Photo: SME Malaysia
Politics is a heavy topic, but it’s one that Malaysian youths should get involved in.
Results from the 2019 ASEAN Youth Survey by REDHILL showed that 77% of respondents believe it is crucial to hear what the youth say while another 84% are looking forward to attending the polls at the next general election.
The aforementioned survey is aimed at analysing the roles of Southeast Asian youths as drivers of economic, cultural, social and political change. At the same time, the youths’ thoughts on politics, economy, personal security, education, life choices and social media consumption are also noted down. Demographics of the respondents include over 2,000 youths across seven ASEAN nations between the ages 18-35 years old.
Less than 50% of respondents are confident about the inclusivity of politics and political mobilisation in country. While 60% believe that the country is politically stable, the rest do not agree.
When it comes to economics, our youths are concerned about living costs (unfortunately very relatable!) While 41% of Malaysian youngsters said that the price of essential goods are becoming far too high, they are equally divided when it comes to those who can afford occasional luxuries versus those who couldn’t.
Because money plays such an important role, salary is the most important consideration for Malaysian youths these days. 41% of Malaysians say that their jobs are not something they wanted to do, with 73% of Malaysians citing education as the pathway to getting better jobs. While a majority of 57% said that tertiary education is easy to obtain, actually getting the courses they want is a whole other story, with up to 60% of respondents citing financial limitations as a problem.
The stability of our political scene is a visible concern in Malaysia, which is reflected in respondents from other ASEAN states with the exception of Singapore.
“The survey’s findings suggest that ASEAN youth – having grown up during a time of rapid economic growth, fluctuating politics and greater exposure to the world via online media – are yearning for balance and stability in their lives. However, this does not mean that they’d want to take a backseat role. Instead, we see them as having vigour in wanting to instigate change by playing a larger role in their nation’s direction to create sustainable and inclusive societies”, said Jacob Puthenparambil, Partner at REDHILL.
By: Celestine Foo
