TANJUNG MALIM, Nov 17 — Tanjung Malim, here is set to become the first Commonwealth Youth City in the world.
Behrang state assemblyman, Aminuddin Zulkipli said 3.6 hectares of land has been identified for building the Commonwealth Youth Council and Commonwealth Youth Network headquarters which will commence in another two years and now the land acquisition process was underway.
“The official headquarters will provide work space for international organisations, virtual offices for Commonwealth capital ventures and investors, facilities for workshops and youth activities as well as laboratories to harness creativity and innovation,” he said.
Aminuddin, who is also Perak State Assembly deputy speaker, told reporters after officially launching the Commonwealth Youth City at the Tanjung Malim District Council, here today.
The launching ceremony was witnessed by youth representatives from the United Kingdom, United States of America, China, Russia, Pakistan, Malta, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Australia, India, Ghana and Bahrain.
Aminuddin said the Commonwealth Youth City would be built by leveraging existing public infrastructure, facilities and in collaboration with the government, government-linked companies (GLCs), private sector and the civil society.
“The city will have high technology systems like blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data analytics and other futuristic features,” he said.
The Commonwealth Youth City will include innovation hubs, business hotels, SOHO suites and affordable homes to enable young people to develop themselves in their field of work and entrepreneurship as well as fostering vocational skills among the youth.
Meanwhile, Aminudin in his opening speech said the Commonwealth Youth City will incorporate both advances in digital technology and new thinking in the concept of public relations, environmental sustainability, participatory democracy, good governance and transparency.
He added that this youth city initiative will also be developed in several Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries to create a network of youth cities to be known as the Youth City Community.
By transforming the underdeveloped semi-urban town into a modern, dynamic and inclusive city, the Commonwealth Youth City aims to reduce the rate of youth migration from the rural area to the big city, improving living standards and development in the semi-urban area, thereby making the area a hub for youth.
The visionary project, announced by His Royal Highness Prince Charles the Prince of Wales during the Commonwealth Youth Summit in November 2017, is supported by the Malaysian government and the Perak state government in collaboration with the Commonwealth Youth Innovation Centre and local youth councils in Malaysia. — Bernama
