Youth Parliament, Platform To Boost National Youth Leadership - Johari

By Syed Iylia Hariz Al-Qadri Syed Izman

KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- The policy and system reforms in the Malaysian Youth Parliament (PBMy) which will be implemented starting next year will spark a new wave of young leadership who are more prepared, competent and inclusive in leading the country's future, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul.

He said PBMy is not just a training ground, but rather a strategic platform to instil leadership values among the youth who would become the next generation to lead the country's government.

"If today we give them space at the age of 18, 10 years from now they will enter the Dewan (Dewan Rakyat) with full experience and knowledge. At the age of 28, they are no longer observers but mature leaders," he told Bernama in an exclusive interview.

Johari said that among the biggest reforms to be introduced in the PBMy is the implementation of an electoral system based on Proportional Representation and Closed Party List, which sees youth voters aged 18 to 30 years old choosing PBMy members based on their manifestos and not individual candidates.

He said that the entire PBMy election process is fully managed by the Malaysian Parliament which will offer seven parties to universities nationwide to be represented, with each party competing for 222 seats, in line with the number of Dewan Rakyat members.

“These parties will compete against each other based on manifestos. Youth voters will no longer choose individuals, but instead make choices based on the creativity and policy offerings of each party. They will compete to appear more inclusive and progressive,” he said.

Johari said the PBMy elections are expected to be held entirely online starting next year, allowing voters to make choices according to their home states without the constraints of physical location, with the first group expected to convene in June 2026.

He said the PBMy sitting would be held three times a year, with members debating major issues such as education, health and youth development and the resolutions agreed upon would be channelled to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee before being selected to be discussed as the country's official agenda in the Dewan Rakyat.

According to Johari, the initiative is seen as a long-term investment to ensure the continuity of quality and responsible national leadership.

“We don’t want to be a candle that burns and then goes out. We want to be a solar system, always burning, illuminating and enlivening the next generation.

“I believe that PBMy is a game-changer in shaping the next generation of leaders who are more credible, principled and resilient,” he said.

He said the PBMy implementation guidebook is being actively disseminated through a series of workshops involving various stakeholders, including academic experts, youth representatives and policymakers, as a step to strengthen the structure and direction of the programme.

-- BERNAMA