KUALA LUMPUR – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi wants the Malaysian Youth Index to be raised through various programmes focused on the group.
He said this was due to the lower index of 58.4 last year compared to 60.31 in 2021.
“The lower index relates to reduced youth awareness and commitment towards political, nationalistic, and democratic activities, as well as political awareness that should have changed during the recent general election in November 2022.
“We see efforts to boost the index must be intensified especially in the fields of state administration and democracy, and we want the involvement of the youth in these matters,” he said during a media conference after chairing the Youth Development Cabinet Committee meeting at the Parliament building today.
The Malaysian Youth Index is an index developed to monitor the development of youth prosperity in the country.
The value of the index acts as a benchmark to measure whether youth prosperity has risen or dropped.
Zahid said today’s meeting also discussed the Youth and Sports Ministry jointly studying and coordinating all youth programmes and initiatives with other ministries.
The future of 2.64 million gig workers – through upskilling and reskilling programmes under technical and vocational education and training – was also discussed, as well as transit homes for youth to curb homelessness. – Bernama, March 20, 2023