05/12/2025

FRIDAY | DEC 5, 2025

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What will define the youths of 2040? O NE too many times, I have asked myself a question that refuses to go away: What will define the youths COMMENT by Sadina Suffian

about systems, about people, about oneself. It is the training ground for future councillors, ministers, policymakers and educators. Not everyone who volunteers can become a leader but every leader worth remembering has served. Next, we need to talk about digital ethics. By 2040, today’s secondary schoolers will be running businesses, holding office and raising children in an online-first world. The way they interact with information, with one another and with power through digital tools will shape not just their lives but also, more importantly, ours. Technology by itself is neutral but its impact depends on the hands that hold it. Will our youths be passive consumers of misinformation or will they grow into critical thinkers who can separate signal from noise? Will they use AI to manipulate or to solve pressing problems in climate, health and education? Digital literacy is no longer enough. What we need is a generation that is digitally principled – ones who understand privacy, consent, accountability and the moral weight of their online actions. As we embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution, our ethics must evolve just as quickly as our machines. Then there’s cultural empathy too – the one value we talk about a lot but rarely teach with depth. In a Malaysia that grows more diverse by the day, it is not enough to tolerate differences. We must build a generation that understands others – deeply and with humility. This goes beyond having friends of different races; it means to really understand how others live, what they value and what they struggle with. It means being able to listen to someone whose beliefs make you uncomfortable, without shutting

of 2040? This is not a rhetorical question; it’s one I ask often, especially when I see young volunteers sweeping a flood-hit street in Hulu Langat, when I scroll through social media and find teenagers debating national policies or when I hear quiet stories of students juggling studies while caring for ill family members. These snapshots, taken together, sketch out the beginnings of a generation that will inherit more than just our roads, systems and institutions; they will inherit our unfinished promises. The question is, what will they carry with them into the future? If I had to choose four defining traits, I would hope it is this: volunteerism, digital ethics, cultural empathy and resilience. These are not just ideals; they are survival skills, nation-building tools and pillars of character that will shape whether Malaysia thrives or stagnates in the decades to come. Let’s start with volunteerism. This is not the token type we put in logbooks but the kind that moves people into action without needing to be asked. At Team Selangor, I have seen this spark up close. It’s in the way youths step into flooded homes without hesitation, the way they coordinate gotong-royong , mentor students or run social media campaigns for mental health awareness. Volunteerism nurtures the quiet muscle of responsibility. It teaches you to show up and builds the habit of care. If we want our youths to carry Malaysia forward, we need to embed service as a way of life, not just a weekend activity. Every hour spent volunteering is an hour learning

Volunteerism nurtures the quiet muscle of responsibility. It teaches you to show up and builds the habit of care. – BERNAMAPIC

If you would like to discuss your situation further, you can contact our counsellors. Visit our website to make an appointment and we would be happy to support you and your spouse on your marital journey. Q: What are some reasonable financial goals for newlyweds? My husband is already talking about buying a house and car. Meanwhile, I am concerned about paying rent and buying groceries. Focus on the Family Malaysia : Finances are an important part of a marriage, and working together to establish healthy financial goals and attitudes before the wedding is a wise step. Equally important, however, is focusing on getting to know each other deeply and strengthening the bonds of intimacy. With this in mind, we encourage you not to get ahead of yourselves or overextend financially. them down. It means making space for voices that are usually left out. Our fragmentation began long ago, carved by colonial policies and hardened by decades of separate schooling, housing and narratives. But if the youths of 2040 are to lead Malaysia forward, they must reject this inheritance. They must become bridge-builders, not fence-sitters. This is where volunteerism and empathy overlap. When youths work together, whether in gotong-royong , in flood relief or in makeshift kampung kitchens, they learn to see each other as people first, not categories. This is the quiet work that unites a nation – not policies, not slogans but shared effort in service of something larger. And finally, resilience. Perhaps the hardest to measure but the most

0 Sit down together at least once a month and create a spending plan. This will enhance your communication and encourage healthy decision-making in all aspects of your marriage. If finances are becoming a bone of contention, we encourage you to make an appointment with a financial consultant or our counsellors who can help you examine your relationship and determine which areas need to be shored up. This article is contributed by Focus on the Family Malaysia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and strengthening the family unit. It provides a myriad of programmes and resources, including professional counselling services, to the community. For more information, visit family.org.my. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com When I think of the youths of 2040, I think of four things: the heart to serve, the conscience to use technology wisely, the courage to embrace differences and the strength to rise after each fall. If we can shape systems, institutions and opportunities that feed these traits – whether through our schools, NGOs, policies or our homes – then I have no doubt that Malaysia will be in good hands – not perfect hands but good, honest and steady ones. Sadina Suffian is treasurer of Bersih and COO of Team Selangor, an outfit under the menteri besar’s office focusing on youth empowerment and volunteerism. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

It is easy for young couples to assume that marriage means immediately stepping into the “adult world” they have observed at home – complete with all the possessions and comforts of their parents’ current lifestyle but this is a serious mistake. It is unrealistic and it diverts attention from far more important priorities. Here are a few tips that can help you get started on the road to financial security and marital intimacy. 0 Think in terms of “we”, not “me”. This means abandoning selfish attitudes and sharing allof your resources – whether physical, emotional or material. 0 Live within your means and practise self-discipline. If you cannot afford something, don’t buy it. 0 Be intentional about creating a workable financial plan, giving generously and strategically building your financial resources step by step. 0 Don’t make major financial decisions without talking them over. important to nurture. The world that our youths are walking into is not an easy one. They will face climate shocks, job disruptions, political uncertainty and information overload. We cannot shield them from these storms but we can prepare them to face it and to keep going. Resilience is not about blind toughness; it is about adaptability. It is the ability to fall and still stand for others. It is the strength to question things without becoming cynical. It is what makes a student from a low income PPR flat believe she still belongs in a university lecture hall. It is what makes a young father take a second e-hailing job and still make time for his elderly neighbour in his flat. Resilience is what allows a country to be rebuilt – one household, one person at a time.

Under One Roof

Rebuilding trust after betrayal Q: Is there a difference between forgiveness and reconciliation in marital infidelity? A year ago, I discovered that my husband had resumed a previous and long-term emotional affair with a friend of mine. Their relationship has ended and I have forgiven him though I’m still having a hard time trusting or feeling any affection for him. There is also an important distinction between the choice to forgive and the emotion of forgiveness. Once you decide to release your spouse from a past offence, it may take time for your feelings to catch up with that cognitive decision. Changes like these rarely happen overnight. Given the circumstances, your emotions are completely

understandable. Your husband needs to give you the time and space to work through the feelings of betrayal and invalidation. He must also realise that true reconciliation requires more than your forgiveness; it requires his commitment to rebuilding trust. That means acknowledging his betrayal, understanding your pain and consistently demonstrating fidelity, reliability and trustworthiness – that is the essence of genuine repentance. Meantime, try to remain open to the possibility of trusting him again, despite the weight of the past.

Focus on the Family Malaysia: We are sorry for the hurt you have experienced. It is important to understand that forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same. Forgiveness is a personal decision while reconciliation is a mutual process. Forgiveness is one part of the larger process of reconciliation. Without genuine forgiveness, reconciliation is impossible – yet it is entirely possible to forgive without becoming reconciled. Much depends on the other person’s response.