BANGI, July 23 — Youth leaders need to be the driving force and play a role in balancing government policies and decisions, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said.

She said the role of youth leaders as the balancing mechanism was not limited to matters pertaining to youth alone, but instead covered all agenda on government reforms that had the people’s interest in mind. 

In the new Malaysia era, Wan Azizah said the youth leaders were free to criticise and offer constructive ideas to the government as long as they adhere to religious values and eastern principles.

“The age of the culture of fear has passed, the youth leaders are now free to criticise, can give constructive ideas to the government,” she said at the opening of the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM)’s 70th anniversary celebration here today. Also present was MBM president Mu’amar Ghadafi Jamal Jamaludin.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said that the government’s wanted to see MBM play a role in producing leaders of calibre for the country, which was its objective or “core business” since its inception in 1948.

Dr Wan Azizah admitted that getting today’s youth to be committed in activities was so much more difficult compared to the youth of the era between the 70s and 90s, who involved themselves voluntarily.

She added that youth today had varied interests and often questioned about the benefits they could get from being involved in such organisations.

“But 45.8 per cent of the 30.26 million Malaysians are youth, a figure that reflects the great role that they as a group, can play in the country.

“History has also shown that the younger generation had made an impact before and after independence … which is why I want MBM to continue being the bridge between the youth and the government based on the principle of being development partners,” she added.

At the event, Dr Wan Azizah, who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister, expressed the desire to see women being given more roles in youth associations.

As an example, she cited the female composition in MBM’s leadership, stating that there were only three women – its vice-president and two committee members – from a total  28 leaders in its top leadership.  This, she said was not reflective of the 30 per cent target set by the government for women to be in leadership positions.

She suggested youth associations in future sessions should take into account the aspirations of the government by not looking at the 30 per cent as a quota, but rather as a target that needs to be followed. — Bernama