“Give me 1,000 men, I’ll move a mountain. Give me 10 young men, I’ll shake the world” – Bung Karno

IT is time for general elections again. Najib Razak is expected to call “the mother of all general elections”, the 14th general elections (GE14), in less than a month.

The whole country, except for the younger generation, is holding its collective breath.

Based on the Index Mundi Malaysia Demographic Profile for this year, 41% of 31.3 million Malaysians are between the ages of 24-54 years old. The Malaysian median age is 28.5 years.

However, the average age of Malaysia’s currently elected Members of Parliament is 58 years. The youngest MP is Zairil Khir Johari, at 36, and the eldest is Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, at 81.

In the upcoming election, Barisan Nasional will be spearheaded by 65 year-old Prime Minister Najib, and the opposition bloc, Pakatan Harapan, will be led by a 93 year-old Dr Mahathir Mohamad!  

Compare this to what has been happening around the world recently. The prime minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, is 37. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, is 40. How about Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, who is 46?

It is quite inexplicable and mind-boggling to think that the upcoming general election will be decided by the majority, aged 24-54, and contested by people who do not belong to that age group at all.

Based on this scenario, I believe it is high time for political parties that aspire to represent change to buck this trend and boldly push for young, new, credible, baggage-free candidates in the upcoming elections.

I shall not dwell on why there is a dearth of talents and participation among the youth in Malaysian politics. I’m more interested in suggesting a few options political parties can employ if they are serious in wooing the young turks for the next elections.

Look beyond the traditional pool of tired, old, and out-of-touch grassroot politicians.

The recent entrance of prominent political analyst Wan Saiful Wan Jan into Bersatu has jolted the boring Malaysian political landscape and made young people stand up and take notice, as there may be a ray of hope for them after all.

Look beyond Malaysian shores.

Successful Malaysians abroad are a special breed who defy the odds with sheer determination, diligence and hard work, and should be encouraged to come back for the betterment of the nation.  

Tony Pua’s successful entrance into politics has proven that we are not lacking in the talent department. It is just a matter of giving them a reason to come back to help the nation.

The ball is in your court.

* Amran bin Ariffin is a 43-year-old young Malaysian who is enjoying the good life in Australia but is willing to come back to save Malaysia.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.