KOTA SAMARAHAN: A new format for the Youth Parliament has been approved by the Cabinet and is expected to be finalised by September.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said that applications for the Youth Parliament will open in October, with the selection process taking place in November, and the first session expected to be held in either January or February next year.
“We’re currently working on it, and the Cabinet has already given its approval. This initiative is about giving young people the opportunity to be part of the political process.
“By October, we’ll begin reaching out to university students and alumni to get them involved, so we can launch the Youth Parliament in the best way possible.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to shape future leaders — not just ordinary individuals,” he told reporters after delivering a lecture at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) today (April 22).
During his lecture earlier, Johari explained that the structure of the Youth Parliament will mirror that of the Dewan Rakyat, with a total of 222 seats for delegates.
He encouraged youth participation, emphasizing that the platform will allow them to discuss issues relevant to young people and their future.
“You get to decide what you want for this country. You must speak up, you must debate, and whatever decisions you reach should be submitted to the Speaker — myself — so we can bring them to the actual Parliament for further debate.
“But more importantly, this is an educational process. You’ll be competing for the 222 seats available in the Youth Parliament. This is your opportunity to understand how the political process works at your age,” he said.
Johari stressed that future leadership must begin taking root at the university level because it is there that students begin to form critical opinions, understand policy-making, and engage in meaningful discourse.
