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Inspiration is the key towards youth empowerment

It is no secret that Barisan Nasional (BN) has failed to inspire Malaysians. The increasing debt and the continuous unkept promises to Malaysians have indeed taken a toll on the overall confidence in the country. Not to mention it is the general perception that the BN had no intention to change and their sole reason of trying to recapture lost ground is to ensure that they can go back to ‘business as usual’ before the political tsunami of 2008 shook their foundations.

The problem is not that the BN is unable to change, but rather the BN is so used to being in power that they have created a totally different reality for their own gains. When was the last time we ever saw a BN fund-raising dinner? Even the presidential candidates of the United States of America have to raise funds for their campaign. So if the BN is not resorting to fund-raising, then please enlighten us on how do they come up with their campaign funds?

Yes, Malaysians have a brain to think for themselves and the way the BN federal government spends their money without any semblance of transparency gives the perception that the government is incompetent and corrupt. The government has already introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and yet the additional revenue does not seem to be enough to help the country recover from debt.

Worst of all, at the recent budget, public universities have seen their budget slashed by nearly 20 percent. These are not news that would inspire young talented Malaysians to have hope in their country.

Young Malaysians are watching all these developments, worried about their future in their beloved homeland. When the nation was founded in 1963, Malaysia was expected to be an economic powerhouse; we had natural resources and an intelligent human capital. It seemed that nothing could stop us.

South Korea had then only recently survived partition and a war but after a period of instability, surged ahead and today is considered a developed country while Vision 2020 has seemed to be forgotten by the BN.

Young Malaysians want a good future without having to leave their families and friends if possible, they need to be able to dream of a good future or the brain drain will continue. This was never a racial issue neither should it ever be considered one.

The youth needs inspiration on the great opportunities that this country has in store for them as the country needs them as well in the battle for economic success with other Asian competitors like China, India, Singapore and Indonesia that requires the hard work of every Malaysian to achieve.

So enough of the rhetorical speeches the BN likes to give by ministers who have no idea what they are talking about and enough of politics that divides the people. For years, the BN told Malaysians not to vote for the DAP and other opposition parties as they lack experience in governance.

Highly questionable practices

Did they not realise that it also means the opposition does not have experience in the highly questionable practices that the BN has been carrying out in government? Practices which were and will never be tolerated in the alternative governments we have been working so hard to succeed?

Since 2008, under the leadership of Lim Guan Eng, old dilapidated buildings and sites that were synonymous with the BN’s neglect have been or currently being restored, Unesco World Heritage status was achieved and continues to be taken care of while the government also plans for the future by coming out with programs like the Penang Future Foundation in an effort to reverse the brain drain. Has the BN ever done that in the states under their administration?

The calculations done by the Penang Institute think tank shows that in 2006-2007 which was during the BN administration, Penang recorded the lowest percentage growth in GDP per capita. However, in 2014-2015, Penang achieved the highest percentage growth in GDP per capita under the present Pakatan Harapan administration.

Our budget and financial management has received praise by both the auditor-general and Transparency International and plans to improve transportation through the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP) is crucial for one thing, the achievement of a high-income economy so that our people can earn a decent living. We genuinely want our youth to have hope.

Now why go through all that struggle? After all, the previous BN government had set the standards so low that it does not take much effort to do better than them. I guess you can say that we have to become that hope and inspiration for every Malaysian and especially the youth. If we do not show that we can make a difference and be that glimmer of hope to Malaysians that there is a better future than the one shown by the BN, then the fire will be put out.

The pressure was on us since 2008 to pick up the damaged administration that the BN had driven into the ditch. Penang must succeed, failure was, is and will never an option. So no matter what the BN throws at us, we must endure in order to keep inspiring the youth, for some of them might be inspired into becoming the leaders of tomorrow and continue the struggle.

The ability to inspire hope is priceless and therefore we must continue to be that same hope and inspire. Why? Because Malaysia... our nation, pride and home, is worth saving.


CHRIS LEE CHUN KIT is a city councillor with the Penang Island City Council (Majlis Bandaraya Pulau Pinang) representing the DAP.

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