Maya Karin

With eyes wide shut, the 40-year-old actress dresses in red, striking awareness in her ‘River of Life’ campaign video, floating in a stream of garbage.

Mother

My relationship with Mother Nature started at a young age where my family and I would spend weekends swimming in rivers and exploring the German woods collecting blueberries. Seeing children play in specially built playgrounds in malls is upsetting as I compare them to my childhood years. I try to connect with Mother Nature by being responsible; not littering, be efficient as possible to limit my carbon footprint, and going vegetarian when there’s a chance.

I’ve always been passionate about protecting the environment and I’m blessed with a recognisable voice as a celebrity. I’ve been actively maintaining my credibility as a public figure in conservation of the environment since 2006, and couldn’t resist being the ambassador for ‘River of Life’ campaign. The media and public are slowly picking up on my actions which have now turned into a part of my identity, in addition to being the face of pontianak of ‘Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam’.

Water

The video of ‘Swimming with Garbage’ is a series of five. With shorter attention span in this day and age, short and impactful videos are the way to go. The audiences have been responding positively to this video with people getting increasingly aware not to treat rivers as dumpsters.

Banshee

Wearing the colour red reminds my fans of the yearly airing of Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam. I almost take up the role of the pontianak who embodies strength, power, and one who corrects what was wrongfully done to her. Having a persona and the exclusivity as a film actress with a strong following, help convey this awareness in a broader scale.

Mermaid

My global concerns that were shown on the big screen was in the 2007 film Duyung, which focused on the rising volume of plastic trashed into the ocean. These awareness videos and films may be enhanced by the likes of a female messenger, especially of a mermaid from the fantasy world, but encapsulating images need to be used to attract attention for the message to be delivered.

I want to create more of these public announcements as saving the environment means saving yourself. I overcame my experience in anxiety and depression by acts of saving Mother Nature so she can continue protecting us and for the sake of our children’s future. This is the time to act and be sustainable as mass consumerism, fashion, and technology move in lightning speed.