PETALING JAYA: A joint partnership between MCA and a Chinese educational institution will further explore issues and challenges involving youth, says Datuk Dr. Monna Ong Siew Siew.
The joint effort with the Institute of Sociology at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences would include organising seminars, conferences and forums, along with a five-year research project focused on youth-related issues, added the chairperson of MCA’s Public Policy and People’s Livelihood Research Advisory committee.
Ong said the mutual agreement was signed on Sunday (May 11).
“This agreement marks an essential step in strengthening both institutions' academic collaboration and mutual understanding.
“These initiatives aim to promote dialogue and the sharing of academic knowledge and resources,” she said in a statement on Monday (May 12).
Ong said key challenges faced by young people in Malaysia and Southeast Asia in the digital age era were discussed at the International Symposium on the Digital Society and Youth Development.
She highlighted that although Malaysia’s internet usage rate has reached 96.8%, there remains a more than 30% gap in advanced digital skills between urban and rural students.
“This limits the ability of many youths to compete and succeed in a digital world.
“The digital environment is changing how young people are likely to think and feel, with potential overuse of virtual platforms raising concerns about mental health.
“According to UNICEF, more than half of youths report a clear gap between how they present themselves online and who they are in real life, which can lead to a disconnect that contributes to stress and anxiety,” she added.
To address the issues, Ong said a shared vision was reached to build a resilient, fair and forward-thinking digital ecosystem for youth.
Among the proposed strategies were making digital citizenship education a standard part of school curricula, teaching students how to evaluate information and use media responsibly and establishing support systems in schools to build mental resilience.
This includes “Digital Mental Health Watchpoints” that use AI tools and mental health indicators to monitor and respond to students’ digital habits and well-being.
Ong also said that young people should be encouraged to transition from passive consumers to active creators by developing “community digital learning spaces” to enhance their sense of belonging and creativity.
“There is also a need to strengthen Asean regional collaboration by aligning policies in important areas like cybersecurity and data governance,” she said.
Several Malaysian scholars also contributed to the forum, including Associate Professor Dr. Yee Mun Chin from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR); Associate Professor Dr. Yew Wong Chin from Tunku Abdul Rahman; Sabah MCA Youth state chairman Roger Yapp Kah Chong and Dr Martin Paul Davies, Principal of Henry VIII College Malaysia.
