SYED Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has emerged from the shadows of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to set up a youth-based party, which plans to fight for a multiracial Malaysia. 

The former youth and sports minister did not follow Dr Mahathir and five other former Bersatu leaders to establish Pejuang – a party mirroring the Umno and Bersatu fight for Malays.

The 28-year-old believes the time is ripe for a new untainted party cutting across race and religion, to push for a more inclusive Malaysia in policies and culture.

“I have great respect for Dr Mahathir but in order for Malaysia to progress, we need to see multiracialism as an asset. 

“It is not a liability even though there are groups that are racial-minded and charged,” Syed Saddiq told The Malaysian Insight recently. 

The Muar MP is gathering like-minded youth groups, such as Challenger and Liga Rakyat Demokratik, in pursuit of a youth party, which seeks to be a third force in the country’s political landscape. 

“It is time for us to build a movement coming from the grassroots. We need to get civil societies, technocrats, thought leaders and people who are young in thinking to serve the country,” the former Bersatu youth chief said. 

Syed Saddiq, along with Dr Mahathir and five others, lost their Bersatu membership for supporting the opposition when the party led by Muhyiddin Yassin moved in the direction of forming the Perikatan Nasional government with Umno, PAS and Gabungan Parti Sarawak.

Syed Saddiq’s new party will have a lateral leadership structure and plans to contest not only in urban seats but to foray into semi-rural and rural areas as well. 

The movement, which currently calls itself Muda, envisions to be neutral, without siding Pakatan Harapan or PN.

The entity is supposed to be a nationwide movement but snowballed into a budding political party based on support on social media and those in Syed Saddiq’s circles.

Among other individuals likely to join the party are former Permodalan Nasional Bhd president and group chief executive officer Jalil Rasheed, TheLorry founder Nadhir Ashafiq, educationist Cheryl Ann Fernando, several individuals from Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list, civil societies and even moderate religious figures. 

Syed Saddiq believes the youth should have a bigger say, instead of being limited to youth wings in political parties. 

“Youth leaders should not just be a wing in a political party but in the frontlines as decision-makers.”

However, he said this party would not just defend the rights of young people only but also focus on all Malaysians.

“Finally, this will be proof of action and success that when young people are given the opportunity, they can do something better for Malaysia. 

“When I say Malaysia, we will not just fight for young people but for people who are old and do not have a pension and savings… those who are old and do not have access to quality healthcare. 

“We will also fight for all marginalised groups and individuals. This is youth-led for Malaysia, not youth-led for young people only.’

While party tenets are to be based on the federal constitution and Rukun Negara principles, it will challenge political party norms and functions.

“We seek to be disrupters of what is the normal way of doing things. We will fight for anyone but we will strictly be based on the principles the country was founded on.”

Failure is not an option for Syed Saddiq but this is a risk he is willing to take to fight for a better Malaysia. 

“Even if I fail, I’m now finally fighting for something with a group of young people who aspire to do the same. Doing this alone is a great success for me,” he added. – August 31, 2020.