Kuala lumpur: Three initiatives - Sekolah Parlimen, National Service Training Programme (PLKN) and Youth Parliament - can build a strong foundation for good governance and lasting political stability, aimed at nurturing a unified and capable new generation, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, these initiatives also provide a comprehensive roadmap for good governance and a proactive defence against instability, thus ensuring that the youth are not just passive inheritors of the country, but well-prepared, empathetic guardians of its democracy. Through the 'Sekolah Parlimen' programme, students from across Malaysia are brought in for short, immersive tours of the Parliament, where youth are allowed into the chambers to witness live debates, proving to them that democracy in Malaysia is very much alive.
Johari emphasized, 'Aged just 16 to 17, they are head boys and head girls, and I want them to understand what Parliament is all about and what democracy is all about. Because democracy is not dead. Democracy is alive,' he said during the 'Good Governance and Political Stability' session at the 8th World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilisation (WCIT), themed "Everyone Matters: Pride and Unity in Islam".
As for the PLKN, Johari highlighted that after undergoing 45 days of the programme, students from every background learn that the true objective extends far beyond physical drills, acting instead as a vital sociological incubator for unity. "And in 45 days, you get to understand your neighbours. You get to appreciate who they are," he stated.
Johari further elaborated that the Youth Parliament is a platform that fundamentally reimagines how young Malaysians engage with politics, moving away from the traditional first-past-the-post system to employ a proportional representation model. 'Youth from 18 to 30 will be able to stand for election in the Youth Parliament, meaning that we teach them how to even form a party. It forces the youth to think critically about how they represent the diverse fabric of the nation, challenging them to tell the world what their party is and what their manifesto is,' he explained.
Met after the session, Johari stated that nearly 2,000 students from over 1,000 schools have participated in the 'Sekolah Parlimen' programme so far. "We give priority to rural schools, and I personally will meet every group twice weekly," he added.