Malaysia: Malaysia's Youth Parliament (PBMy) is an essential platform for nurturing young individuals to comprehend democracy, think critically, and express their viewpoints responsibly, according to Dewan Negara President Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah. He emphasized that the Youth Parliament can be considered a 'school of democracy' for future generations, offering young people firsthand experience with democratic processes, including expressing opinions, engaging in debates, accepting criticism, and respecting majority decisions.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Awang Bemee highlighted that the Youth Parliament is not merely about participation but about building a generation capable of contributing significantly to the nation. Speaking at the 'Tranung Mari! From Campus to Parliament: Youth Voices Shaping Malaysia's Future' programme at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), he pointed out that while the Parliament serves as a 'decision-maker', the Youth Parliament provides insights from the younger generation, complementing efforts to fortify Malaysia's democratic practices.
Awang Bemee outlined three key pillars for empowering young people: openness and inclusive democracy, quality and relevant education, and freedom accompanied by responsibility. He stressed that a robust nation provides its citizens, especially the youth, opportunities to voice their opinions, be heard, and have their perspectives valued through openness, transparency, and respect for differing viewpoints.
He further elaborated on the importance of Malaysia's racial, religious, and cultural diversity, which should be leveraged as a strength through greater mutual understanding and respect. On the educational front, he emphasized the need to go beyond exams and qualifications to equip young people with critical thinking, digital skills, understanding of artificial intelligence (AI), creativity, entrepreneurial innovation, communication skills, and civic awareness.
Awang Bemee also pointed out that technological advancement must be paired with strong values to ensure responsible use of technology by young people. He highlighted the importance of exposing youth to emerging economic opportunities, including the Blue Economy, which encompasses sectors like fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, renewable marine energy, maritime transport, and marine conservation.
On the third pillar, he underscored that freedom of speech and thought in a democratic society must come with responsibility, particularly in the context of technology and social media. He urged young people to be wise and responsible users of technology, advising them to verify information before sharing, scrutinize before believing, understand before judging, and consider consequences before acting.
Awang Bemee expressed confidence that Malaysian youth could become bridge-builders who unite communities, address challenges, and lead the nation toward a brighter future. The UMT event was part of Parliament Malaysia's PBMy roadshow, aimed at enhancing youth participation in parliamentary democracy and bridging the gap between higher education institutions and the legislature.
A notable feature of the programme was a forum titled 'Malaysian Youth: Drivers or Spectators?', which featured Parliament Malaysia chief administrator Datuk Dr Ahmad Husaini Abdul Rahman. The forum provided students with a platform to directly share their views with Parliament's senior management, aiming to foster leadership with integrity and develop a generation that is informed, responsible, and prepared to play a more active role in shaping Malaysia's future.