Latest news with #ChinShuYing
Daily Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
Emulate Sarawak's decision to retain the youth age: LDP
Published on: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 16, 2025 Text Size: Chin believes that Sabah, which shares similar socio-economic structures, rural challenges and cultural values with Sarawak, must assert its own rights to decide youth policies that reflect its people's realities — not simply follow top-down federal directives. Kota Kinabalu: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Datuk Chin Shu Ying on Tuesday called on the State Government to emulate Sarawak's decision to retain the youth age definition at 40 years and to reject the Federal Government's move to lower it to 30 years starting Jan 1, 2026. Sarawak's Minister for Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, has made it clear that Sarawak will not follow the federal redefinition. Advertisement Instead, it will maintain its current policy, recognising youths as individuals aged between 15 and 40 years old. This position by Sarawak not only reflects the State's constitutional autonomy over youth matters under the Concurrent List but also demonstrates a sound understanding of its own social, economic and developmental context. Chin believes that Sabah, which shares similar socio-economic structures, rural challenges and cultural values with Sarawak, must assert its own rights to decide youth policies that reflect its people's realities — not simply follow top-down federal directives. 'In Sabah, many individuals only begin to settle into their careers, complete their education, or start families in their early to mid-30s. 'For them, the ages between 30 and 40 are a critical phase of personal growth, leadership development and contribution to society. 'Hence, reducing the youth age limit to 30 would result in the exclusion of these individuals from youth-related opportunities, including funding schemes, leadership roles in youth organisations, training programmes and public engagement platforms,' he said in a statement. Chin said such exclusion would not only hinder their development but also destabilise many existing youth organisations in Sabah, especially in rural and indigenous communities where age-based mentorship and intergenerational continuity are essential. He emphasised that youth development is not simply about chronological age — it is about capacity building, empowerment and readiness. Prematurely capping this group's access to support and participation could stunt Sabah's long-term human capital growth, he added. Sarawak's implementation of a flexible model — where 70pc of youth leaders are between 18 and 40 years old, and 30pc may be older — offers a pragmatic and inclusive formula. Therefore, Chin said he believes Sabah should adopt a similar approach to balance renewal with continuity. 'Sabah has every constitutional right to chart its own course in youth affairs. The Federal Constitution provides states with concurrent authority on youth matters, and like Sarawak, Sabah should act in the best interests of its people. 'In indigenous and rural Sabahan societies, individuals aged 30 and above are still regarded as young, active and deeply involved in local leadership. Their roles are indispensable in preserving culture, guiding younger generations, and stabilizing community networks,' he said. Chin warned that blindly adopting a West Malaysia-centric model risks weakening the foundation of Sabah's community leadership and excluding a generation still in transition. 'Good governance must be rooted in local adaptability — not rigid standardisation. Therefore, I propose three key actions. First, the Sabah Government should publicly reaffirm its decision to retain the youth age limit at 40. 'Second, it should consider adopting a flexible leadership quota similar to Sarawak's. 'Third, it should initiate a consultation process involving youth organizations, indigenous groups, and experts to draft a Sabah-specific Youth Development Blueprint. 'The State Legislative Assembly should also table this issue for debate, allowing all stakeholders to present data, views, and on-the-ground experiences. Policy should not be formulated in isolation but with open, inclusive dialogue,' he said. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Express
LDP urges Sabah to retain youth age limit at 40, emulate Sarawak's stand
Published on: Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Published on: Tue, Jul 15, 2025 Text Size: KOTA KINABALU: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has urged the Sabah State Government to reject the federal move to lower the youth age cap from 40 to 30 by 2026, calling instead to follow Sarawak's example of maintaining the current limit. LDP Secretary General Datuk Chin Shu Ying argued that Sabah's socio-economic realities mirror Sarawak's, where many individuals only begin establishing careers and families in their 30s. Advertisement Lowering the age would exclude them from vital youth programmes, leadership roles, and funding. He highlighted Sarawak's flexible youth leadership model where 70pc are aged 18–40 and 30pc can be older as an inclusive and practical approach Sabah should adopt. Chin also called on the Sabah Government to reaffirm the 40-year limit, initiate inclusive consultations to develop a Sabah-specific Youth Development Blueprint, and table the matter in the State Assembly. He warned that blindly following Peninsular-centric policies risks undermining rural and indigenous leadership traditions, stressing that youth development must reflect local realities not rigid age thresholds. * Read full report in tomorrow's print paper or log in or sign up for e-paper and premium online news access. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Daily Express
26-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Express
English, Chinese matter, not Khmer and Thai: Liberal Democratic Party
Published on: Saturday, April 26, 2025 Published on: Sat, Apr 26, 2025 Text Size: Chin noted that major foreign investors such as Microsoft and Amazon, along with leading Chinese companies like Huawei, Alibaba Group, and ByteDance, have all made significant investments in Malaysia and continue to expand their operations here. Kota Kinabalu: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) urged the government to focus on strengthening students' proficiency in English and Chinese (Mandarin) before planning to include additional Asean languages such as Thai and Khmer. LDP Sec-Gen Datuk Chin Shu Ying although it may reflect Asean solidarity, the foundation of any language policy must be practicality and relevance to global and national development. He said English remains the most important language in science, technology, business, and diplomacy. At the same time, more countries, including in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East are beginning to adopt Chinese as a second language due to China's global influence. 'Our students are still struggling with English, and many lack adequate proficiency in Chinese. These two languages are not only academically critical, but they also serve as gateways to global opportunity. 'If Malaysia wants to remain competitive, our students must be equipped in both,' he said. Chin noted that major foreign investors such as Microsoft and Amazon, along with leading Chinese companies like Huawei, Alibaba Group, and ByteDance, have all made significant investments in Malaysia and continue to expand their operations here. 'These companies consistently identify language proficiency, particularly English and Mandarin, as key employment criteria. 'Without strong communication skills in English and Chinese, our graduates will face limitations not only abroad, but also in high-value sectors within our own country,' he said. Chin said weak English and Mandarin skills remain among main factors contributing to graduate unemployment. LDP warned against overloading an already stretched curriculum. 'Support for Asean unity, but not at the cost of undermining our students' ability to compete in the real world. Strengthening in English and Chinese is not optional, it is essential. Let us first ensure our students master English and Chinese before introducing additional language electives. 'Only then can we build an education system that is practical, competitive, and globally aligned,' he said. * Follow us on Instagram and join our Telegram and/or WhatsApp channel(s) for the latest news you don't want to miss. * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
