GEORGE TOWN: Civil societies here are trying to engage the young to participate in social concerns addressing climate change and high income disparities.
Considering the voting age of Malaysians has been reduced to 18 from 21, Penang Forum executive council member Khoo Salma Nasution said it was only natural that the younger lot get involved in all things that matter as it is their future which will be at stake.
“We hope that the young understand that the future is at stake for them, and that we, the present forum (activists), may no longer be around,” she said.
Khoo added that the forum has initiated reaching out to the young, for their participation, ideas and feedback, but to no avail.
She cited forum activity participants, who are mostly middle-aged to retired, and the Forum, a loose coalition of non-governmental organisations and resident groups as well as individuals.
Nonetheless, Khoo said the Forum is trying to get the state to look at the causes, conserve, preserve and mitigate calamities rather than approve more building development projects.
She pointed out that Penang, part of the tropical belt along the equator, has been experiencing a heatwave over the past three years, along with aggressive weather patterns which have triggered forceful thunderstorms, flash floods and landslides.
These have led to loss of lives and displacement of residents, which has compelled the state to spend millions on mitigation works.
In that, a state DAP Youth spokesperson commented, saying that the struggle by civil society in Penang was laudable but the movement is more idealistic driven rather than reality based.
“The state needs to generate quality jobs and expand to sustain economic growth. There are no bounteous rewards in just conserving or preserving the past.
“What the state needs is to strike a balance between development and protection of the environment.”
He raised that what’s missing is community participation, “to buy into the concept of a greener state by not discarding waste irresponsibly and by helping monitor illegal dumping and corruption.”
