MFLS participants represent Malaysian youths at Dubai 2020 Expo

SEPANG, Dec 4  -- A total of 25 youths from the Malaysia Future Leaders School (MFLS) programme were selected to represent Malaysian youths to participate in youth-related programmes at Dubai Expo 2020.

Those selected were among the best candidates from 240 MFLS Tier 3 participants in 2020 organised by the Leadership Cluster of the Institute of Leadership Development and Excellence (i-LEAD), Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), and the group left for Dubai today to participate in cutting-edge programmes till Dec 11.

I-LEAD director-general Mohd Haswandi Ahmad said the participants to the Dubai Expo 2020 were expected to gain as much experience as possible through meetings with the youths there in various fields.

"When they return to Malaysia, they will be our spokespersons and at i-LEAD itself as well as facilitators for programmes related to career, human capital, leadership and nationhood," he told Bernama after the departure of the Malaysian delegation to Dubai at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here.

The MFLS which is a programme to replace the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) and Biro Tatanegara (BTN), was designed holistically by combining high-impact internal and external activities.

MFLS Tier 1 involves a screening process to select participants who are eligible for Tier 2 to follow the MFLS programme for 10 days at selected training centres.

MFLS Tier 3 saw the implementation of the youth internationalisation concept which lasted for two months.

According to Mohd Haswandi, MFLS now has more than 30,000 alumni.

"MFLS, which is a joint venture between several ministries including the Ministry of Education (MOE), aims to produce young leaders with various cores, by looking at the backgrounds of participants who are active in co-curriculum and excel in academics," he said.

At the Dubai Expo 2020, Malaysian youth participants will be involved in a presentation and information-sharing session related to the elements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an international networking session which includes matching Malaysian youth entrepreneurs with entrepreneurs from various countries and backgrounds and the Inter-Regional Future Leaders Dialogue at the Malaysia Pavilion.

In the meantime, he said MFLS Tier 3 2021 will take place from Dec 17-26 in Kuala Lumpur involving selected participants from all over the country.

Mohd Haswandi in this regard said KBS deputy secretary-general (Management), Abdullah Hassan as head of the KBS delegation to the expo was already in the country to ensure all programmes proceeded smoothly.

Meanwhile, the head of the youth delegation, Ahmad Fareez Zulhaqeem Ahmad Zahadi, 19, expressed his excitement and pride for being selected to participate in MFLS programmes planned at the Dubai Expo 2020.

"I hope to gain as much knowledge as possible to develop Malaysian youth," said the fourth semester student of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia.

Another participant E. Sharvin, 19, a student of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) hopes the responsibility and trust given by KBS to each participant will not be wasted and will be used as best as possible during the expo.

Dubai Expo 2020 takes place from Oct 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 with the theme 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future'.

Malaysia's participation in the expo was led by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, while the Centre for Climate Change and Human Green Technology (MGTC) was the implementing agency.

— BERNAMA