Youth in Malaysia

Saifuddin Abdullah is the President of the Malaysian Youth Council and author of the 1998 publication "Strengthening Youth Agenda: Implementation through Empowerment". He has recently been involved in a capacity building project with ESCAP designed to facilitate a regional sharing of experiences surrounding youth needs, youth policy and policy alternatives in the Asia-Pacific region. While in Bangkok he visited the ESCAP office and offered the following thoughts on the current human resources development situation of youth in Malaysia.

What is the human resources situation of youth in Malaysia?

Employment is a key concern for the country in general and youth in particular. With the onset of the financial crisis, the retrenchment rates in Malaysia increased dramatically. For instance, in 1996 there was a retrenchment rate of 8,000. In 1997 this rate was 19,000. In 1998, these numbers were as high as 84,000, and the first two quarters of 1999 indicated a retrenchment rate of 24,000.

There is a strong belief -- but no official statistics-- that the majority of those retrenched in 1998 were young workers. The reason for this is very simple: it is far more difficult to retrench those who have been employed long term in a job. Even if employed, if you have been working less than one year, the compensation is less for retrenchment. It thus becomes more financially feasible for employers to retrench those workers who have been in a job for the least amount of time, making young people the first to lose their jobs.

Currently the idea of formalizing part-time work is being entertained and a bill to this effect is about to be tabled at the Parliament. Allowing breaks in work and supporting legislative action is something our employment code does not have, but needs. This will be of tremendous use for students and women in general because it will foster an environment which supports raising children and going to school while still allowing these groups to be part of the labour force. What are the human resources challenges for youth within Malaysia?

One of the biggest challenges is to equip the young population with information technology-related skills. As a global society, we are seeing a move towards a knowledge-based economy. There seems to be no avoiding this. To tackle such challenges, the Malaysian government is introducing the "Smart School Programme"; the central aim of this programme is to provide every school with a computer.

New priorities are also emerging in education. Traditionally, Malaysian enrollment at the tertiary level consisted of 60 per cent in the arts and 40 per cent in the sciences. This is shifting to 60 per cent in the sciences and 40 per cent in the arts. While these changes constitute a form of social engineering, they are crucial to improving the overall structure of human resources.

The amount of money spent on tertiary education, over secondary and primary education, is also a barrier for youth. The university system seems to be catering only to the best and thus the money being spent reaches only an elite segment of the population. As a country, it seems we have an obligation to educate as many people as we can and should not simply devote all out resources to improving tertiary education.

What is the current state of youth policy making in Malaysia?

Malaysia has had a Youth Policy in place since 1985. This policy went through a series of revisions in the 1990s. The National Youth Policy, as approved by the Cabinet in December 1997, lacks real force. The issues which it addresses are far too narrow and are primarily under the auspices of the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports, which is not enough.

Currently, The Malaysian Youth Council and many other organizations devoted to youth are working to force the government to address education, employment and other social priorities in a non-traditional way.

As it stands there are a variety of different policies which require improvement. The need to mainstream these policies and provide a stronger national vision is essential. Policy initiatives surrounding education, employment and health are not nearly as effective as economic or private imperatives. There needs to be a new twist to all of these second rate policies. As many stakeholders as possible should be involved in this reformulation process. They can also be encouraged to embrace the policy through national seminars and conferences.

Why is a national youth plan of action being formulated?

In Malaysia there is a need to create a new plan of action and implement it. The only way to see what is going on and what is missing is to explore into the horizons. You cannot have a youth development policy in a vacuum. You also cannot have a social system without a plan of action. Malaysia needs a youth development plan of action and a strong national social agenda that coincides with the development policy of society as a whole.

A National Youth Plan of Action has to be comprehensive. In particular, there is a need to promote new approaches for youth development. For instance, the issue of substance abuse has been on the policy agenda for almost thirty years. While there is an acknowledgement of drugs as a problem, there seems to be an unwillingness to find new ways to cope with this challenge.

Within the current political situation in Malaysia, are youth being given a voice in matters that concern them?

Since the age of youth in Malaysia is defined as 40 and below, a large portion of the population is included and can be seen as having a voice. However, in terms of civil society participation, those within the 15-25 age range are really not that active. There has been no real strong move to get people below the age of 25 to hold positions and to be involved at any level.

On the political front, the alternative party of Malaysia has attracted more young people. The number of youth workers in the ruling party is weaker. However, it seems that it is really only in one or two factions that you actually see students providing input.

In the past ten years, no real sense of youth voice or spirit has been apparent. While youth do not always have to shout, there are a lot of youth issues that need to be addressed and youth should be involved in this process.

Platforms aimed at youth need to involve national, state and local governments. Youth representatives have to be apparent on local councils and should not just be people appointed by a chief or another member. With such appointments there is always the danger that those selected will simply maintain the status quo.

What are your hopes for the future of governance in Malaysia?

What is clear is that with a new government, new thinking is required. Priorities should not just be about government with a capital G but rather should focus on governance with a capital G. There is a need for a mutual compromise and understanding between the government and businesses. For government, the bottom line is getting votes and for businesses, the bottom line is making profit. They need to work together in attempts to promote common goals.

There is also a third sector that requires attention: civil society. Civil society has to be taken into account. Up to this point the relationship between civil society and government has been very patronizing. The notion of governance is one that attempts to avoid this sort of patronizing relationship, and fosters awareness that each of these groups (private, state and civil) have different cultures, which should be respected and understood.

© 1997-2001 United Nations ESCAP.