Discourse: Participants addressing Selangor Speaker Lau Weng San (seated, second from left) at the State Secretariat building in Shah Alam. — CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
Adun Muda Selangor finalists hone skills on elaborating, generating their thoughts into actionable ideas
YOUNG people in Selangor are stepping up to the plate, with 56 participants aged 18 to 35 shortlisted for the “Selangor Young Assemblymen” (Adun Muda Selangor 2025) finals.
The two-day event, which ends today, aims to inspire and nurture future leaders and policymakers by encouraging them to develop and champion causes they believe in.
Participants of Adun Muda Selangor 2025 speaking on topics such as AI and cybersecurity. — Photos: CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
Selangor Speaker Lau Weng San said the programme was a test of skills, challenging young people to transform information from their experiences and readings into actionable ideas.
“We hope the event inspires them to contribute to society, youth development and to join our future team of leaders,” he said.
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The participants interviewed shared a wide range of topics they feel were crucial for leaders to address, with artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity being among the most popular.
Tackling digital issues
Several participants highlighted the need for better digital literacy.
Atiqah Jani, a 35-year-old counsellor and lecturer, said while youths were avid social media users, they often lacked the digital knowledge to protect themselves from scams and online dangers like revenge porn.
“We are experts in using social media, but we lack digital literacy.
Yashini (left) wants to champion digital hygiene for youths, while Atiqah says youths lack the knowledge to protect themselves online.
“There also seems to be a trend in revenge porn,” she said, adding that cases such as the recent one, which found 13,000 followers in a paedophile social media group, were very concerning.
Yashini Manickam, 22, echoed this concern, advocating for “digital hygiene” to help youths manage their screen time and prevent burnout from constant device usage.
Yashini, who is involved in digital marketing, said she had to attend online meetings and needed to learn to take time off devices.
Phoon (left) emphasises the importance of mental health for students while Kng supports hands-on experience for youths through internships.
Youths, she said, were not equipped to detox from digital usage.
“We are overly dependent on our devices and social media.
“I feel stressed when I don’t have access. I once went three days without a phone, and it was difficult,” she said.
Participants at the Adun Muda Selangor 2025 programme.
Yaashanraj Annavi, 28, wants to establish an AI lab in every constituency to help people, especially those in his hometown of Kapar, Klang, protect themselves from scams.
He believes this will provide easy access to government information and resources.
On the other hand, 18-year-old Arjun Jaya Vejayan sees the vast potential of AI to revolutionise education but cautions against its misuse.
“We have to be mindful of the misuse of AI too,” the software enthusiast said.
Democratic education
With the voting age lowered to 18, participants like Muhammad Khumaidi Abdullah, 25, and Muhammad Aqeef Dhani, 18, are passionate about improving democratic literacy among young people.
Khumaidi noted that many, including older generations, did not understand the roles of local, state and parliamentary leaders.
He thus proposed adding political ideologies and government structure to the school curriculum.
Taman Medan assemblyman Dr Afif Bahardin speaking at the event.
Aqeef, who was born with a non-cancerous tumour on his face but is confident and outspoken, proposed a democracy literacy programme for students aged 15 to 18.
He believes that registered non-governmental organisations should be allowed to enter schools and run educational programmes on democracy.
He also observed that many of his peers had little knowledge of politics, even though they would soon be able to vote.
Inclusivity and social causes
The programme also gives a platform to participants advocating for social change.
Aliff Ghazali, 30, who became blind in 2017, is determined to fight for the rights and welfare of people with disabilities.
He wants to address the “empty promises” made to his community, highlighting issues such as difficulty securing jobs and the lack of accessibility at public events.
“I want people to raise awareness of the predicament of disabled individuals like myself.
Selangor’s younger generation addressing issues that affect their lives, by brainstorming and honing their beliefs into actionable ideas.
“I have problems securing even the minimum wage, as I am only offered contractual jobs,” said Aliff.
Puteri Ainamadia Mohamad Shamsul, 31, who wears a niqab, spoke about the importance of respecting diverse faiths and championing environmental issues.
She believes she has a responsibility to contribute to the environmental movement, particularly given the alarming environmental changes occurring in Malaysia.
Law student Keith Phoon, 20, emphasised the importance of mental health and stress management, especially for students in high-pressure fields.
“I come from a very stressful field. Youths also need financial literacy, IT skills, and time management,” he said.
Pure Maths graduate Jason Kng Wei Liang, 26, is interested in data science and lifelong learning, advocating for more opportunities for small businesses and hands-on experience for youths through internships.
“I grew up in Klang, and I see a lot of passion among the locals for Selangor’s well-being.
“I also think many small businesses need opportunities and they need to know too what is available for them.
“I also like the idea of lifelong learning. Internships and industrial training are good, and more youths need to be brought into organisations to have hands-on experience,” Kng added.
