The Malaysian politics is showing no signs of cooling down. Power struggle is a common drive for most political actors at the expense of the people. Much has been said that the Gen Y and millenials are known to be disruptors to technology and economy in 2020 era. More youth are motivated to dis-align with the conventional way of employment and income generation. Contemporarily, youth is also known to disrupt politics.
In a joking way, while Malaysian political system is still unstable, might as well we disrupt it anyways.
The establishment of ARUS (as a youth initiative to represent spectrum of youth perspectives) and MUDA (as Malaysia’s first youth driven political party) are indicators that youth are not settling down with status-quo, and wanting to disrupt the system. Feeling saturated and disappointed with current systems in Malaysia, youth takes one of their first actions to walk the talk.
Disruption is a double-edged sword. It could bring positive outcome, if that disruption brings value-added and improvisation. Negative disruption on the other hand would lead to revealing more discrepancies, gap and deterioration in the society. Hence, we cannot stereotype that all disruptions are bad.
Somehow, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fixit’ is not the best mantra at these disturbing times. If there is something to be fixed, what could it be? A more provocative question underlying is, ‘What is New with the Youth Disruption?’
What Is New With the Youth Disruption?
There are many aspirations being coined out and discussed on the roles of youth in modern democracy. Some of the most heard off are basically about:
- a) Policy Driven. Malaysian politics should be leaning towards policy driven agenda, reducing old-styled victimisation, character assassination, privacy intrusion and other wicked motives.
- b) Insertion of Technocrats / Bureaucrats into Political Scenes.Political actors should be amongst the experts and specialists in order to craft more robust and comprehensive policies. Malaysia should aim to have minister who is an expert in his/her ministry’s portfolio.
- c) New Governance. Youth are distancing gradually from seniority-styled hierarchy and rigid structure of an administration. Youth aspires for more refreshing ideas within structure in order for them to explore further their potential and imagination.
- d) New Politics.Malaysia should herald for political maturity – leaning towards issue-solution focus, policy debate, inclusivity and diversity. Diversity is pre-requisite to inclusivity. At the current rate, Malaysia accommodates diversed communities but does not fully welcome inclusivity at every level. Racism still dominates political discussion and being exploited for political mileage. This race-based political culture will not bring Malaysia forward. Instead, the country digresses and trapped in the polemic of unsettling narratives.
- e) Institutionalism Strengthening. The country is built by institutionalising key powers in order for check and balance. The separation of legislative, executive and judiciary since the formation of the country is a good start. However along the way, such demarcation is diluted and goes unchecked. We could see direct and indirect intervention of political actors into key operationalisation of the country.
To further advance the country, institutional strengthening is a must. The work process of the country should be guarded with effective institutionalism, regardless of any individual heralding the organisation. Donald Trump might be a reckless individual to lead the U.S., but it is the institutions that sail the country strategically in these uncertain times.
What Are Expected from the Youth as an Agent of Change?
- a) Knowledge and Industry Embedded
Knowledge is in its ever-changing mode. It expands in line with civilisational change. Youth and youth politicians must thirst for knowledge and surrounded themselves with knowledge-seeking attitude. At the same time, they must embed into industrial experience to make them relevant as an agent of change. Contemporary politics does not work in isolation. It moves along with changes and new actors along the way and youth must be comfortable to be equipped with these elements.
- b) Diversity and Diverse of Experience (mixture of rural and urban)
There is a divide between rural and urban communities. The disparity in economic status would also lead to differences of thoughts and perspectives among the youth. The gap is in fact widening as income inequality shows a sharp divide, following COVID-19 outbreak. However, this should not be treated as the dust underneath the carpet. Youth and youth politicians should approach diversity by becoming the bridging factor between all youth of different economic, political and social background.
- c) 360 leadership (Flexibility and Adaptability)
Youth politicians should be well rounded. This includes them to be flexible and adaptable to their surroundings. 360 leadership requires youth to be adjustable at various positions, not only towards specific positions. MUDA should train its members to be able to fit at any position with any responsibilities. This includes society leaders, activists, civil society leaders, policy makers, educators, industrialists and politicians. Such fluidity will make the party dynamic due to resourceful members.
- d) Active Engagement
Politics is about engagement. That nature would never change as politics is about connecting and managing human beings. Youth politicians should be able to engage actively with people of all range in the society. Politics of the youth is not only about the youth. It transpires all walks of life while having youth as its middle focus. Simply put, unemployment and mental illness are not only lingering the youth but also major problems to all range of people. Therefore, while a common cause could be involving all, it has to be championed by youth.
Concluding, Malaysia should welcome change. The country must prepare to be disrupted as disruptions could bring positive (and negative) change along its developmental process. This includes youth as aggressive political actors in the years to come. It is not something to be feared off. It is something should not be celebrated either, especially among the youth. On their shoulder lies a great responsibility to brand new politics, new (positive) disruption for the new Malaysia they would want to inherit.
