PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has urged Asean leaders to prioritise the voices of young people, saying inclusivity in governance cannot be achieved without their participation.
Anwar said the grouping had made room for women and youth to speak up — a privilege not enjoyed in every country — during the opening of the 46th Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) general assembly.
“But at every Asean leadership function, we have to sit down and deliberate the (views of our) youth. And we leaders have to shut up and listen to what is being expressed by the young (generation),” he was quoted as saying, according to Free Malaysia Today.
He said that true democracy went beyond periodic elections and required those in power to be open to scrutiny.
“The ruling party must be questioned, criticised and assessed by the public,” he said, adding that elected representatives and governments must reflect the genuine aspirations of their people.
Anwar also warned that power came with the risk of corruption and abuse.
“By nature, power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Which means you must always be cautious and hold those in power accountable.
“We have seen governments fail because there is a tendency for those in power to amass wealth and to accept systemic corruption as a way of life,” he added.
His remarks come as young people across the region are increasingly at the forefront of political change.
In Indonesia, students led mass protests against corruption and politicised laws that escalated after a police vehicle killed a delivery rider, while in Nepal, youth-led demonstrations over a social media ban forced the prime minister to resign.
