Chris Lau

Freelance Journalist

 

Chris stepped out from his comfort zone, traveling and working in conflict zones including Syria (2014), Afghanistan (2012, 2013), Iran (2012, 2014) and other Middle Eastern countries since year 2012 when he was still a university student.

 

Many times of near-death experiences happened in war torn countries give him a contemplation to appreciate having a peaceful life in Malaysia. “If you’ve never experienced war and conflict, it is hardly to know how precious it is to live in peace” Chris said. He believed that we should be more concerned about the world, appreciate what we have now, and do our best to perpetuate it. Through these experiences, he has seen a broader view of how journalism has evolved over time, as well as the importance of journalism for humanitarian and social issues.

 

In September 2014, he was invited by United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime for round table discussion on radicalization in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, he also involved in volunteering services by teaching Afghan Refugees in Malaysia basic English speaking and writing skills in Hilla Community School.

 

In May 2015, he was invited to be one of the speaker in Content Creators Workshop on Countering The Narrative Violent Extremism, a collaboration event between Global Movement of Moderates and Google Malaysia, which was a close door discussion that expressed grave concern about the spread of violent extremism and terrorism that undermines local communities and threatens peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.