Dr M tells youths their idealism needs experience of elders

Pakatan Harapan chairperson Dr Mahathir Mohamad was yesterday presented with a long list of demands from youths at a forum organised to hear their views.

At the forum organised to discuss Pakatan Harapan's offer to the youths, the latter’s demands ranged from more employment opportunities to eradication of race-based policies.

Mahathir, while acknowledging youths are known for being idealistic, however responded by highlighting the weaknesses of BN under Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak instead of addressing Harapan's solutions for the listed demands.

Speaking at the event, youth NGO Demi Malaysia spokesperson Young Syefura Othman said their group had at its congress last year raised 13 demands to be fulfilled by Harapan if it were to capture Putrajaya in the next 14th general election.

Among others, Young Syefura, who is also a Selangor DAP councillor said Demi Malaysia had called on Harapan to provide free education at all levels, for the coalition to uphold academic freedom, as well as to reject race or class-based politics.

"If Harapan was to gain federal power, would it commit to realise all of the demands made by youths?

"I hope the current Harapan line-up would offer a better future for Malaysia," said Young Syefura during the forum held at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya.

Chance to grill Dr M

Political analyst Maszlee Malik, who was the event's moderator, earlier said the session was a rare opportunity to "grill" Mahathir on Harapan's commitment to the youths, noting concerns over the former premier's appointment as the federal opposition pact's prime minister candidate.

"Give me a chance to explain, if not to answer the questions," said Mahathir, who went on to highlight differences between idealisms of the youths and practicalities of more experienced older leaders.

On the call to end race-based politics, for example, Mahathir defended Bersatu's bumiputera agenda as one that could allay the concerns of the Malays who may still view race as an important factor.

He added Harapan is pragmatic in its approach towards policy making, and open to combining the idealism of the youths with the reality of what could be implemented if it captures Putrajaya.

"In Harapan, we accept the reality of what we can do, and we need to 'marry' the young and the old.

"Ideals from the youths are good, but to implement them, we need the experience of the older leaders," said Mahathir in response to Maszlee's question on what Harapan could offer the youths that BN has been unable to.

The former premier explained among constraints faced by Harapan would be to restructure the high level of debt inherited from the present Najib administration.

"If this (debt restructuring) cannot be done and the economy is not stable, there won't be many initiatives that we can do for the youths," he said.

FDI, then jobs

To a question on Harapan's commitment to create more jobs for the youths, Mahathir said there is a need to encourage more foreign direct investments to this end, but not in a way which has been done by Najib's administration.

Citing Proton as an example, Mahathir said Malaysia has failed to protect the local automotive industry and opened its market to an influx of foreign imports.

"I remember we never used to allow any imported cars from Korea. That was during my time, during the stone age," he said sarcastically.

"Now we open our market to all the countries that want to export their cars. We should protect our own products.

"What has happened is that our local industry is now dead," said Mahathir, who also took a swipe at Najib's focus on increasing wages but without measures to increase the people's purchasing power.

Other issues raised during the two-hour session, which also featured Pertubuhan Kebajikan Wanita Ehsan Selangor’s Anfaal Shaari, included Harapan's commitment towards improving the country's education system.- Mkini