YOUNGSTERS AND THE WAY FORWARD FOR MALAYSIA

YOUNGSTERS AND THE WAY FORWARD FOR MALAYSIA

Malaysia is changing for the better. There will, of course, be many analyses on the hows and whys of the historic 14th general election on May 9 but I want to focus on the future.

 One thing I will say is that it is very clear that young Malaysians along with the rest of the country voted for change. They also actively participated in bringing change. Countless young Malaysians worked on campaigns or acted as volunteers.

They are creative, intelligent, passionate and, most important, patriotic. These young Malaysians have taken on the challenge to drive the nation forward, and they’re doing it with some fresh, amazing ideas. Here are some of their stories.

Can The Malaysian Youth Progress Our Country in the Future?

Their potential today is a glimpse into the future

Nizam says that the younger generations of today have been nurtured by certain values and practices passed down from their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. That, combined with easier access to education and information on the Internet, have expanded their minds.

“That’s why the younger generations have come much further than any one of us older folks!” he says.

This statement will resonate with you if you have been following the 2050 National Transformation dialogue sessions held by the Government with some 1.5 million young Malaysians around the country.

Youth from these sessions raised matters relating to children’s mental health, human trafficking, creating a civic-minded society, and having a holistic education system, to name a few. This shows how forward-thinking and informed they are about the environment around them.

How do we lead them to the right path?

It is safe to say that the Malaysian youth today are bright, innovative, creative and possess a high degree of general knowledge. However, in order to translate these abilities into actions so they can take Malaysia to greater heights, they need to be provided with the necessary support and guidance.

Nizam says crucible moments – or the challenging times one goes through in life – are imperative elements in shaping a person’s character, and influencing who they become in the future.

“Our national track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang gave me a signed painting that had the word ‘suffer’ on it, and every time I look at it, it reminds me of every experience I had to go through in order to gain new knowledge,” he says.

His advice is for parents, educators and mentors to share experiences of challenges they faced and how they overcame them. They should also give room for the younger generations to make mistakes and learn on their own, as these build resilience into them.

Another point Nizam emphasises is the need to inculcate important values in the young ones.

Calling himself “traditional-minded in some ways”, he says our budi bahasa (polite and caring nature), food and unique approach to language (using “lah” and a fusion of two or three languages) make us uniquely Malaysian, and that all these aspects help to foster a sense of pride and love for Malaysia.

He shares: “When I went to school, back in the 70s and 80s, I felt like I was with a group of like-minded Malaysians. We all wanted to do well for the country. We wanted to go overseas to make our parents proud and come back and contribute to society.”

Nizam’s elders and his environment taught him a sense of pride as well as the importance of unity and love for his country.

If we want to progress as a nation, he says, the right foundations and values need to continue to be handed over to the younger generations, so they realise the role they play in their country.