Yeoh (centre) with Star Media Group chief content officer Esther Ng (third from left), Star Media Group adviser Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai (fifth from right) and other senior editors after the Concorde Club forum discussion in Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR: A new Rakan Muda programme is among the three initiatives that will be rolled out to the public in the coming four weeks, says Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
According to Yeoh, the Rakan Muda programme was not a relaunch or a rebranding exercise, but it would consist of new segments that were relevant to youths presently.
"I have a generation of parents who are the first batch of Rakan Muda. I believe in Rakan Muda.
"If parents believe in Rakan Muda, then they will make sure that teens sign up for it," said Yeoh during the Concorde Club meeting on Tuesday (May 16).
The Concorde Club is an informal group of editors and senior journalists meeting with politicians and key policy makers.
Previous guests of the Concorde Club, led by Star Media Group advisor Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai, included Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Anthony Loke and Nurul Izzah Anwar.
Yeoh also said the Rakan Muda programme, which was popular in the 1990s, would be a tool to unite Malaysians from all walks of life.
"Rakan Muda is a tool for unity to bring together young people segregated in education and give them a connection with government agencies," added Yeoh.
According to Yeoh, the Rakan Muda programme would have several activities such as the Satria programme, where youths could volunteer in national disasters such as floods.
Besides that, Yeoh said there would be several programmes in Rakan Muda to ensure that Malaysian youths were equipped with basic life skills such as conducting simple household repairs, among others.
"I want a nation of people who are productive and have the ability to do something with their hands," added Yeoh.
The second programme, said Yeoh, would be free swimming classes for B40 children aged between six and 12 in flood prone states.
"Prior to Covid-19, data showed that annually, 500 children die of drowning in Malaysia. 500 consists of half a school.
"They are just perishing because of drowning. Why? Because not many can afford swimming lessons," said Yeoh.
Yeoh said the free swimming class programme by certified coaches hired by the Youth and Sports Ministry would consist of six lessons in three weeks, where children would learn the basics such as freestyle swimming, floating and breathing.
"This is the cheapest way of empowering and saving lives, as well as equipping our next generation of children," said Yeoh.
Yeoh also said children who were talented in swimming would be identified and placed in special swimming classes.
"We will roll this out in eight or nine states with the highest drowning incidents," said Yeoh.
The third initiative would be free zumba classes with an emphasis on mothers at People’s Housing Project (PPRs), said Yeoh.
"In PPR housing, we want to provide free zumba classes for everyone, but we will be focusing on mothers who are looking after their children and can’t travel far to exercise.
"We know the structure of PPR housing, they usually don’t have fields and many recreational facilities, as they are all close to each other," she said.
According to Yeoh, the free zumba classes would be conducted by zumba teachers on the weekend and they would be hired by the Youth and Sports Ministry.
"In terms of a grassroots sporting nation, these are some of the three programmes that we are going to do. All of it will be launched in the next four weeks," added Yeoh.
