In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized (subject to certain rules and regulations).

EX8
Jalan SS 13/4, Subang Jaya Industrial Estate
Subang Jaya, Selangor, 47500
Malaysia

Ahmad Hadri

GreenTech Malaysia CEO

As the Chief Executive Officer of Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (GreenTech Malaysia), Ir. Ahmad Hadri Haris leads the organization under the purview of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water Malaysia, tasked with the responsibility to catalyse Green Technology deployment as Malaysia’s strategic engine for socio-economic growth. Prior to his appointment at GreenTech Malaysia, he was the Senior Director of Public Affairs (Asia Pacific) for First Solar, a global leader in solar energy solutions. He also played an instrumental role in the formulation and development of national policies, including the National Green Technology Policy 2009, the National Renewable Energy Policy 2010, and the Renewable Energy Act 2011, when he was appointed as the Chief Technical Advisor to the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water from 2004 to 2011.

Faye Jong

Young Inventor

At just 17 years old, Faye Jong is already a proud inventor of a totally organic cloth made from 100 percent natural materials and bio-wastes. Making use of mangosteen skins, rambutan rinds, pineapple peel, used tea leaves and fish scales as mordants and onion skin extract as the dye source, she has already brought her research to an international level. Competing at the 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles, California in the category of Environmental Management, she won the ‘Best of Category’ award and ‘First Place’ award. On top of that, in recognition of her achievement, she also received an honorary naming of an asteroid after her by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln LINEAR Laboratory.

Francis Ng

Consultant Botanist

Dr Francis Ng is a Malaysian botanist with years of experience under his green thumb, with research areas covering tropical plants, forests, landscapes and gardens. He has worked in countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. As a consultant botanist for Bandar Utama City Corporation, he was instrumental in the design and development of the ‘Rainforest in the Mall’ and the rooftop flower garden known as the ‘Secret Garden of 1Utama’. Dr Francis was the Deputy Director General at the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) from 1986 until 1990. After that, he was based in Rome, Italy, as the Chief of the Forest Research, Education and Training Branch of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations for four years, and then as Director of the Research Support Division at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia, before returning to Malaysia as a consultant.

Jaymee Tan Yee Ming

Pioneer Cheerleader

Jaymee is a pioneer cheerleader, coach and judge in Malaysia. Although she has a first class honours in Mechatronics Engineering and a Masters in Engineering Design from Monash University, she decided to pursue her passion for cheerleading and to revolutionise cheerleading in Malaysia. She is now the founder and CEO of Cheer Aspirations, the pioneer and largest cheerleading company in Malaysia. Cheer Aspirations currently has 30+ coaches and 30+ cheerleading teams and have achieved 110+ national championship titles and 60+ international level titles to date. Jaymee is the most decorated coach in the history of Malaysian cheerleading. She is the coach of Malaysia’s six time national champions as well as the former coach of Team Malaysia.

Melvyn Gnai

Music Prodigy

Fourteen-year-old Malaysian musical talent Melvyn Gnai Zhi Yong has been strumming his name in the international scene since bagging the first place winner prize for acoustic guitar solo at the New York City American Protege Young Talent Music Competition in 2014. He uses the fingerstyle technique – a playing-style where the guitar strings are plucked instead of using a pick, which is also the style used by another prominent international music prodigy, Sungha Jung from Korea. This year, Melvyn got second placing for ukulele solo at the New York Music Competition. He has also participated in competitions in Taiwan and Singapore, and made guest appearances on TV in Amsterdam, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Malaysia. Growing up with music and with strong encouragement from his parents, Melvyn honed his talents not only on the acoustic guitar and ukulele, but also other instruments including the violin, piano, drums, gu zheng (Chinese zither) and er hu (two-stringed fiddle).

Prakash Daniel

Comedian-Photographer

Sometimes he deploys his quirky sense of humour, making audiences rollicking in their seats from laughter, and sometimes, he deploys his camera lenses to capture interesting portraits (including bearded men, @beardsofmalaysia on Instagram). Prakash Daniel, is a jolly stand-up comedian who has made stellar appearances in the Crackhouse Comedy Club KL, TimeOut KL Comedy Thursday, Comedy Kao Kao, and many more. He was also hosted or opened acts for international comedians, namely Paul Ogata, Tom Rhodes and Butch Bradley, while locally he has collaborated in shows with other Malaysian comedians, and also comedy mama Joanne Kam where he hosted the All-Female Open Mic show. In 2014, he has performed at numerous social and corporate events including the youth fest Festival Belia Putrajaya, Urbanscapes and LOL Comedy Club KL’s fifth year anniversary show.

Rubén Cortés

Earthship Engineer

Rubén combines experience in business development, management and education from Europe, Latin America and South East Asia with a great passion for social issues and sustainable models of development. Rubén started his business career in the tourism sector in Germany. He spent some years in the international business development field in Europe and North America. Yet, his interest in social issues and his passion to learn and contribute to sustainable development efforts took him to South East Asia. After 3 years of living in the region and being involved in education and sustainable development projects in Cambodia and Malaysia, his interest in pragmatic effective solutions took him back to North America to learn what is considered the most radically sustainable housing model: Earthship Biotecture.

Syed Saddiq

World Top Debater & Youth Activist

Syed Saddiq is a passionate orator who believes that there is more to debating than just speaking out. Besides taking on many roles as a researcher, consultant at a local think tank and part-time lecturer, he has won more than a few prestigious awards in the global debating arena. This Asia’s Best Debater at the Asian British Parliamentary debate tournament in October 2015 is also a world record holder for being the highest scored English as a Second Language (ESL) debater in the history of the World Universities Debate Championship. He has also won the Best Speaker (ESL) awards at the Australasia, Cambridge, and Oxford intervarsities tournaments in 2012-2014. That has earned him the opportunity to be appointed as the first Asian Co-Chief Adjudicator for this year’s Cambridge InterVarsity Debate in the United Kingdom and also Chief Adjudicator at the Dutch World Universities Debating Championships in the Netherlands.

Syed Azmi Alhabshi

Pharmacist & Social Causes Advocate

A pharmacist by day and a social causes advocate by night, Syed Azmi Alhabshi is best known for his charitable work in communities ranging from the homeless to cancer patients and refugees. By organizing events such as Free Markets and initiating Suspended Meals these group efforts have helped (and still helping) those in need by providing necessities such as clothing and food free-of-charge, and thanks to the contributions from kind donors and supporters, Syed Azmi and his friends have been making small impacts on bettering some conditions in our society. A true giver from the heart, Syed’s initiatives, which also include work with single mothers and old folks’ homes, operate on two basic rules – to only take what you need, and to ask for it politely. In return, a simple thank you will do.