Analysts question if BN Youth can rise above politics

Political analysts Chandra Muzaffar and Azmi Hassan.

PETALING JAYA: Two political analysts say they hope that a proposed road show by Barisan Nasional Youth will be more than just another tour to build political support.

Prominent intellectual Chandra Muzaffar said the road show would serve the nation no purpose if it was merely an attempt to garner political support for the opposition coalition.

“As a student of society and politics, the first thought that comes to my mind is that it’s an attempt to garner political support. If it’s just support they want to garner, and support along ethnic lines, that would be a disappointment,” he told FMT.

Umno Youth leader Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said earlier that youth leaders and representatives of Umno, MIC and MCA will work together to hold talks, discussions and townhall sessions in cities and villages to “calm high racial tension”.

Asyraf said the aim was also to impart “real Malaysian values” as Pakatan Harapan’s values promoted prejudice, scepticism and suspicion.

Chandra urged BN’s youth wings to go beyond the sphere of their own communities and influence, and not take ethnic-centred stands on issues.

“For instance, if you are championing Islam or you want to tell people what your stand is on Islam, I think you should also be sensitive to the rights of other religious communities.

“If you want to show people that you’re championing Chinese education, as MCA Youth might, you must also be aware of Chinese education within the larger context of the Malaysian education system.

“I’d like to see them go beyond their community. Go beyond what they normally champion, whether it’s a particular community or what they feel is a particular community’s interest.

“I’d like to see them reach out beyond their own communities, show empathy and understanding, and to translate that into concrete deeds,” Chandra added.

He said Umno Youth had been known to have made racially sensitive comments in the past, but that did not mean they are unable to change.

If they could show that they can be more inclusive and accommodating of others, they should be encouraged and supported, he said, regardless of what they may have done in the past.

Another political analyst, Azmi Hassan of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, hoped that the road show would be more than the youth wings playing the blame game against PH.

The two coalitions would have their own perspectives about rising racial tensions, but the right perspective was needed in order to ensure the road show would be effective in calming these tensions.

He spoke hopefully of a collaboration between BN and PH youth wings.

“If the two sides can agree on a common narrative, then only, I believe, something good will come about. The least both sides can do is stop blaming each other, then only will the general public take heed of the good intentions propagated by both sides,” he said. - FMT