By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz
SINGAPORE, Jan 20 (Bernama) – Malaysia’s Parliament is set to launch a programme in collaboration with rural secondary schools to bring the institution closer to the people and nurture a future generation of leaders with a deeper understanding of the legislative body.
Dewan Rakyat Speaker, Tan Sri Johari Abdul, said the initiative would target student leaders from over 2,000 secondary schools across the nation.
Through this programme, students will be introduced to the functions and system of Parliament in Malaysia, participate in sessions with the Speaker or Deputy Speaker, and visit government agencies.
“Every week, there will be visits from two districts involving 80 students. These two-day visits are specifically arranged for schools in rural and remote areas, which otherwise face challenges in travelling to Parliament.
“Our hope is that once these student leaders return to their schools, they can share this knowledge with their peers and later join us in the Youth Parliament, ultimately shaping them into the leaders of tomorrow,” he told Bernama.
He added that the programme is also part of the Malaysian Parliament’s efforts to support the development of democracy in the country.
Johari is currently in Singapore to meet with the Speaker of Singapore’s Parliament, Seah Kian Peng, as part of a tour of ASEAN nations aimed at strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation in the region.
As the President of the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Johari will also visit Brunei, the Philippines, and Indonesia for the same purpose.
-- BERNAMA
