Noting the rising unemployment rate due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Umno Youth leader Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the initiatives would include a job guarantee scheme for the youth.

“The task force will provide suggestions to the government for Budget 2021 and the 12th Malaysia Plan,” he added.

“We will go across Malaysia next week to meet the youth and NGOs and get feedback from them on how to strengthen the economy for youth.

“This is important as BN Youth is no longer in the opposition but part of the government. We have to adapt to our roles and serve as a facilitator between the people – especially the youth – and the government,” he said after chairing a BN Youth meeting here.

Other BN Youth leaders present at the meeting included MCA’s Nicole Wong Siaw Ting, MIC’s R Thinalan and Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah’s Edwin Laimin.

Saying the people were tired of race and religion being used to divide the country, Asyraf added that youth leaders and representatives from the four parties would work together to promote “real Malaysian values” of multi-racialism, tolerance and respect.

Accusing the previous Pakatan Harapan administration of raising racial tensions, he said the people “could not deny” that the values on which BN had built the country for 61 years had brought socioeconomic benefits.