Srikandi Keadilan is a Bureau under Parti Keadilan Rakyat. As a Bureau which is made up of youth and works closely with youth, Srikandi Keadilan is very disappointed with our Prime Minister's ignorance and lack of appreciation for what really matters to the youth in Malaysia.
Dato' Seri Najib Razak's recent speech in Putrajaya included an invitation for Malaysian youth to help him defend it from Pakatan Rakyat. But by making such a statement, Najib has shown that he does not understand the youth and what they believe in.
As Malaysian youth, we believe in democracy and good governance. Because of this, during election time, we will exercise our right to vote and we want our decision to be respected by both BN and Pakatan Rakyat. If the youth, together with the majority of Malaysians choose Pakatan Rakyat, then we want BN to respect this and accept it as part of the democratic process.
We will not join Najib in his crusade to "defend" Putrajaya as though it was his own personal belonging. If he loses the next general elections, then he must make way for Pakatan Rakat to lead the country. The youth hope that instead of using dirty tactics or money politics to protect his position, he will set a good example by stepping down in a dignified and honourable way.
As youth, we want assurance that not only our vote counts but also that our voice counts. We do not just want to tick a ballot sheet every 5 years. We want to be part of the election process as well. This means we want to be involved in campaigning, expressing criticism on government policies and sharing our ideas on how Malaysia can be better. We want to do all this with the assurance that we will not be punished or arrested. But there cannot be such assurance until BN abolishes AUKU and ISA.
Najib called upon us to defend Putarajaya. This means he wants us to be actively involved in the political sphere. But if he wants this activism, he must realize, the youth might decide to support him or fight against him. This is how the youth understand democracy. Unfortunately Najib does not understand this. He does not understand the youth.
The government policies announced by BN under his leadership are also proof of Najib's lack of understanding. The announcement to reduce scholarships, for example, shocked the youth. If the government does not provide financial support, then many of them would be deprived of the opportunity to study further.
The announcement on the home loan scheme further proves that Najib is disconnected with the youth. This housing scheme is not important to us. What we want is higher wages to keep up with the increasing cost of living. Every time BN announces an increase in gas prices, tax on cars or a rise in interest rates, the youth will suffer!
If wages were higher, then the youth would not accumulate so much debt in a short period of time. To pay our study loan, it takes us 5 years. To pay our car loan, it takes us 10 years. And to pay our housing loan, it takes us 20 years! As youth, we are still at the bottom part of the pay scale. We are not Tan Sri or Dato' Sri, or CEO's or Executive Directors with excess cash in our bank accounts. We are in the early years of building our careers and just starting to build financial security.
But this is difficult because in Malaysia, the cost of living is high and the wages are still low compared to other Asian countries. A Plant Manager or Sales Manager, for example, might earn RM6,000 per month whilst in Singapore and Hong Kong they would earn more than double this. What lawyers and system engineers earn in Malaysia is also less than half compared to Singapore and Hong Kong. Even Thailand, which is also a developing economy like Malaysia, pays the software developers and secretaries more.
Because of this, BN should be focusing more on how to implement policies to improve our income level, cost of living and quality of life. And if Najib does not have any good ideas of his own, then Srikandi Keadilan suggests that he reads Pakatan Rakyat's Buku Jingga to really understand what he could be and should be doing for the youth.
The Buku Jingga has formulated alternative policies which address the youth's needs. The policy to provide free Wi-Fi in urban and semi-urban places, for example, is to encourage youth to learn more and discover more. It provides an outlet for education and recreation.
Other policies, including abolishing tolls and restructuring subsidies to keep price of goods low reflect the fact that Pakatan Rakyat understands the hardship and financial struggles that many youth face. These policies were developed to help ease some of their financial burdens whilst waiting for Malaysia to become a high-income nation.
We urge Najib to go down to the ground and meet with the youth face-to-face. They are the rakyat too and Najib must understand them. He should listen to them with an open mind to be able to engage with them and formulate relevant policies. If he does not have the will to meet and interact with the youth to really understand their needs – then he really should read the Buku Jingga.
SITI AISHAH SHAIK ISMAIL
KETUA SRIKANDI KEADILAN MALAYSIA
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