Channel News Asia (CNA) today reported Wan Saiful Wan Jan, CEO of Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas), as saying that Umno would face problems in the long term if it could not find a way to allow its old leaders to give way to younger ones.
He said Umno’s rejuvenation process in absorbing youths had failed, and this was shown by the fact that its youth chief and youngest federal cabinet minister was 42-year-old Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said young Malaysians, who were not just concerned about the country but also wanted “to do something”, had found new platforms like PPBM that accepted them with open arms.
“This leads them to join the party,” the visiting senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute of Singapore was quoted as saying.
He added that they were in part lured by the fact that PPBM was chaired by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had ruled from 1981 to 2003.
“They grew up seeing and enjoying the high level of physical and economic development that Mahathir brought to the country,” Wan Saiful said.
“But they were also too young to understand the criticisms that were levelled at Mahathir throughout (his) time in office.”
CNA also quoted Ilham Centre executive director Hisommudin Bakar as saying that there was a groundswell of discontent among young Malaysians.
“For (Malay) voters aged between 26 and 35, they are highly critical of the government because they are burdened with economic factors which are not encouraging,” he said.
“The high cost of petrol and diesel, in addition to the 6% goods and services tax (GST), is placing significant pressure on this group of voters.”
He said any loss of youth votes could have an impact on the ruling party which was facing the 14th general election (GE14) that must take place by August.
Hisommudin said 40% of young voters were currently fence-sitters.
“If BN (Barisan Nasional) should lose 5 to 10% of the votes from the young voters, it will threaten its seats in Parliament which it won in the last elections,” he was quoted as saying.
CNA also reported new PPBM member Abdul Hannaan Khairy, 25, as saying that he joined the party because of its willingness to listen.
“You (should) see how they (PPBM seniors) treat us, the younger generation… They not only listen but they implement the ideas that we give them when they agree with them,” he said.
“And if they don’t agree or they don’t understand what the youths need, it is then opened up for debate,” he added.
Meanwhile, PPBM Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman said Umno was no longer giving space for young people to grow and rise through its ranks.
“When smart young people want to join Umno but get taken out because they are seen as competitors, a lot of them feel very frustrated,” CNA quoted him as saying.
“It is not easy (for young Malays) to be heard in an environment where elderly warlords dominate the scene,” he said.
Dr M: Young Malaysians seem apathetic about changing the government