26/10/2025

ON SUNDAY October 26, 2025 theSunday Special IV

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Young voices, real power

OUTH activism in Malaysia today is no longer just about protests or campus politics. It has become a steady and grow ing presence, quietly shaping

conversations around issues like climate change, education and inequality. Young Malaysians are becoming more aware RI WKH ZRUOG WKH\ OLYH LQ DQG PRUH FRQ¿ - GHQW LQ WKHLU DELOLW\ WR PDNH D GL̆ HUHQFH Whether through campaigns, volunteer work or even meeting with policymakers, WKH\ DUH VORZO\ EXW VXUHO\ ¿QGLQJ ZD\V WR be heard. This new generation is not waiting to be told what to do. They are forming their own communities, building movements and challenging the idea that change must always come from the top. From student groups to grassroots collectives, these ef forts may not always make the headlines, but they are making an impact. One of them is Klima Action Malaysia (KAMY), a feminist climate justice organisation ad vancing rights-based, gender-responsive climate governance in Malaysia. KAMY is working towards RUUPIN (National Climate Change Bill), Malaysia’s first proposed climate change law to establish a national legal framework for climate governance, including emissions reporting and reduction mechanisms. It is one thing to be told that young people need to care more about climate change. It is another thing entirely to be shut out of the very rooms where decisions are made about their future. For Aroe Ajo eni of KAMY, that disconnect is precisely why she became a climate activist. She realised how disconnected policymaking LV IURP WKH SHRSOH LW DFWXDOO\ D̆ HFWV

BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

Youth-led climate groups are proving that meaningful change can start from collaboration and clarity.

Youth-led organisations like KAMY are stepping in to bridge that gap. In the case of RUUPIN, Aroe and her peers took it upon themselves to simplify complex documents, translate legal language into accessible infographics and share these resources online. “We’re not just activists. We’re part of a generation making public engagement easier for everyone,” she said. RUUPIN has been positioned as a major step forward – a national com mitment to strengthening Malaysia’s climate response. In reviewing its early drafts, Aroe and other civil society groups saw opportunities to strengthen the bill further, particularly in its attention to social justice.

“While working on RUUPIN, I learned how complicated and inaccessible these processes can be. Here’s legislation that will shape Malaysia’s climate response for decades – yet the consultation period was initially just one month, the document was overwhelming for most people and there was barely any public awareness about it,” said Aroe. For her, this journey into climate advo cacy revealed something deeper than the policy papers themselves. “This is about more than just climate change. It’s also about whether young people truly have space in decision making as well as a space to understand, HQJDJH DQG VKDSH SROLFLHV WKDW ZLOO GH¿QH our future.”

Aroe draws inspiration from the global youth climate movement.