Musa: Govt values the input by youths

DAILY EXPRESS

Tuesday, 11th July 2007

Kota Kinabalu: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said there is no shortcut to achieving national glory, particularly in the globalisation era, without a wholesomely competent youth community.

He said youths would be the ones holding the reins in future, so it is required of the populace to pool their energy and resources to help them in making it all possible.

Speaking at the State-level Premier Youth Award 2007 presentation at Pacific Sutera Tuesday night, he said the Government recognised the contribution by youths in the various development activities in the country.

The Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Haji Ahmadshah Abdullah presented the awards to winners.
Also present were the Yang Dipertua Negeri's wife Toh Puan Hajah Dayang Masuyah Awang Japar, the Chief Minister's wife Datin Hajah Faridah Tusin and Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Liew Yun Fah.

Musa said this was the first time that the premier award presentation was split from the Premier Youth Rally.

He said this was done to reflect the commitment and mindfulness of the State Government to elevate the awards to a more prestigious level in appreciation and recognition of the excellent service by the local youths in youth development in Sabah.

"The Government value the contribution by the parties involved in the youth development agenda which is the most appropriate base to draw programmes to fulfil the varied preference of the youths as a whole," he said.

" We will continuously support them. But we also hope that the award recipients would not merely celebrate the win but to ponder over and evaluate their achievement at this stage with a desire to accomplish a higher level of excellence in future."

Musa said the Government also acknowledged that when youths strive their best and work to their maximum potential out of love for the country, success after success would surely be the order of the day.

He said the youths were indeed a very important national asset, the main human capital generator that would help shape their community into one that is competent in handling challenges and prudent in tackling problems.

"We are definitely counting on the youths of today to bring about significant changes. They must see the government's demand on them as a challenge and therefore strive to show they can be a quality and resourceful community that could work with the government in the country's development, " he said

"In Sabah's context, we also would like to see the youths in the State to be involved actively in the Government's efforts in sustaining stability and harmony in the State," Musa said.
He said the State Government has been providing various incentive schemes for the State's youths to involve them in youth movements particularly those that would benefit society as a whole.

These are all to imbibe the youths with the necessary knowledge and know-how as preparation to be future leaders.

"At the same time, we also are aware that the role of youths is very wide in realising the national mission, which was introduced by the Government to not only focus on present development but also on long term so as to maintain continuous impact," he said.

Musa said in this connection, he hoped the present youth organisations would pour more efforts into keeping up the leadership momentum so that the impact could be generated through the various integrated approaches.