SHAH ALAM - Young Malaysians should shift their view of politics from a mere power struggle to a meaningful process of governance and nation-building.
Speaking about the growing disillusionment among Malaysian youths towards mainstream politics, Umno Selangor Youth chief Datuk Mohd Imran Tamrin said the younger generation must recognise that politics was not merely about positions and power, but about creating policies and driving national development.
"Politics is about governance and nation-building. It’s not only about being hungry for power, but about using that political power to develop and implement policies, whether in Parliament or in the state assemblies," he told Sinar Daily.
He stressed that youth participation in politics was crucial for reshaping the country’s political landscape.
This mindset, he said must be instilled among young people so that they can understand how politics works in Malaysia and how politicians should perform their duties.
Addressing concerns that Malaysia’s top political figures such as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Pas president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang and Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin who were all above 75 years old and have yet to groom visible successors, Imran expressed optimism that a new generation of leaders was already emerging across the political divide.
"Whether it’s Pakatan Harapan (PH), Perikatan Nasional (PN), or Barisan Nasional, we already have good young leaders in the pipeline.
"In Umno, for instance, we have Dr Akmal Saleh and Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, both are competent, professional and committed to their duties," he said.
He added that PH and PN also have promising young leaders, noting that education, professionalism, integrity and patience were key qualities needed in future political figures.
"The most important thing for young people is to show they are the next generation of leaders with a strong educational background, professionalism, integrity and the patience to serve the nation above all else," he said.
Despite the often-heated rivalries between Malaysia’s political blocs, Imran said collaboration was possible when it comes to issues that transcend party lines, particularly education.
This, he said was because education is not a political issue, but a national one.
"We must ensure that the next generation has proper exposure and understanding of our culture, values and norms from a young age," he said.
He emphasised that education should be treated as a shared national interest, not a tool for political mileage.
Imran said such cooperation could strengthen Malaysia’s social fabric, allowing youth leaders from different backgrounds to find common ground in policies that shape the country’s future.
"Education, values and character-building are above politics. These are things that determine what kind of nation we become. If we can work together on these, it shows the maturity of our democracy," he said.