Meld’s top stories of 2012
AS 2012 draws to a close, we look back at the stories, people and issues that mattered the most to you this year. From ASEAN Games to graduate job prospects to cafes with Japanese maids, your favourite reads canvassed a wide range of topics.
News & issues
Photo: TVSmith
We are the reason so many of us do not return to our own country and instead hope to live in foreign lands.”
– CW Vong in Our silence: An open letter to Malaysians
In 2012, Meld’s runaway hit was a stirring open letter to Malaysians by CW Vong. At a time when political activism and the fight for free speech was at a crescendo in Malaysia, Vong’s article resonated in a tremendous way with our readers both in Melbourne and overseas.
Similarly popular was Meld’s coverage of a Malaysian rally held in Melbourne for free and fair elections back home – Bersih 3. This was an experiment for Meld as it was the first time we had supplemented a news story with a YouTube video. But it was a successful venture, racking up thousands of hits in mere days – showing us no matter where we study, international students still care about what’s going on back home.
And then there was Kaili Ding’s story on graduate job prospects for international students. It confirmed the fears of many international student graduates – that employers do favour those with permanent residence and citizenship. But Kaili also shared ways students could maximise their chances of getting hired.
Lifestyle
Sex was a word censored on the radio, a deleted movie scene and a topic hastily swept under the dining table before your mom turned green.”
– Tiffany Leong in Talking about the S-Word
Another experiment for Meld was our collaboration with our friends over at Red Aware – SEXtember. For the month of September, we churned out news, lifestyle, entertainment and even tech and sport stories with the goal of generating conversations about safe sex. Best of all, we had the opportunity to hear from some of you and your thoughts on the issue. Check out all the stories here.
Of course, some of your favourite stories on our site were about food – from reviews of quirky eateries like Doki Doki Station to Malaysian favourite PappaRich to the sweet-lover’s heaven, Dessert Story. Trust us – we loved writing these stories as much as you loved reading them!
Entertainment
They like to see the pretty and the handsome faces, the outfits and the dances. It’s very easy-to-listen-to, easy-to-watch type stuff.”
– Jay Park on K-Pop, in Amanda Yap’s Jay Park’s new breed of K-Pop
South Korean pop sensation Jay Park came to town earlier this year for a gig and Meld was lucky enough to score not one, but two interviews with him. It was great to get an insight into the Korean wave (that seems to have exploded in the last year) from an industry insider. And we were impressed by how dedicated Jay’s fans – or ‘Jaywalkers’ – are!
Also one of Meld’s most popular pages was, well, the Entertainment page itself! And that’s no surprise with our entertainment category always chock-full with interviews with celebrities like Jay Park and AJ Rafael and Cathy Nguyen; our regular columns like the Weekender by Luke Henriques-Gomes, Diane Leow and Elizabeth Yick; and even movie and music reviews.
Sport and Tech
The most important thing is that we played as a team.”
– Jing Ying Cheah in Cherish Li’s ASEAN Games Australia: Basketball
This year, Meld was proud to once again be a media partner for the ASEAN Games Australia spearheaded by the Malaysian Student’s Council of Australia (MASCA). We were impressed by the team spirit and on-field prowess displayed by many of you – and we’re glad you enjoyed our coverage, from videos and photos to write-ups. Check out all the stories from the event here.
How did a “fun side project” morph into one of the cyber world’s most popular meme sites – 9GAG? Fiona Ren spoke to the site’s co-founder, Hong Kong native Ray Chan and it seems many of you were curious to know more about the behind-the-scenes operations of this laugh factory. Some of us at the Meld office spend a lot of time on 9GAG so this was one of our favourite reads as well!
Discussion
I wanted to shout that I was me and not my sister.”
– Marcella Purnama in The Youngest Child Syndrome
We’ve heard of the Middle Child Syndrome…but what about the Youngest Child Syndrome? As the sister of two very talented and successful women, Marcella Purnama told us why being the youngest child wasn’t always about being spoilt or the “favourite” – a sentiment many of you seemed to relate to.
Photo: Wan Shing Lang
Perhaps a more across-the-board experience for international students, though, is that of the long-distance relationship. Victoria Brown asked the tough question – can they even work? While it wasn’t always easy, it has for her and her partner. She shared her experience – and some tips – here.
What issues were most important to you in 2012?