectives of 1, 845 Malaysian young people (ages 23 - 37) represented in different ages, race/ ethnicity, gender, regions of Malaysia ¹.
From these responses, we gain clarity on how the church can impact the nation through evangelism both in word and deed.
Stories of Hope
Listen to a collection of voice notes from people in our community who have shared what Hope looks like for them.
HOPE FOR THE NATION IS:
Addressing the most pressing social justice concerns of Malaysia
In today’s young people, mental health, corruption, racism, and wealth and income inequality rank as the four primary social justice concerns among millennials. This shift marks a departure from historical norms, where challenges like food security, human trafficking, and racism were more commonly acknowledged as the foremost community issues.
HOPE FOR THE NATION IS:
Actively playing a role in social justice concerns of Malaysia
Most millennials believe that people with the power to make key decisions hold great responsibility for addressing major social justice concerns, and surprisingly, many also see social media as having a significant role in this.
This may suggest that social media plays a crucial role in raising awareness about these issues, while policy and governance remain crucial for implementing effective solutions.
Exploring this further, digital media remains the top for social justice news for this young generation.
Interestingly, the majority of young adult Christians receive their information via social media compared to believers of other religions/agnostics/atheists.
1 Alpha Malaysia, Barna Group, and World Vision Malaysia (2022) The Connected Generation in Malaysia: Engaging Millennials in Leadership, Evangelism and Social Justice.
Ways to engage:
Visit here for more information and to download the research. The research is available in three languages – English, Bahasa Malaysia, and Mandarin.
"Hope for the City" is a sermon series that unfolds through a series of photos, insights and audio stories - from the perspectives of the people in HTBB’s community. Each piece represents their enduring hope amid different circumstances — hope for their homes, neighbourhoods, city and nation. Discover the rest of the exhibition on-site at the Lot 10 Rooftop from September 3rd - 24th.