KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — Former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman has confirmed that he will form a new political party made up of youth to specifically champion the age group’s interests.

The former youth and sports minister had hinted at this when he said he would not join Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s new party, Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang).

"If in Thailand they can set up Future Forward, in France they can set up En Marche under Macron, I think it is timely in Malaysia to start up a movement made of young people.

"Of young technocrats, professionals, young politicians from different backgrounds to come together to ensure that the youth’s voice will dominate in Parliament and outside of Parliament, that in the end, the youth can never be taken lightly any more.

"It is timely today so that politics will never be chained by the same people, being controlled and monopolised by the same old people, " he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia while on the campaign trail for the Slim by-election.

Syed Saddiq became Malaysia’s youngest ever minister after he was given the youth and sports portfolio during the Pakatan Harapan administration.

Last Wednesday, Pejuang submitted its application to the Registrar of Societies (RoS) to be formally recognised as a political party.

The seven founding members of Pejuang are Dr Mahathir, Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir, Datuk Marzuki Yahya, Dr Maszlee Malik, Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah, Datuk Dr Shahruddin Mohd Salleh and Datuk Mohamad Suhairi Rahmat.

Bersatu revoked Dr Mahathir’s membership for consorting with the Opposition during the May parliamentary meeting. Bersatu is a government party.