SHAH ALAM, Aug 17 — Several youth leaders from DAP, Harapan Baru, and Islamist group Ikram want youths to be given freedom to articulate their thoughts on politics without unreasonable restrain from Putrajaya, especially for university students.

An Umno Youth leader who was part of the forum agreed that free speech should be allowed but suggested that such openness may lead to abuse and breed extremism and asked if youths were prepared to handle the responsibility.

“Touching on maturity, it’s true, freedom of expression for everyone must be allowed. Everybody must be given space and opportunity to say what is playing on their minds. Despite that, I believe there should be accountability, not just among the providers, but with those who use the platforms.

“We cannot let the opportunity to be a space to manifest extremism, hate crime, racial bigotry. So, ask ourselves, ask our own friends, are we ready to be accountable for what we do?” the ruling Malay party’s wing executive councillor Rahman Hussin told a forum on youths and new politics here.

Rahman also claimed that ruling coalition Barisan Nasional (BN) has provided a proper platform for youths to voice their thoughts through the Malaysian Youth Parliament, claiming that the motion tabled by the group have even reached the Cabinet and been given consideration.

The Malaysian Youth Parliament, where youths are elected to represent constituencies through an online process, is overseen by the Youth and Sports Ministry.

Despite that, Harapan Baru Youth’s Muhammad Faiz Fadzil chided the Youth Parliament as demoting voices from the youths away from the Parliament, claiming that many Malaysian youths are not only highly educated, but are politically aware.

“Not only political parties should give space to the youths, but in the national level in Parliament, we need to provide space exclusive for the youths. The Youth Parliament is restricted since their proposals go to the Cabinet, and are not debated by MPs,” said Faiz, who is the son of former PAS president, the late Datuk Fadzil Noor.

DAP's Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud speaks at the 'Wacana Sinar: Kuasa Politik Baharu: Apa Anak Muda Mahu' forum in Shah Alam, August 17, 2015.

“Youths want the freedom to think and to give opinion. It seems that they cannot voice their protests. Their protests should be addressed, not silenced,” said DAP Socialist Youth’s Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud, who claimed that youths go to the street to express their discontent as they have no other medium.

Similarly, Marwan Abdullah, the president of Ikram’s student wing, proposed freedom of speech as one of the five political demands among youths, including fairness, welfare, maturity and transparency.

To back their argument on the lack of freedom, panellists at the forum organised by Malay daily Sinar Harian talked about the suspension of two International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) students last week for organising a forum on Goods and Services Tax in May.

IIUM Student Representative Council (SRC) president Hanif Mahpa and SRC academic executive council member Afiqah Zulkifli were suspended for two semesters for organising the event, which had invited PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli to speak.

The panellists however were undecided on the structural reforms that they can pledge to ensure a brighter future for the youths, but the leaders — excluding Rahman — agreed that there is a desperate need to replace BN which has been in power for nearly six decades.

“So where is the structural problem? In the end we return to our leaders. Our leadership has been in a very complacent situation, unchallenged,” said Marwan.

“A strong dual-party system would ensure that the government returns to thinking about the voters. They would now think about those at the bottom instead of trying to benefit their own.”

Youths, defined as those below 40-years old, make up roughly 43 per cent of the country’s population, while 2.6 million first-time voters in 2013 made up nearly one-fifth of total eligible voters. 

* An earlier version of this story contained inaccuracies that have since been corrected. Malay Mail Online apologises for the unintended errors.

Ikram Siswa President Marwan Abdullah speaks at the 'Wacana Sinar: Kuasa Politik Baharu: Apa Anak Muda Mahu' forum in Shah Alam, August 17, 2015.