Young voters want leaders from their own age group

FRESH BLOOD: Youth prefer leaders who can empathise with them

(New Straits Times) - YOUNG Malaysian voters have spoken up -- they prefer leaders from their age group.

In a survey by Universiti Sains Malaysia last year, more than half of the 1,500 respondents believed leaders of a similar age could easily relate to and understand them, said political analyst Associate Professor Dr Sivamurugan Pandian.

"This does not mean they no longer respect the older leaders, however," he told the New Straits Times yesterday.

Sivamurugan said younger Malaysians just wanted to be included and consulted on certain issues.

Political analyst Khoo Kay Peng shared similar views, too.

"Gone are the days when seniors would say, 'I know best and you had better listen to me'.

"At the end of the day, younger voters want responsible and responsive leaders," he said.

Khoo said the leaders had to reach out to the younger generation at places where they usually "hang out", such as at shopping malls.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had done his best to get close to the youths, but he could only do so much, adding that everyone else must do the same.

United States President Barack Obama, said Khoo, managed to woo the youths because he touched on matters that concerned them, such as employment issues.

He said he felt the youths' voices in Malaysia had yet to be well represented.

Cheras Umno Division chief Datuk Syed Ali Alhabshee, meanwhile, when asked if he would let go of his post in favour of young blood, said: "I am ever so ready to do so if there is an interested and willing younger individual to take over the division chief post."

The veteran politician, who has dabbled in politics for about 30 years, since he was 19, said his main concern was to serve the people and not if he would be rewarded for what he had contributed.

Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran said it was an individual's choice whether to make way for younger blood in politics.

But, he quickly added a caveat, saying this was so long as the leader was still relevant to the party and the people.

Politicians, said Kulasegaran, must be able to attend to the country's needs and understand the people's issues.

He said to be a politician, the only qualification needed was honesty.