Sabah Youth Council (MBS) president, Abqaree Fawwaz Abekan.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah's young people are distancing themselves from politics due to perceptions of rampant defamation and incitement in the state’s political landscape, a youth organisation has claimed.
Sabah Youth Council (MBS) president, Abqaree Fawwaz Abekan said the state’s political situation is also hindering the development of political literacy among Sabah’s youth voters.
Abqaree pointed to the recent corruption scandal involving eight state assemblymen as an unhealthy political manoeuvre that negatively impacted the state's youth.
“We urge the whistleblower involved to come forward with integrity and report the matter to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), as recommended by the Sabah Chief Minister,” he said in a statement on Monday (Dec 9).
Abqaree added that reporting such allegations directly to the media, without adhering to journalistic ethics, only causes public unease and disrupts the well-being of the people, particularly Sabah’s youth, who depend on political stability for continued progress.
The council also expressed its support for the state government led by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and hopes the state development agenda, including the Sabah Budget 2025, can be implemented smoothly for the benefit of Sabah’s residents.
“At the same time, we call on leaders and youths in Sabah to reflect on the state’s history, which has long been affected by external interference to the detriment of its people.
“Sabah, rich in natural resources, deserves to prosper beyond other states in Malaysia,” he added.
