Amplifying Youth Voices for an Inclusive #BangsaMalaysia

With a voice to be heard, youths from all over Malaysia attended Youth P.A.C.T. themed #BangsaMalaysia to discuss critical social, political, cultural, economic, environmental, and human rights issues in Malaysia. Organised by Taylor’s College and the Malaysian Institute for Debate & Public Speaking (MIDP), the weekend-long festival attracted a diverse attendance of over 300 people both in-person and online.

YB Adam Adli, Deputy Minister of Youth & Sports graced the ceremony with a sense of pride as he witnessed Taylor’s College and MIDP taking a remarkable stand to empower young voices to speak their mind. He said, “Youth P.A.C.T is an example where the important conversations can be discussed among the youth, and I hope that there will be more platforms and opportunities like this for them to express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns to pave the way for a more inclusive nation.” He was also one of the panelists for the forum “Kuasa Anak Muda: Increasing Youth Political Candidacy & Representation in Elections” and hoped to see more youths in the nation-building process.

Other topics discussed in the various forums and debate sessions included social issues affecting Malaysians from various sections of society - from indigenous social affairs to issues faced by people with disabilities and the marginalised community. Attendees had opportunities to make their voices heard and dialogue with public figures, activists, and politicians including YB Senator Fuziah Salleh, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade & Cost Of Living; Katrina Jorene Maliamauv, Executive Director of Amnesty International Malaysia; Heidy Quah, activist and founder of Refuge for The Refugees; Dr. Anthony Chong, Co-Founder & Secretary of the Malaysian Sign Language & Deaf Studies Association, Dr Colin Nicholas, Founder of the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns (COAC); and Amani Williams-Hunt, Semai leader & advocate.

Aiming to empower attendees to make a tangible impact and equip themselves with the tools needed to drive positive change in their communities, there were a diverse range of dynamic workshops, covering essential areas such as leadership and communication skills, career development, digital literacy, and addressing the crucial issue of sexual harassment.

Aside from discussions and workshops, Youth P.A.C.T featured booths by local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) that are devoting unwavering commitment to creating awareness and imparting knowledge to Malaysians concerning a broad spectrum of topics such as mental health, women empowerment, safe city, and disability advocacy. There was also a film showcase by Freedom Film Network, PERTIMIG, and Taylors’ students, and a diverse array of performances encompassing spoken word poetry, monologues, improv, book reading, and singing. Through the power of artistic expression, these performances served as a platform to shed light on pressing social issues, amplifying their significance and engaging the audience in meaningful dialogue.

Lim Wee Yuan, a 24-year-old was motivated to take part in Youth P.A.C.T. as he believes in the power of youth to bring about positive change to communities and to the country. 21-year-old Ramisha Adil shares the same sentiment and added on, “Platforms like these encourage critical thinking, dialogue, and exchange of diverse perspectives, which can lead to an influence on policy-making, social discourse, and collective action. I am empowered that institutions like Taylor’s College and MIDP took this step to amplify our voices and I hope that we will witness significant change to be more inclusive in time to come.”

Youth P.A.C.T 2023 was held on-ground at Taylor's Lakeside Campus, Subang Jaya on 24 and 25 June 2023 from 10:00am – 5:30pm. For more information on Youth P.A.C.T, please visit this website.

This content is provided by Taylor’s College