After causing a stir by appearing on the cover of fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar two years ago, BN Youth chairperson Khairy Jamaluddin is now on his way to further “stardom” when he appears on a new reality television programme.

Khairy is slated to be among the judges in the 1Malaysia Youth Fund programme where youths will pitch their ideas to win a portion of the RM20 million government fund launched today.

NONE Produced by Media Prima Bhd, the programme would be produced along the lines of popular US programmes such as American Investors and Dragon’s Den .

Asked if he will behave like the acerbic Simon Cowell in the American Idol series, Khairy laughed off the question.

“I don’t know. Even the reality show is a relatively new idea so we have to look at the format. But let the show be focused on the applicants and not the judge,” said Khairy, who is also the Rembau MP.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak announced that the government, with the assistance of its sovereign fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, will be giving out grants for those aged 15 to 40 who have convincing ideas.

The “flexible” grants can be for social and business ventures which are in line with the 1Malaysia concept and has community spillovers, and is not aimed at fully funding any of the ventures.

“We aim for this to be a tipping point,” he said, adding that projects involving the arts will also be considered.

Fund not political

Speaking about it later, Khairy, who was named head of the evaluation panel, said that the secretariat aims to collect proposals in the first three weeks before deciding on the first trench of grants by the end of four weeks.

“Applicants will have to meet the evaluation panel, because they may have a good proposal but we need to be convinced of their commitment,” he said.

He added that the geographical location of the projects will also carry some weight in the evaluation, in an effort to ensure that the grants, which he insists are “not political” will not only benefit urban youths.

“We are working with our partners in Sabah, Sarawak and rural areas to ensure that promotion is done there too,” he said.

The idea, he added, is just one of several which came out of the BN Youth Labs held last year.

The innovative idea is reminiscent of the hit homegrown reality show Imam Muda , which has a following overseas, and has the potential to reach out to the growing number of young Malaysians hooked on reality TV.

Khairy appeared at the function today after obtaining leave from the Territorial Army where he is undergoing military training.