Newly appointed Penang PKR Youth chief Yusmaidi Yusoff has set his sights on empowering youths in the state with the correct knowledge and information to make them independent from political domination.

yusmaidi yusoff To achieve this, Yusmaidi, who was officially appointed to the post only last week, aims to enrich the youths' knowledge on their rights and responsibilities to make them self-reliant and self-governing.

Currently, said the Balik Pulau parliamentarian, the majority of youths were over-dependent on political leadership to help them in all aspects of political and socio-economic activities.

This is due to the lack of effort by politicians to disseminate correct information and knowledge to the youths on their rights, responsibilities, human potential and liberty.

"It's a creation of Barisan Nasional and Umno's national youth policy, so that youths would always be dependent and grateful to politicians and political parties.

"Penang PKR Youth's mission is to change this," he said, adding that the movement's programmes would be based on a multi-racial approach.

For instance, Yusmaidi said many youths are unaware of their rights and don’t know the ways and means to work their way out of the current economic problems.

Forge closer ties

Instead of being independent, he lamented that many youths remained over-dependent on initiatives undertaken by the government and politicians to lead them out of the current global downturn.

"I will organise programmes and activities to tear off this syndrome of over–dependence on political governance," he told Malaysiakini.

He said the mission is to strengthen and develop the youth human potential and create a future generation that could not be intimidated and dominated by political influence.

"Free and independent mindsets shall be the hallmarks of a self-developing, self-determining and self-evolving civil society," he said, adding his mission was in line with PKR’s ideals.

Yusmaidi has already lined up several immediate programmes to kick start his mission.

Meanwhile, the PKR Youth leader also aims to forge closer working ties with the DAP and PAS Youth wings.

Following to setting up of a main state Pakatan liaison committee, Yusmaidi is keen to form a similar body at the youth level to enhance cooperation, understanding and unity.