PBS fears youth will turn against party and BN

The increasingly loud and knowledgeable criticisms of Barisan Nasional policies in Sabah by local youths is worrying Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS). The concern is so acute that PBS party leaders are, for the first time, asking their divisional leaders to "take stock, study and understand the prevailing political undercurrents, especially among the younger generation”.

The worry comes from the voting pattern in the last general election which showed a clear tendency to vote against the political establishment, PBS secretary-general Henrynus Amin said.

The party now wants leaders at all levels to be knowledgeable and sophisticated to deal with practical issues raised by the young people, he said.

Henrynus added that the youths are politically more sophisticated due to their wider exposure and ability to access information, especially through the Internet and other media sources.

"We must recognise and accept this political reality and engage youths so that they understand the facts and appreciate the government," said Henrynus, who represented PBS president Joseph Pairin Kitingan during the opening of the Kundasang PBS annual general meeting yesterday.

He, however, cautioned BN leaders not to label those who are critical as anti-government since they are not necessarily supporters of the opposition parties.

He said even PBS members and supporters as well as their partners in other BN component parties are often critical of the government but they are not supporting the opposition either.

He said being critical of government policies is part of a democratic system.

"It is important that political views are heard from all sides of the political spectrum to ensure government policies truly reflect the wishes of the people," he said.

Henrynus said PBS valued the support and contributions of the young whom he considered as assets to the party. PBS, he added, was recruiting more youths to join the party.

Also present were assemblymen Jahid Jahim; PBS Youth leader-cum-Assistant Minister of Youths and Sports, Louis Rampas; chairman of Sports Board, Joachim Gunsalam; and PBS vice- president Othman Minudin.

"The future of Sabah belongs to the younger generation but they must be properly equipped with knowledge, skills and the correct mindset to be effective leaders," he said when receiving more than 900 new applications to join the party.

courtesy of FMT