By Nancy Nais
BALAI RINGIN, Oct 14: The time will come for Sarawak’s younger generation to take over as leaders of the State so it is essential to ensure they are prepared, says Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
Speaking at the Ziarah Belia Balai Ringin event today, Abdul Karim assures the youth in Sarawak that the government is working on ‘championing its youth’ by instilling the spirit of volunteerism and caring attitude among the youth community in an effort to be kind and always help the rakyat.
The ministry’s organisation of youth programmes reflects the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) State government’s aspiration to provide more opportunities for the younger generation to serve the State one day, he said.
“The Sarawak government wants to balance the development of its human capital by providing more experience and exposure for the younger generation in shouldering responsibilities because the older generation will have to step down eventually. When we have caring youths, it will mould them into caring leaders one day.
“Programs like this will have a great impact in reflecting the high level of concern among the youth, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic, thereby inculcating awareness of the role and potential of youth in carrying out social activities,” Abdul Karim said.
He asserted that previous programmes conducted by the ministry have shown that the youths in Sarawak are strongly compelled to help society facing such difficult situations.
“Our youths plays an important and empowering role in achieving the State’s agenda of creating an integrated and balanced society in line with the ministry’s vision of ‘World Class Youth and Sports For All by 2030’, Abdul Karim added.
At the event, he also distributed Covid-19 kits consisting of face masks, sanitisers and thermometers to 30 youth associations in Balai Ringin.
Meanwhile, Balai Ringin assemblyman Datuk Snowdan Lawan disclosed that there are some 4,700 youths who have recently registered as voters.
Snowdan who is also the Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports concurred with Abdul Karim that the Sarawak government has consistently encouraged youths to take part in various leadership and capacity-building programmes, which serve to nurture their potential in taking over as leaders.
“Regardless of your education background, you must nurture your leadership qualities now because sooner or later, you will become household leaders upon entering marriage life, and also upon becoming parents in the future.
“Fill your free time with healthy activities that would bring benefit. I also urged community leaders, parents and guardians to give the right guidance to our youths. Advise them on what is right and wrong,” Snowdan said. — DayakDaily
