Rise up to change politics, young Malaysians urged

Petra Jaya MP Fadillah Yusof says youths can drive national integration across sectional lines. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: A leader of Sarawak’s Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PPB) has urged Malaysia’s angry young generation to rise up and change politics through a new movement that will focus on issues instead of the current fixation on parochial politics.

Fadillah Yusof, senior vice-president of PBB, said the current practice of politicians harping on race, religion and language was a barrier to a united Malaysia.

He said people were fed up with the policies of Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan. Cynicism about the failure of political leaders to introducing and implementing public policies “is at an all-time high”, the Petra Jaya MP said.

Malaysians now believed that political leaders “are unwilling or unable to respond to their needs and demands”.

“Going by the postings in the social media, a substantial number of people are now dissatisfied with the operations of the federal system and these negative feelings appear to be concentrated amongst the younger set of Malaysians – those who will, by legislation – vote in the next general election.

“If they take up the challenge,” he said, “it will change political development in the country”.

A movement led by young people focused on issues could change the political landscape and woo disinterested parties, he said.

If the movement developed a meaningful platform of ideas, instead of today’s political system focused on personalities, they would cut through the racial, ethnic and language divisions plaguing the country.

He said he believed young people would be able to push through national integration across sectional lines, and pledged the support of Gabungan Parti Sarawak, the ruling coalition of which PBB is a member.

Last month, Fadillah welcomed DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang’s call for Sarawakian youths to play a greater role in nation-building. - FMT