Former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) Youth chief Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman has confirmed that he will form a new political party made up of youth to specifically champion the age group’s interests.
Last week, Syed Saddiq indicated he would not be joining Dr Mahathir’s party, and would rather start a youth movement.
“If in Thailand they can set up Future Forward, in France they can set up En Marche under Macron, I think it is timely in Malaysia to start up a movement made of young people.
“Of young technocrats, professionals, young politicians from different backgrounds to come together to ensure that the youth’s voice will dominate in Parliament and outside of Parliament, that in the end, the youth can never be taken lightly any more.
“It is timely today so that politics will never be chained by the same people, being controlled and monopolised by the same old people,” he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia while on the campaign trail for the Slim by-election.
He had set himself on a different path after he publicly declared on July 7 that he would no longer be challenging his dismissal from Bersatu. He was the Bersatu Youth chief.
He was noticeably absent at Mahathir’s unveiling of Pejuang, although he remains friendly to the party.
Following his absence, sources said Syed Saddiq had touched base with Liga Rakyat Demokratik, a youth movement that counts youth activists such as Adam Adli Abd Halim, Amir Abd Hadi, Safwan Anang, Dobby Chew, and Azira Aziz among its leadership.
The movement had previously mulled becoming a youth-based political party but had yet to take the leap.
Syed Saddiq became Malaysia’s youngest ever minister after he was given the youth and sports portfolio during the Pakatan Harapan administration.