| Danial Norjidi |
THE importance of developing sustainable programmes and ideas as well as avoiding duplication by working together to maximise expertise was highlighted by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin yesterday.
The minister spoke during the closing of the Youth Against Poverty (YAP) Workshop held by the Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT) at the Progresif Cellular Sdn Bhd Headquarters.
He noted the roles of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), their commitment and desire, and that youth want to play a part in nation building.
The minister also noted the passion, ideas and commitment of youth towards the eradication of poverty as well as other fields.
“I learnt the biggest thing is that you want to be key players, you want to be part of it, and you want to be part of us, for us to work together.”
He shared his thoughts, beginning by highlighting the importance of sustainability.
“Whatever we do, we must ensure that it is not just a short-term programme. It’s not a short-term idea. We have to ensure that whatever our plan, it must be sustainable.”
Speaking on the need to avoid duplication, the minister said, “We have to work together, so that we can maximise all our expertise, all our ideas so that we will reduce duplication.”
He highlighted the importance of new ideas, and the importance for them to be in line with new markets and national interests, so that the idea can be sustainable.
“So new ideas – the digital economy, the use of IT and so on – have to be put into the programmes that you are going to do in the future.”
The minister also spoke on smart partnerships, saying, “We are all here to do the same thing. All of us have to work together in a smart partnership. Amongst others, smart partnerships are about new ideas, niche areas and so on, so that they are marketable in order to be sustainable.”
He also underlined the importance of focussing not only on parents but also on children when it comes to alleviating poverty.
“We have to ensure that the support education here has to be very strong, because through education we are able to change the cycle of poverty.”
He added that youth and young people “are the ones who are able to change their families’ situations”.
The minister also spoke on skills, noting that there are many platforms for giving skills.
“The challenge here is, if you provide them the skills, whether the skills are going to be used either through entrepreneurship or employment. That is the challenge, because all of this will eradicate poverty,” he said, adding that it is important “to transform these skills into reality outside.”
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