Kuala perlis: Malaysian youth today are becoming more mature and wise in evaluating the effectiveness of a government based on its performance and the country's achievements, said Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari. He noted that the acceptance by the young generation of the current Unity Government has been positive, including among rural youth who are increasingly aware of current issues and national development.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, young people today no longer focus solely on political rhetoric, but instead assess the government based on economic performance, employment opportunities, and national stability. Dr Mohammed Taufiq emphasized the importance of ensuring that the government demonstrates performance-driven leadership, highlighting achievements not only domestically but also at the ASEAN and global levels.

'What is important now is ensuring that the government demonstrates performance-driven leadership. We want to highlight achievements implemented not only domestically, but also at the ASEAN and global levels,' he stated. Despite facing a challenging global crisis, Malaysia has managed to maintain low unemployment and inflation rates while continuing to provide good job opportunities for young people, he told reporters after opening the state-level Youth Festival in conjunction with National Youth Day 2026 at Dataran Lok 9 in Kuala Perlis today.

Meanwhile, Dr Mohammed Taufiq stressed that national leadership requires a balance between the experience of veteran leaders and the fresh ideas brought by younger leaders to ensure comprehensive national development. He emphasized that young leadership should not be measured solely by age, but also by principles, idealism, and leadership qualities that can benefit the people.

'We want to see more young leaders who are brave enough to speak on behalf of the people and step forward to help develop the country,' he added.