©Bernama (Used by permission)
KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 (Bernama) –– The government
should increase its participation and representation in activities involving
youths particularly in relation to the nation building process.
Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (Asli) Centre for Public Policy Studies
senior research analyst Tricia Yeoh Su–Wern said youths are an essential segment
of the Malaysian society whose views must be included without restrictions in
forging an identity for the nation.
"There's a need to forge a Malaysian identity towards shaping a future founded
upon national unity, especially among the younger generation which would form
the future of the Malaysian leadership," she said at the Young Malaysians
Roundtable Discussion on National Unity and Development in Malaysia organised by
the Bar Council and Asli, here Tuesday.
About 150 people including members of non–governmental organisations, lawyers
and university students attended the one–day event, opened by the Raja Muda of
Perak Raja Nazrin Shah. Present were Bernama chairman Datuk Mohd Annuar
Zaini and Bar Council National Young Lawyers' Committee chairman Edmund Bon.
Yeoh said there should be concerted efforts to determine factors which repel
young Malaysians from their home country, with a view to encouraging the
government and civil society to seek solutions and strategies towards
eliminating these negative features.
"The Malaysian educational institutes, in particular their educators, should
enhance teaching and research standards to encourage critical thinking by the
youths and allow greater acceptance and diversity of opinions," she said.
Yeoh said all educational institutes should also incorporate programmes and
training modules that seek to improve ethnic and religious relations with the
aim of promoting national unity and racial harmony.
"During the roundtable discussion, we recognise that the importance of the
government's education policies within primary, secondary and tertiary level as
instruments that should promote national unity.
"We also recognise that the government's education policies should however
reflect the reality of Malaysians and their ethnic, religious and cultural
diversity," she said.
Furthermore, during the discussion, Yeoh said they recognised that;
* constructive dialogue is a very important tool in building bridges between
ethnicities, cultures and religions and is a crucial step towards enhancing
inter–ethnic and inter–religious relations towards national unity;
* the key to developing a strong united Malaysia is to be founded on core
principles of justice, equality and respect for human rights and fundamental
liberties of every person regardless of race or religion; and
* there is a need to foster and implement strategies to better manage
ethno–religious politics, in particular those which are in conflict with
national unity policies.