27/02/2026

FRIDAY | FEB 27, 2026

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Youth Parliament programme aimed at creating leaders

publicly, that is something only that person can answer.” While acknowledging public disputes may be uncomfortable for the party leadership, he maintained dissent should not automatically be equated with instability. “As long as it is within the bounds of the law, they are exercising their democratic rights.” An internal dispute in Bersatu recently ended with the expulsion of its deputy president and opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin and his followers. Meanwhile, in the government bloc, former PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli openly challenged party president and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to sack him if he could not stand his criticism. – By IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE Actions linked to religious issues viewed seriously: MB KUANTAN: Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail has emphasised that actions or statements relating to religious and race sensitivities cannot be taken lightly as they have the potential to disrupt the harmony of society in the country. He said the state takes a serious view of the issue involving the actions of a Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (Umpsa) student who is linked to acts of insulting Prophet Muhammad and the sanctity of the Quran . “Such actions are not only very disappointing, but more sensitive when these take place during the holy month of Ramadan. “Any actions or statements on religious or racial sensitivities cannot be viewed lightly as they have the potential to incite tension, undermine harmony and damage the foundation of unity that has long been built in society,” he said. Wan Rosdy added that he fully trusts the authorities and the Umpsa management to conduct the investigation and manage the case thoroughly, transparently and in accordance with existing laws and regulations. He also advised the public, especially the young generation, to think carefully and be cautious in every action and sharing of information, especially in public spaces and on social media. “Avoid getting involved in any action that could undermine the harmony, stability and unity of society. Let us uphold the spirit of mutual respect, understand differences, and uphold the values of politeness and tolerance for the wellbeing of the state of Pahang and our beloved country.” On Wednesday, an Umpsa student was detained on suspicion of uploading social media content involving issues of religion, race, and the royal institution. – Bernama

“I do not know whether some people criticise their leadership and expect to be expelled, or whether they are simply exercising their democratic process. I do not know.” He urged caution in interpreting such moves and warned against mischaracterising his position. “Whether what they are doing is moving towards that effect, to be expelled and then join another party, I do not know.” Johari emphasised that individual intent remains a matter of political judgment rather than parliamentary determination. “The anti-hopping law is clear in its mechanics. But as to why someone takes a certain position with Party B or C. That is political maturity.” To operationalise the model, 12 youth-based political parties have been formed across public universities, following engagement with vice-chancellors and university leadership. “We expect leaders to emerge from universities. These students have gone through leadership processes already.” The initiative encourages institutional pride and competition, with universities rallying behind their respective parties. “You create an ecosystem. Universities, alumni, academia – everyone becomes invested. It is no longer about attacking an individual. If you attack the party, you are attacking the institution it represents.” Johari also emphasised that Youth Parliament resolutions will not be symbolic. Approved motions will be formally channelled to relevant Dewan Rakyat Select Committees. “If they pass 12 resolutions – on politics, business, international relations – I will refer them to the appropriate select committees. Real MPs will debate them and ministers must respond.” Parliament currently has 10 select committees covering various policy domains. “We cannot waste time and resources by making this a mock exercise. When youth MPs debate and decide, it must matter.” He described the framework as creating “two parliaments” – one present, one future – operating in tandem. “The future Parliament feeds into the present Parliament. That is how the wheels start moving. I am not talking about yesterday or today. I am talking about tomorrow. Fifty per cent of our voters are young voters. If we want meaningful reform in the future, we must start with them now.”

train youth leaders to lead clubs or associations. I asked myself: Why not upgrade the objective? Why not nurture national leaders?” A key structural change aligns Youth Parliament membership with the 222 seats of the Dewan Rakyat, replacing the previous 100-member format. “If the real Malaysian Parliament has 222 MPs, then Youth Parliament should mirror that. When they sit there, they must feel this is the real thing, an incubator for future national leadership.” Johari also introduced PR into Youth Parliament elections, moving away from Malaysia’s first-past-the post system. “Under first-past-the-post, it is often about the individual – ‘vote for me, I am the best.’ Sometimes, people don’t even know what party you represent. It becomes personality-driven.” In contrast, PR requires candidates to contest under a party banner, with seats allocated according to the proportion of votes each party secures. “People elect parties, not individuals. That means your party must have vision, structure and inclusivity. It cannot be about one person.” Johari said the system compels aspiring leaders to think beyond narrow racial or religious mobilisation strategies often associated with first-past-the-post. “If you rely on narrow majority politics – 51% wins, 49% does not matter – you leave unfinished business. That is not healthy for the nation.” The Youth Parliament is also designed to expose future leaders to coalition-building realities. In a PR framework, no single party is likely to dominate outright, necessitating negotiation and alliances. “They must learn to form coalitions. Party A may win 40% of seats but cannot form the government alone. They must work

o We cannot waste time and resources by making this a mock exercise. When youth MPs debate and decide, it must matter: Speaker

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

administrative and allowed long-term programmes to be embedded within its structure. “This is not a one-off programme. It is now institutionalised. With the PSA, we are autonomous and independent. These programmes are budgeted for and form part of the institution. Whoever comes after me, the system continues.” Under the revamped Youth Parliament, previously overseen by the Youth and Sports Ministry, Johari expanded its mandate from grassroots youth leadership training to cultivating national-level leaders. “Previously, the objective was to autonomy

KUALA LUMPUR: Introducing proportional representation (PR) to the Youth Parliament programme is a “game changer” that shifts the focus of young leaders from personality politics to party-based governance, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul. In an interview with theSun , Johari said the reform is part of a broader institutional overhaul following the enforcement of the Parliament Services Act 2023 (PSA), which restored Parliament’s

Johari said Youth Parliament resolutions will not be symbolic as approved motions will be formally channelled to relevant Dewan Rakyat Select Committees. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA/THESUN

‘Democratic right of MPs to challenge own party leadership’ KUALA LUMPUR: MPs who publicly challenge their own party leadership are exercising their democratic rights, said Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, amid growing debate over how the anti-party hopping law shapes political behaviour within parties. In many democracies, you will see factions, internal groupings and disagreements within parties.” However, he added that Malaysia’s political culture has long emphasised party discipline, with disagreements typically expected to be resolved behind closed doors rather than aired publicly. democratic space.” However, he said motivations behind public dissent can vary, particularly under the anti-party hopping law. Introduced through speculate on whether some MPs were provoking disciplinary action to be sacked rather than resigning voluntarily.

constitutional amendments in 2022, the law stipulates that an MP who leaves the party on whose ticket they were elected – whether to join another party or become an independent – automatically loses his seat. “It is very clear. If you leave the party you contested under, you lose your seat.” Johari highlighted a critical distinction: an MP who is expelled by their party does not lose his seat. “If they are expelled, they will not lose their seat. So, the choice is theirs.” He added that he could not

Johari said the phenomenon of elected representatives attacking or questioning their party leadership is neither new nor unique to Malaysia. “It is not something that is happening only in Malaysia. It is happening all over the world,” he told theSun. He cited factional politics in Japan, internal rivalries in Indonesia, and instances in the United States in which party members openly criticise their own leadership or policy direction. “That is quite normal to me.

“We have this belief that when you are in a party, you should not criticise your party openly. Issues are expected to be resolved internally.” Johari was commenting on recent developments within several political parties, including PKR, where internal disputes have spilled into the public domain. Asked whether such conduct reflects a healthy democracy, he said open criticism should not be viewed negatively. “To me, they are exercising their