SINGAPORE - The People's Action Party (PAP) on Sunday (June 12) launched a youth initiative of its Malay Affairs Bureau (MAB) to allow younger community members to engage and collaborate with policymakers.
The MAB Muda, or MAB Youth, is co-chaired by PAP MPs Nadia Ahmad Samdin and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim.
"Malay/Muslim youth want to meaningfully contribute to our community and Singapore's future. Many show interest in social causes and activism, including within the political space," said Ms Nadia, an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.
"MAB Muda is a platform for their voices and lived experiences, and to nurture their shared interests. Ultimately, we will take action together with partners and youth for positive change - we hear them, and we are here for them."
The MAB was formed in 1954, the same year the PAP was founded, to pursue policies that address the concerns of the community and advocate for its interests within the framework of Singapore's multiracial society.
The bureau reviewed its structure in 2018 to empower activists who wished to be more involved, and established MAB Muda last year to better engage the community and ensure youth's concerns are represented and aired.
PAP on Sunday also released the results of a recent survey it had conducted of 162 Malay/Muslim young people in early May. The survey asked participants to choose the top three challenges they faced today, among other things.
Housing costs and security was the most popular option, with nearly 20 per cent of respondents choosing it. This was followed by low salary, also at about 20 per cent, and discrimination, at about 17 per cent.
Separately, the study also found that Malay/Muslim youth felt the need for more active citizenry, with about 25 per cent of them indicating a desire for more youth presentation.
About the same proportion of them also wanted more policy discussions between youth and policymakers.
In conjunction with the launch of MAB Muda, a round-table discussion with Ms Nadia and Mr Zhulkarnain was held on Sunday at the Working Title Riverside restaurant in Bugis.
The two MPs met representatives from key Malay/Muslim youth organisations, people representing different industries, and PAP activists.
Mr Zhulkarnain, an MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC, said the discussion was insightful in identifying the issues that resonate deeply with today's Malay/Muslim youth.
"In our interactions with our youth, there is a genuine and common desire to come together to do more, not just for the community but Singapore as a whole," he said.
"MAB Muda is a continuation of our efforts to involve more youth from various backgrounds in our vibrant Malay/Muslim community in Singapore, and to advocate for our collective interest towards a brighter future together."
