BY ALEXANDRA LORNA & NURIN PATRA
KUCHING: Parents and political parties must work together to equip the youth with the necessary skills and knowledge to become future leaders.
Sarawak State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Speaker Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Asfia Awang Nassar said that with the law now allowing 18-year-olds to vote, the focus should shift towards strengthening and empowering the younger generation.
“The philosophy says that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. The question is what will be their quality when they become leaders?
“That is why we need to train them, and as Pantai Damai assemblyman Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi said earlier, like the idioms of ‘melentur buluh biarlah dari rebungnya’,” he said at the opening ceremony of Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) Pantai Damai Branch general meeting at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today (Oct 27).
Asfia also highlighted the role of PBB’s youth wing in shaping young leaders.
“There is a saying that to know what the future of a country looks like, just look at the faces of its youth.
“Because it is engraved on their faces the future of that nation. Therefore, let us take care of the youth.
“Don’t let them fall into drugs because the future of the country is etched on their faces. They need to be nurtured,” he added.
Addressing concerns about young voters, Asfia reassured the public.
“We raise up the young generation and youth to help us. So, there are those who are worried about young people voting.
“What is there to worry about? They are our children, our grandchildren. It is up to us to lead them, to educate them,” he said.
