KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) has urged political parties from both sides of the divide to encourage and to field more young candidates, in the next general election.
Urging this, its President Tan Sri T.C Goh reckoned that such a move would help to bring about rejuvenation of Malaysian politics, and will potentially give the country a fresh start.
He noted that the Dewan Rakyat on July 16, 2019 approved a legal amendment to lower the voting age to 18, from 21 previously. The amendment also included provisions for voters to be automatically registered on electoral rolls and for candidates to be eligible to stand for election from 18 years of age. This will see as many as 7.8 million new voters added to the electoral roll by 2023.
He thus called on young Malaysian Chinese to better prepare themselves to play a significant and pivotal role to make a real difference for the country, when the time comes.
Goh who is also the President of the Federation of Chinese Associations Sabah (FCAS) urged this while speaking at the handing over of duty of President of the Eight Major Chinese Youth-based Organisations (EMCO), from Lee Sean Hock to Alex Ng Jun Fai, which was conducted online today. Ng is currently also the President of the Youth Movement Malaysia (YMM).
Goh also reminded that Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had on numerous occasions proclaimed that once the Covid-19 situation in the country is well under control, he may dissolve the Parliament to pave way for general election. This issue has inevitably become a hot topic and main focus for the political arena in the country.
“Among the pertinent questions now is, whether an 18-year-old can contest as an election candidate, if the Parliament is to be dissolved after July this year to pave way for the general election?” he asked.
He was optimistic that if the new election system is fully implemented in July this year, as announced by the government previously, it would rejuvenate our politics and democracy, and could potentially bring about a positive turning point and a dynamic era for Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Goh also acknowledged that the Covid-19 pandemic was a ‘game changer’ which has significantly propelled the development of the internet and digital era.
He thus urged the youths to strive to catch up with the ever evolving internet and digital technology, in order to improve their individual competitiveness and that of their organization.
He also encouraged the youths to make good use of social media to better promote Malaysia, and to attract more young entrepreneurs from other countries to trade with Malaysia, towards realizing the ‘Shared Prosperity Vision 2030’.
He also urged EMCO to always stand their ground and exercise greater wisdom in dealing with issues affecting the country, while safeguarding the rights and interest of Chinese community in the country.
Noting that the country has experienced a series of political upheavals in the past one year, he underscored that as a leading youth organization in the country, EMCO should carefully study the current situation, at the same time to discard outdated mindset, in order to have better strategies to face challenges ahead.
“If we adopt a negative and parochial mindset in dealing with an unfavourable or hostile situation, it will only further encourage those extreme and irrational voices in our society, and this will eventually lead to further division and chaos in our country,” he cautioned.
He thus underscored that Malaysian youths, Chinese youths included, should come forward to actively participate in social and political activism, and to strive to promote rationality and moderation as the main axis for the nation.
“I therefore strongly urge EMCO to reach out to fellow youths from other communities, and to jointly brainstorm on how to mould a “new generation Malaysia”.
“I believe the emergence of a ‘new generation’ could potentially generate vast opportunities and potentials. I therefore hope our youths could get themselves ready to seize the opportunities by equipping themselves with necessary knowledge and skills of international standard,” he urged.
Meanwhile, in his speech earlier, Ng hoped that in the next general election, more young leaders will get the chance to be fielded as candidates, so that they could better contribute towards nation building.
Besides this, he also called on the government to pay serious attention to the pressing issue of youth unemployment in the country, amidst the pandemic, especially to provide them with more assistance under the Prihatin Rakyat Stimulus Package.-pr/BNN
