THE unemployment rate among youth aged between 15 and 40 nationwide has dropped to 5.3% in the first quarter (Q1) of this year from 5.9% in the same period last year, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said.

He said the percentage represents 585,000 unemployed persons, down from 627,000 in the previous corresponding period.

“This number is expected to continue to decline if we take note of the various initiatives and programmes available for youth,” he said at the launch of the 2022 National Youth Day at Padang Pekan Tuaran today.

Also present were Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Faizal Azumu, Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Bung Moktar Radin and Malaysian Youth Council president Mohd Izzat Afifi Abdul Hamid.

Themed “Ini Masa Kita (This is Our Time)”, the National Youth Day celebration is being held over three days starting yesterday.

To ensure that the youth unemployment rate continues to drop, Ismail said the government, among others, through strategic cooperation between the Youth and Sports Ministry, Agriculture and Food Industries the Ministry and Department of Director General of Lands and Mines, will focus on urban farming.

He said the effort is aimed at increasing youth involvement in the agro-food sector and the Young Agropreneur programme.

Ismail said 8,000 young entrepreneurs have received assistance, comprising grants, funding, short-term courses and technical and financial advisory services.

“The agro-food sector can provide a lucrative income if it is well managed using the latest technology,” he said.

“It can guarantee the quality of production, which can be exported to help boost national income.

“Youth involvement in the agro-food sector will be strengthened through the Agro Job Fair at MAHA (Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agro-tourism Expo) 2022 next month, which will offer 5,000 job opportunities by participating companies.

“I call on interested graduates and youth to seize this opportunity.”

He said 21.4% or seven million of the 32.7 million Malaysians are youth aged between 15 and 30, while those aged between 15 and 40 have reached almost 15 million.

He said it is a significant figure that influenced every national development plan.

Therefore, the aspirations and views of the youth are also crucial for the government to formulate a direction for the country’s future, he said.

“What is planned today, will be inherited by the next generation of the Keluarga Malaysia youth because they are the catalyst for the country’s future development,” he said.

As of June 30, Ismail said, 9,766 youth organisations have been registered under the Youth Societies and Youth Development Act 2007 (Amendment 2019) and of the total, 953 were registered in Sabah, including 33 in Tuaran.

He said under the 12th Malaysia Plan, all ministries and agencies are offering various programmes involving youth so that they can continue to play a role in the country’s development.

The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry is carrying out the Bank Rakyat UNIpreneur Programme, which involves 500 students from each of the 25 public and private universities starting this month, he said.

Ismail said the Young Entrepreneurship Engagement Talent Programme has produced franchise or pre-franchise entrepreneurs under the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry and so far, it has received 26 applications for funding, amounting to RM4.31 million.

The Malaysia Techlympics Programme by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry is also expected to attract the participation of one million young people in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, he said.

The prime minister also announced an allocation of RM1 million for the Malaysian Youth Council for the implementation of various youth development programmes throughout the country.

To ensure that the voices of the youth continue to be heard in the development of the country, Ismail said a senator will be appointed to represent them in the Dewan Negara.

“Your voices will be heard as you are the future of the country,” he added. – Bernama, July 16, 2022.