FINDING the plan by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh to “do away with leadership programmes” as “disturbing and counter-productive”, MCA reckons that they are crucial to groom and prepare young adults holistically to be Malaysia’s leaders of tomorrow.
Hence, focusing solely on bankrupts and ex-convicts whose decisions lacked foresight while drastically reducing or completely axing practical programmes to develop calibre leaders, teamwork skills or building community networks among young adults is akin to taking away from “A” to benefit “B”, according to MCA spokesperson Wong Siew Mun
“There exist government agencies which already tend to the latter two groups as highlighted by Hannah,” Wong pointed out in a media statement.
“The Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) is there to assist individuals mired in financial trouble to tackle and deploy wise money management. Financial institutions may also advise on restructuring loan repayments.”
Moreover, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has highlighted in early March this year that youth bankruptcy (among those aged below 35) had reduced from 22.5% between 2017 and 2021 to 13.5% in 2022.
“This reveals that youth bankruptcy is on a downward trend,” justified Wong who is also MCA’s deputy information bureau chairman.
“Separately, Malaysia’s Prisons Department conducts rehabilitation, academic courses, vocational training, pre-release and job search programmes to integrate ex-convicts and former juvenile delinquents into mainstream society.”
While the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) can play a complementary role to the two afore-mentioned government agencies, it should not lose sight of leadership courses for other groups, according to Wong.
“If Hannah wants to assist marginalised minority youth groups, KBS could offer counselling and prepare leadership training of victims of school bullying to instil or restore their confidence,” she suggested.
“KBS should also reach out to needs-based youths who may suffer from inferiority complex, insecurities due to hailing from lower income households or being a persons with disability.”
As a full Cabinet minister and a former Selangor legislative assembly speaker, Wong reckoned that Yeoh is already well-known thus need not be concerned at all about populist instructions.
“Nevertheless, she can gain more support by formulating policies and progammes that would benefit as many young adults as possible rather than deprive hidden talents from participating in leadership development programmes where they potential may shine to the fullest,” added Wong who had vied for the Bentong parliamentary seat during the 15th General Election (GE15). – July 12, 2023
