By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, July 14: Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Kelvin Yii is urging the younger generation to vote in the upcoming general election so that their voices will be heard as they are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the leaders of today.
He emphasised that young people are society’s barometer.
“If you see things going wrong, fight against them; if you see things that are corrupt, fight against them; if you see injustice, discrimination, or oppression, fight against them.
“Young people can make a difference, so let us all do our part,” he told the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) achievers before presenting incentives to top scorers for the second batch at the Sarawak Democratic Action Party (DAP) headquarters here today.
Dr Yii, who is also the Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) national chief, pointed out that while young people may not be aware of politics, as some have claimed, this does not mean that they cannot distinguish between right and wrong.
“I believe that young people are not only leaders of tomorrow, but also leaders of today.
“You have the power to influence and change the course of not only your own life, but also the lives of Sarawak and the entire country.
“You have a huge say in how we, the politicians, make policies to make Malaysia a better place,” he told those present.
He pointed out that young people are the ones who make history, and that they must go to great lengths to arm themselves with knowledge and skills, as well as understand the issues Malaysians face, in order to help shape the country’s future.
Dr Yii, who is also the chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for Health, Science, and Innovation, asserted young people have the ability to change the direction of Malaysia, but they must first take steps to ensure that they can contribute to the country’s progress.
“Never ever say that your vote doesn’t matter. People have fought for the right to vote for centuries, and for the first time in history, you 18-year-olds can vote,” he said.
As Sarawak’s youngest MP and Malaysia’s third youngest MP, he also encouraged the young people to always challenge themselves to do better.
Meanwhile, a total of 52 SPM high achievers with at least 6As were awarded incentives, including one recipient with 11As and 11 others with 10As.
Also present was Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong. — DayakDaily
