KUALA LUMPUR – The worries and concerns of youth affected by the Covid-19 pandemic will be addressed as best as possible, said Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
He said the government had undertaken various initiatives including the National Employment Council, Employment Generation Guarantee Scheme (JanaKerja), National Apprenticeship Scheme, e-Youth programme and Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat as well as empowering the Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to help them face today’s challenges.
“Covid-19 has indeed had a significant impact on youth such as unemployment and job mismatch issues as well as welfare and security issues for those in the gig economy sector, and entrepreneurial space and opportunities.
“The beginning of a difficult decade does not mean that Malaysian youths will give up quickly. Malaysian youths will go through these difficult moments… (but can overcome them) with full commitment and confidence,” he said in his National Youth Day 2021 address which was aired live on the Youth and Sports Ministry’s Facebook page today.
Reezal Merican said the ministry was always moving in line with the aspirations and desires of the younger generations as they would be an important pillar in the country’s future.
Despite facing the Covid-19 pandemic, Reezal Merican said many youth in the country had either recorded extraordinary successes or shown great potential to reach similar heights.
He said this included youth who sacrificed their time, energy and lives for the country as frontliners.
“Hopefully, this celebration will strengthen the spirit and commitment of Malaysian youth to be an important axis to nation-building efforts. Happy National Youth Day, ‘This Decade, Your Decade’,” he said. – Bernama, May 15, 2021
