Study: Many Malay youths distrust government, opposition alike

 

For most Malay youths, Malaysia’s democracy today is nothing more than a power game among political elites, far removed from the realities of people’s lives.

This was among the key findings of the Iman Research report titled “Orang Kita: Politics of Recognition and Disappointment”, which revealed how frustration and cynicism towards politics have deepened since the 15th general election.

Respondents interviewed claimed that both the government and the opposition had failed to prioritise the people. All they saw were power struggles, political manoeuvring, and alliances that compromised principles.

According to the study, several respondents said they were no longer interested in politics for two main reasons, the first of which is the ongoing quarrels among the political class, particularly between the government and the opposition.

The study showed that Malay youths believed the opposition is not taking its role of check-and-balance against the government seriously, and instead seemed obsessed with seizing power.

“Participants felt serious discussions on governance and policy were lacking because the opposition focused on unseating the government. On the other hand, the government was preoccupied with defending itself against the opposition instead of governing.

“This state of constant political skirmish is what participants perceive as ‘political instability’, which they believe affects economic stability because investors or businesses cannot operate effectively in an unstable environment, with little focus on policy development and implementation,” according to the Iman Research report launched at the Telekom Museum, Kuala Lumpur, today.

The report was prepared by Aziff Azuddin, Dina Zaman, and Mohd Al Adib Samuri, together with the research team comprising Aziff Azuddin, Rabiatul Adawiyah Yusoff, Farah Ilyana Mohd Anuar, Yap Ern See, and Dayana Batrisya Mohamed Nasir.

Broken promises

Secondly, the report also revealed that youths believed today’s government had reneged on its promises to them.

“During Pakatan Harapan’s tenure as the opposition, the coalition had promised sweeping institutional reforms and economic improvements if it were to come into power.

“Many participants expressed disappointment that the government had broken their promise on reforms, citing how the Deputy Prime Minister and Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was either discharged or acquitted of his many corruption charges pre-16th general election.

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“Despite the current government being a ‘unity government’, participants focused on the Harapan coalition’s past statements on reform. They compared it to the situation where Harapan had made political concessions to their BN partners,” it said.

According to the report, Malay youths also felt economically marginalised due to stagnant wages, high cost of living, and limited job opportunities, especially in rural areas. They believed economic growth only benefited the elites and the urban population.

“Many youths can be considered hardcore poor in Kedah. The cost of living is high, but wages remain low. When it comes to jobs, many move south for work, for example, to Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor.

“Here (in Kedah), wages are low, job opportunities are very limited, or salary expectations are rejected. So entrepreneurship becomes the default option. But then, operating costs are high and in the end, many young people migrate abroad because there are better opportunities there,” said a respondent from Kedah.

In addition, many respondents also said it was difficult to enter the job market. They were concerned about rising youth unemployment, even though government statistics showed that the unemployment rate had been steadily declining (3.2 percent at the time of the report) since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This sentiment of a challenging employment market was common among participants outside the Klang Valley, with some suggesting urban-rural economic or development inequality.

“This inequality is reflected in the statistics of social problems such as drug abuse or sexual crimes that are more prevalent in rural areas due to the de-emphasising of agriculture (therefore, the reduction of employment opportunities) and a lack of focused development in these areas,” the study revealed.

Bureaucracy, corruption

Most Malay youths expressed dissatisfaction and distrust towards the government due to a lack of good governance. Many shared their difficulties in accessing institutional resources, including government aid.

Those involved in entrepreneurship also shared how they did not receive support, and that aid announcements were usually difficult to access at the grassroots level. Bureaucracy, corruption, and lack of oversight limited efforts to fulfil basic needs.

A respondent from Sabah raised the issue of roads in the state as a comparison:

“The roads in Sabah are full of potholes! In a year, nothing changes. But when the [former] King came during the Borneo Tour, the road suddenly looked fine. It could be completed in two or three days.

“But in Kuala Lumpur, within five hours after a complaint, it can be fixed. So I wonder how the funds that have already been allocated are being used by local authorities. The government gave the money, but nothing comes out of it,” he said.

The study involved Malay youths aged 18 to 35 across Peninsular Malaysia, especially in the so-called “Malay Heartland”, through in-depth interviews with 105 respondents from various backgrounds.

Other issues highlighted included racial polarisation, failure of the education system, the role of social media and political literacy, lack of youth representation in politics, and unequal regional development.

They suggested creating physical spaces to build community and platforms for expression, as well as introducing and implementing economic reforms targeted at youths. - Mkini