Empowering our youth in building their true identities

The Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM) collaborated with the Integrity Circle of Champions Club (ICCC) to organise a workshop, themed "Integrity and Patriotism: Building the true Identity of our Youth". The event was held in conjunction with the nation's Independence Day. It was focused on the topic "Enculturation of Integrity in Malaysia" and was targeted towards the youth, our leaders of tomorrow. The aim of this initiative was in line with the government's agenda to strengthen the character and identity of the community so as to produce a nation that is first-rate in its thinking, rich in culture and good in values.
"The uniqueness of this programme was that it was run entirely by the ICCC and supported by the Recreational and Sports Club of IIM, called KESKIM. The event was held in conjunction with our National Day celebrations and to appreciate the efforts of our VAT 69 veteran commandos in defending the country," said IIM deputy president Dr A Bakar Sarpon.
Some of the main objectives of the programme were:
To further strengthen our self-identity and instil values in our younger generation to appreciate the true meaning of independence as well as to understand the meaning of independence as understood by the youth.
To share the experience of the fighters of VAT 69 from Platoon 1 and 2 during the era of the communist and to further realise the sacrifices they made for us and our country to achieve independence.
To acknowledge the contribution and sacrifices of the late Commander of the 2nd Platoon, 69th Commando ASP Mohd Zabri Abdul Hamid, who was killed during the Phase 2 of Operation Bamboo 2 in Ulu Perak in 1975.
The half-day seminar involved some 200 over students from various secondary schools around Kuala Lumpur, including some from MARA Junior Science College boarding schools, ICCC alumni, TAZAIC, Rakan Integriti Mahasiswa (RIM), selected youth organisations and NGO's. Feedback reported that participants benefited from the sharing of experiences and new information related to the formation of self identity and building character to better appreciate the true meaning of independence. "It is hoped that the programme will be a start, a stepping stone to building a solid foundation and self identity for all individuals, especially our youth who are competitive and have a high sense of patriotism and integrity," added Bakar.