KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the State Government’s allocation of RM95.89 million in next year’s budget will focus on various
youth development initiatives including skills upgrading, reskilling and upskilling programmes.
Focus will be on employee marketability and talent job matching to produce competitive youths, he said in his speech delivered virtually at the opening of the Sabah Youth Council’s 24th Annual General Assembly here on Monday.
“The Government will continue the RM5 million grant to youth associations as start-up funds for programme implementation in addition to the RM10 million allocated for the Sabah Youth Entrepreneur Jaya Scheme (SYABAS) Program, a new initiative to help youth entrepreneurs revive their businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
“In addition, the State Government will also implement the (SMJ) Sabah Maju Jaya Youth Fellow Programme as well as the Sabah Youth Leadership Incubator Programme (IKeBS) that will see involvement from various agencies such as the Youth and Sports Ministry, the SMJ Secretariat, Institut Kerjasama Kerajaan dan Rakyat (IKRAR) and the Sabah Youth Council,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the Government will also focus on addressing social problems affecting youths by enhancing the youths leadership and voluntarism programme,
fostering patriotism and encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle.
Meanwhile, Hajiji hoped the Sabah Youth Council and affiliate members will continue to be the voice of the government’s policies, agendas and initiatives for the people.
“As the future generation, the youth development agenda must be implemented based on the current needs and future challenges,” said Hajiji who is patron of the Sabah Youth Council.
He commended the Council for its Dapur Belia initiative that acted not only as a humanitarian programme to help ease the burden of the vulnerable group but also as a catalyst to steer youths into volunteerism.
He urged youths to participate proactively in the development of the country.
“You are important because you will be our future and you have the power, idealism, enthusiasm and courage to bring change for good,” he said.-pr/BNN
