Meeting of minds: Yeoh (left) with Concorde Club members during the meeting in Kuala Lumpur. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The Rakan Muda programme, which was popular in the 1990s, will be used as a tool to unite Malaysian youth from all walks of life, says Hannah Yeoh.
“Rakan Muda is a tool for unity to bring together youth segregated in education and give them a connection with government agencies,” the Youth and Sports Minister said during the Concorde Club meeting yesterday.
The Concorde Club is an informal group of editors and senior journalists meeting with politicians and key policymakers.
Previous guests of the club, led by Star Media Group adviser 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, ministers Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Anthony Loke and former Permatang Pauh MP Nurul Izzah Anwar.
According to Yeoh, the Rakan Muda programme would not be a relaunching or rebranding exercise, but it would have a new lease of life.
“It will have several activities such as the Satria programme in which youths can volunteer to help with relief efforts during national disasters such as floods,” she said.
She added that there would be several programmes to ensure that Malaysian youth were equipped with basic life skills such as conducting simple household repairs.
“I want a nation of people who are productive and have the ability to do something with their hands,” Yeoh said.
The Rakan Muda programme is one of three new initiatives by the Youth and Sports Ministry to be rolled out next month.
Yeoh said the second programme would be free swimming classes for B40 children aged six to 12 in flood-prone states.
“Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, data showed that annually, 500 children died of drowning.
“Why is this happening? Because not many can afford swimming lessons,” she said.
Yeoh said the free swimming classes by certified coaches hired by the ministry would consist of six lessons in three weeks.
“Participants will 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,” she added.
Yeoh also said children who were talented in swimming would be identified and placed in special classes.
“We will roll this out in eight or nine states with the highest drowning incidents,” she said.
The third initiative will be free Zumba classes with an emphasis on mothers at People’s Housing Projects (PPR).
“We will first focus on mothers looking after their children as they cannot travel far to exercise.
“We know the structure of PPR housing. They usually don’t have fields or many recreational facilities as they are all close to each other,” she said.
Yeoh said the free classes would be conducted by Zumba instructors on weekends.
