Blogger For Public Office - Badrul Hisham Shaharin

Badrul Hisham Shaharin is the candidate standing for elections under PKR for Rembau.

Badrul or famously known as che'GuBard is a political and social activist. He began to be active in politics after the 1998 Reformasi. Badrul holds a diploma in education from the Raja Melewar Teachers' College in Seremban. After graduating in 2000, he taught in various schools. He left his stable teaching career to be actively involved in politics and was formerly the Youth Information Chief for People's Justice Party. An energetic and resourceful leader, che'GuBard is well-known for his vocal statements on various issues affecting society at large.

CheguBard has attended numerous international seminars and training programs organized by NGOs all over the world. In July 2003, he attended the Comprehensive Training "Fit for Appearances in the Electronic Media" organized by Friedrich Nauman Stiftung (Bangkok) and the International Conferences on The Relevance Of Social Democrat Parties and Progressive Movements in East and Southeast Asia organized by FES Regional Office (MANILA) in October 2004. Apart from that, he also receives invitations to be a speaker at the national and international forums.

In September 2006, he was invited to participate in the Gwangju Asian Human Right Folk School 2006 in South Korea. Badrul emerged as the best participant for the program and was offered a full scholarship from May 18 Memorial Foundation, Gwangju to continue his studies in Masters Degree at the Sungkonghoe University in Seoul, Korea Republic in February 2007.

Badrul is currently furthering his studies in South Korea for a year and will graduate in February 2008. During his stay there, he plans to use the opportunity to expand his network with the people's movement and NGOs in Korea, to interact actively and be involved in mass mobilization program there.

Badrul also has vast experiences in marketing and public relations, having been appointed as marketing manager (present) to private companies since 2003. He is very much into social and welfare work. Apart from that, Badrul is also actively involved in state and national level activities and programs. He has received various awards for his achievement in youth and arts program at national levels.

Badrul's involvement as an activist reached its peak when he was directly involved in setting up Movement for Democracy and Anti Corruption (GERAK), an NGO mooted by Ezam Mohd Nor (he was detained under ISA and OSA for 2 years for exposing two senior minister's corruption cases). Badrul is now GERAK's Executive Coordinator. GERAK has established itself to become an important movement in Malaysia in combating corruption. It now has a network of about 5000 volunteers and has made a presence on the international level.

Badrul has made history for himself when he emerged as the youngest Supreme Leadership Council for People's Justice Party at the 2007 Annual National Congress. The experience was sweeter when he contested for the post and got elected without his presence at the Congress, as he was in Korea furthering his studies.