- 7 months ago
910,000+ young Sabahans could redefine governance, economy & equity in the upcoming Sabah state elections.
Featuring Melvin Lo, VP & Co-Founder, SEEN and Priska Magdalena, HAI MANDAK! Team
From MA63 to gender parity to rural youth power—let’s find out why this election is the turning point.
Featuring Melvin Lo, VP & Co-Founder, SEEN and Priska Magdalena, HAI MANDAK! Team
From MA63 to gender parity to rural youth power—let’s find out why this election is the turning point.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to Nyaga Spotlight with me Tamina Kausji. Nyaga Spotlight takes us through
00:12the week in economic analysis and future affairs. Now this week on future affairs to kickstart
00:17Merdeka month, our spotlight is Sabah's youth vote catalyst for economic and political transformation.
00:24Now, Sabah is young and Sabah is watching. With over 53% of Sabah's voters aged between 18 and 39 as of
00:332024, which amounts to more than 910,000 youth, we are looking at the largest generational voting
00:41bloc in the state's history. But this isn't just a demographic shift, it's a political and economic
00:47reckoning. Now from the implementation of MA63 to the underfunding of rural districts to mass
00:53out-migration of educated Sabah and youth, the next state government will answer not just to
00:59political parties, but to a generation fed up with empty manifestos. And while the Sabah State
01:05Assembly dissolves by November 11th latest, the question is no longer if youth will matter,
01:12it is how they will use their vote to demand jobs, land rights, digital equity and women's
01:18representation in real terms. Joining me today are two voices from organisations driving that
01:25grassroots change. Melvin Lowe, Vice President of Sabah Entitlement and Equity Now, and Priska
01:32Magdalena, team from Sabahan Young Women's Movement, Hai Mandak. We're asking, can youth not only swing
01:39this election, but rebuild the system after it? Let's dive in. A very good morning to the both of you.
01:45How are we doing? Fantastic. So let me get started off with the conversation. Now, Priska as well as
01:55Melvin, Sabah's youth make up over 52% of the voter base for this upcoming state election cycle. But at
02:01the same time, policy visibility on youth demand actually remains minimal. In your opinion, perhaps
02:09I could start with Priska. What factors are blocking this demographic, your demographic majority from
02:16becoming a political priority?
02:19Priska, can you hear me? Yes, please proceed.
02:30Priska, sorry. Melvin?
02:35Melvin?
02:36Melvin?
02:37Yeah, so I'm going to start first, yeah. So certainly, based on my perspective, right? So basically,
02:43it's about youth. Yeah, it make up over 53% of the electorate. Yeah, their priority often
02:49seem invisible to those in town, which I'm referring to the politician. So basically, this
02:55which mismatch exists because political decisions still flow from centralized structures that often
03:02look at the same. We believe youth need to move beyond just voting. They must stay organized
03:10and vocal even within the election. So that means demanding better policy engagement, asking
03:18powerful Christian and understanding how local governance work, like the PBT, like the local
03:24governance. So when you've organized and act consistently, they stop being
03:32treated as a demographic to win over. Like the politician treat us as a fixed deposit. Why?
03:39Because it's easier for them to manipulate us. But when we start to ask questions, then they
03:45would realize that we actually, it's a trademark to their political survival. Yeah, that's from
03:54my side. Thank you.
03:55I'm going to agree with the conversation with that. We are experiencing a couple of technical
04:02difficulties on Prisca's line site while we do look at amending that. Let's continue on with the
04:08conversation. So Melvin, what you highlighted is actually absolutely accurate. Now, research from
04:12Indonesia, for example, their 2024 elections is showing that sustained youth organization actually leads
04:20to manifestos which are in favor of the youth majority. But it has to continue and start off
04:27way before the actual election campaigning even begins. Now, well said also. Let's move on into
04:34looking at the fact that Sabah also has the youngest median age in Malaysia, just 25.3 years old. Now,
04:41the average demographic age of Malaysians in general is 30. So that's a huge demographic benefit. And this
04:48youth bulge is also an economic engine, Melvin. So how can the youth vote be framed as not only civic
04:56participation, but also as a claim to Sabah's economic future, which of course, the youth must have
05:04stakeholdership in? So for you, we believe that the Sabah youth need to be involved in the
05:15participate in election because in doing so, they actually elect people that know how to make policy.
05:23But when we're saying about making policy, it's not just for their own political drama. We need someone
05:29who are a leader that able to generate opportunity for the youth. Because as far as I know, when I
05:40refer back to the to the Dawson, I think last quarter of 2024, our unemployment rate is standing on 7.7%,
05:53which is twice the amount of national unemployment rate. So actually, we need policies that channel
06:03investment, interlocal startup, agriculture, innovation, digital industry, and also technical
06:09education. And because all this while actually seen notice that Sabah, one of Sabah's main
06:17sector sector that right now, the government focus on the small property. So actually, it doesn't really
06:27feel what the youth want. So, the youth have to start demand long-term investment that create real
06:35views, like downstream, not just election time, like, you know, giving, giving, in someone saying,
06:43you know, you know, you know, election time, cash it out. So they have the numbers and points. So now,
06:49we need the youth, they need a platform to do it forward.
06:55Thank you. Thank you very much for that, Melvin. Now, also, we are having some preliminary research,
07:00which is showing us from Chile, for example, that young feminist movements, when women-led youth
07:05groups actually have a hand in co-drafting political manifestos. The turnout increases,
07:12not only for youth, but also associated issues, including climate and welfare. And these become
07:18mainstream within 24 months. So while the road ahead is challenging, there is also a lot of
07:26issues which can be brought to the fore right now. Prisca, welcome back to the conversation. So I'd
07:32like to move on into the discussion with you by looking a little bit at the fact that democracy
07:38really isn't enough if people do not understand the system. Tell me a little bit more about how
07:44Hai Mandak is utilising and what kind of tools to engage rural youth in navigating the Sabahan fragmented
07:53political party landscape and to understand what they are really voting for. And this is something that,
08:00of course, we've noticed that Hai Mandak has been active in, particularly via your socials. Tell us more.
08:06Thank you very much. I'm going to speak to you because there are a lot of people who speak to you.
08:12So, Hai Mandak actually has an initiative called Kelas Kuada Kuasa. So this initiative is to
08:22to go into the world. I'm going to be able to talk to him about how the system is
08:26in our country. The country is in our country. Where the problem is for our country?
08:30And how the problem is, how the problem is, what is happening with our country?
08:35Module this, I'm going to do with this. Module this is actually for the context of Sabahan and relevant
08:40with our young children. Module ni pun menggunakan visual and visual that
08:45that is very interesting and it is not to convey with a
08:48gaya berceramah. I myself already
08:50uji and I got the information from
08:54friends from the community that I have
08:57done a book and script that actually
09:00can help for other people to
09:04learn their community. And
09:06in 26-27 months
09:09Haimandak actually just made one training
09:13lah untuk melatih community
09:16ataupun key person di community lain
09:19untuk mengajar belia diorang juga. Sebab
09:22pada pendapat kami ini akan lebih efektif
09:24kalau belia di tempat itu sendiri
09:27macam yang di mention tadi iaitu fragmented
09:30kan sahabat. Jadi situasi pun berbeza
09:33dan isu-isu pun berbeza. Jadi kami percaya
09:36kalau orang di tempat itu sendiri yang mengajar
09:39itu akan jadi lebih efektif. Dan apa yang menyebabkan
09:42perkara ini lebih efektif sebab yang buat
09:45modul ini sendiri adalah belia yaitu saya
09:47dan kami sendiri adalah independen lah. Kami
09:51tidak terikat dengan mana-mana parti politik.
09:53Kami tidak dibiayai oleh mana-mana parti politik.
09:56Jadi kami ada freedom untuk membentuk
09:59modul kami yang lebih neutral dan lebih
10:03berpandukan atau lebih berberatkan isu-isu semasa yang memang sedang terjadi di Sabah lah.
10:12Terima kasih.
10:13Terima kasih.
10:15Terima kasih.
10:16Terima kasih.
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10:18Terima kasih.
11:19Terima kasih.
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12:27Terima kasih.
12:28Terima kasih.
12:29Terima kasih.
12:30Terima kasih.
12:31Terima kasih.
12:32Terima kasih.
12:33Of course, ensuring that youth are critical of online political content is truly important.
12:38So moving on from those strategies into Prisca,
12:41can I ask you about looking at Sabah's territorial inequalities?
12:46There are the urban hubs like Kota Kinabalu
12:48and also the neglected interior regions like Tonggot or Pensiangan.
12:53So this is, of course, a core grievance amongst youth.
12:57How can youth civic engagement translate this sentiment
13:01into political bargaining power
13:04before even the next state election date is actually announced
13:09and from everything you have been noticing which has been happening?
13:17Bagi saya, ini soalan yang lebih baik diajukan kepada pihak yang bertanggungjawab.
13:24Jadi pihak yang bertanggungjawab ini sepatutnya adalah adun di setiap kawasan Sabah.
13:29Bargaining power yang belia ada untuk memberi tekanan kepada adun masing-masing sebenarnya
13:36untuk mencari penyelesaian kepada masalah-masalah yang menekan belialah, menekan kami.
13:42Contoh, masalah pengangguran, masalah pekerjaan, pendidikan, macam yang saya mention.
13:47Sebenarnya, sebab berbalik kepada kuasa undi belialah, kami ada kuasa untuk mengangkat adun yang serius dengan masalah kami.
13:56Dan kami, belia, juga ada kuasa untuk menurunkan adunlah yang tidak serius dengan masalah kami.
14:04Sebab masalah kami atau belia ini adalah masalah Sabah.
14:07Sebab belia adalah majoriti di Sabah, iaitu 55.3% ataupun lebih daripada 900 ribu mengundi Sabah.
14:18Ataupun boleh dikatakan kami lah, mereka sebenarnya.
14:22Sebab masalah kami, bila masalah belia itu menjadi masalah Sabah lah.
14:27Sebab belia menentukan masa depan Sabah sebenarnya.
14:30Jadi, kalau adun-adun ni atau MP peduli dengan Sabah, mereka juga sepatutnya peduli lah dengan nasib belia ni.
14:37Kalau masa yang sama, kita belia, kitalah belia yang Sabah ni 900 ribu ni, kena bersatu padu.
14:44Untuk peduli dan untuk menilai dan mengundi adun yang serius dengan masalah kita.
14:50Sebab, macam-macam saya cakap tadi, kita lah kingmaker tu.
14:53Dan bayangkan, kalau semua belia yang lebih daripada 50% ni, faham tentang kuasa undi itu,
15:00saya yakin kita sebenarnya boleh demand untuk Sabah yang lebih baik lah.
15:05Ataupun kita boleh demand untuk peluang-peluang yang lebih cerah untuk Sabah sebenarnya.
15:11Thank you. Thank you very much for that, Priska.
15:13Now, it's also very interesting because what you are speaking about on a different, more progressive side of the model,
15:19we have a very excellent regional example.
15:22In Philippines, they have the BARM Youth Councils which actually have direct budgetary oversight in local development.
15:30And this actually is perhaps a model of participatory fiscal federalism relevant for even MA63 implementation in Sabah.
15:39And it actually all starts with, as you said, the responsible parties recognising the power of collective action
15:47and actually engaging with the youth and their concerns as well.
15:51Right. Fantastically put. Thank you very much.
15:53Now, moving along the discussion, there is also, Melvin as well as Priska,
15:58a growing gap between performative youth outreach and real inclusion.
16:03Youth wings of political parties, quite often they mirror outdated party hierarchies.
16:10In your opinions, what does meaningful youth political leadership look like?
16:16And how do we get there in time for Sabah's state elections?
16:21Melvin, could I pitch this to you first?
16:24I do believe that youth wing in political party,
16:28they cannot just serve as decoration, you know.
16:31They cannot just be pasu guna.
16:33They need to equal party elders.
16:35But at the same time, they also need to shape the policy.
16:40And in the scene, we do believe that true youth leadership starts with influence, not disposition.
16:46So actually, we did encourage the youth to be vocal about policy,
16:50not just based on personality.
16:53So when, I mean, the youth wing, I mean, there are a lot of parties in Sabah.
17:00And of course, there are a lot of youth wing figures in Sabah.
17:03So we do, I mean, we, in the scene, we urge them to not just follow you either,
17:09but be one of them.
17:11Because us, if the party are giving the youth space to shape the manifesto,
17:17if the party doesn't give the room for them to shape the manifesto,
17:23then they need to fight for it.
17:24Because young voices, they only be used during campaign.
17:29So the youth really need to insist on getting their rights,
17:35I mean, getting their rights and privilege to form policy
17:43and also, yeah, involved in the party making decision.
17:49So at the same time, the youth wing also need to be grounded in local issue
17:55and they must serve the people, not serve their leader.
18:02They need to serve the people.
18:04Only by this way, changes can happen.
18:07Yeah, that's from what I'm saying.
18:10Indeed.
18:10And the youth functioning currently, of course, in political parties
18:13more as campaign machinery rather than leadership pipelines, right?
18:18So there is also a little bit of a disconnect occurring
18:21between grassroots youth political initiatives
18:25and youth who are also already involved within the political system.
18:29So from Prisca's side, of course,
18:33Haimandak is also among the first women-led youth organization in Sabah
18:37which has been invited to observe candidate selection.
18:40Tell us a little bit about your thoughts on this,
18:44but at the same time, only about 12% of party youth wings
18:48actually include young women in any decision-making roles.
18:52Some thoughts, Prisca.
18:53Yeah, pasti bagi saya, apa yang sebenarnya menghalang untuk wanita
19:00menjadi sebagian daripada pembuat keputusan?
19:04Sebagai wanita, saya nampak yang suara wanita ini memang perlu ada
19:07dalam proses membuat keputusan.
19:09Ini bukan untuk wanita bersaing dengan lelaki,
19:12tapi untuk membolehkan negara kita, Malaysia,
19:14menghasilkan sistem yang lebih inklusif.
19:17Dan kedua-dua juga akan sebenarnya mendapat keuntungan.
19:19Bukan cuma wanita, tetapi juga lelaki lah.
19:22Nah, contohnya kalau saya baca daripada kajian World Bank,
19:26ada yang menyebut di sana adalah sekiranya agenda employment gap dapat dikurangkan,
19:32GDP itu dapat dinaikkan sebanyak 20%.
19:35Dan penglibatan wanita pun dalam kepimpinan juga dapat meningkatkan institusi
19:40dan meningkatkan ekonomi lah dan lebih banyak lagi.
19:44Jadi saya rasa bukan satu halangan pun sebenarnya untuk kita tidak membawa wanita lah
19:49lebih ramai untuk terlibat dalam proses untuk membina kita punya negara.
19:54Yeah, yeah.
19:56Absolutely.
19:56And from there, I'd like to jump straight in Prisca
19:59into looking at the stark gender gap for candidates, of course.
20:03Now, the 2020 state elections, only 43 out of 447 candidates, or 9% were women.
20:12Now, how can this be changed as Sabah's current 30% quota
20:17for women's political participation is, of course, not a policy.
20:21And tentatively, the final state assembly before the next elections
20:26already concluded in mid-July.
20:31Pada pendapat saya, wanita yang pertama, first step yang perlu dilakukan adalah
20:36memberi ruang kepada wanita.
20:38Selain memberi ruang juga adalah memberi pendidikan juga lah untuk membangun wanita.
20:44Sebab bagi saya, sekiranya kita memberi ruang sahaja,
20:48tapi kita tidak meng-groom wanita untuk menjadi pemimpin
20:53atau menjadi sebagian daripada yang akan memberikan suara
20:57ataupun keputusan di dalam, membuat keputusan itu sendiri,
21:01saya rasa platform itu cuma akan menjadi satu hiasan
21:04atau cuma menjadi satu nombor lah, atau satu report yang akan mengatakan
21:08oh, ada wanita yang terlibat di sini.
21:10Jadi, saya rasa tindakan pertama yang perlu negara kita implement adalah
21:14untuk memperkasakan wanita dan sekaligus memberikan ruang yang praktikal,
21:20bukan cuma satu nama ataupun satu program lagi.
21:26Indeed. And also, it has been very interesting to note that
21:30collectivization-wise, Sabahan NGOs, including Sawo as well as Haimandak,
21:35have been joining calls to actually use all six nominated seats
21:39to appoint top-performing female candidates.
21:42So, this would actually immediately raise women's representation
21:46from 8.2% to roughly around 15%.
21:50And this would actually narrow the gap to just 15 points
21:54from the globally recommended at least 30% representation
21:59for 50% of the population.
22:02Melvin, from your side and Seen's perspective,
22:05thoughts on actually political parties
22:08and their lack of actually putting up female candidates for elections.
22:14Do you feel that the trend is going to continue?
22:17And how do we circuit break that
22:19before the next election cycle comes?
22:22So, for this, I believe the trend will continue.
22:27But what we can do as youth is that
22:30we need to bring up this matter
22:32into, you know, social media and so on
22:35because only by this way, right,
22:38the politician and also the policymaker
22:40can start seeing that, oh, the people
22:43are, you know, they are neglected on this.
22:46So, we need to try to solve it up as soon as possible.
22:50So, and it's actually really frustrating.
22:53We see that there's a lack of women,
22:55you know, in, you know, political scene
23:00and also the policymaking.
23:03So, we do hope that in future,
23:05more capable women able to take the post up
23:10as a, to lead up as a leader,
23:13not as a follower.
23:13Thank you for that, Melvin.
23:16Before we move on to closing out
23:19the entire discussion,
23:20I'd just like to give Prisca the space
23:22to highlight the Kinabalu Declaration
23:25for Women Only additional seats.
23:27Tell us a little bit more about this
23:29and why it is important
23:31and how it could actually change the narrative
23:34for this upcoming state election.
23:37No more waiting.
23:38No more looking for the next and the next,
23:40but the upcoming one.
23:43Prisca, are you able to hear me?
23:49I'm able to hear me.
23:52Question?
23:55Yes.
23:56I wanted to ask you about looking at
23:58Haimandak's proposal for a pre-election
24:01cross-party declaration,
24:03the Kinabalu Declaration for Women Only additional seats.
24:06Let's say something which could maybe go towards
24:10signing by collective strategies
24:13and then perhaps it could be a way in which
24:17you can push to ensure that political parties
24:20are definitely platforming women.
24:23Could this be something that can be done
24:25in the interim even before the election dates are announced?
24:28Well, I think it's a very interesting question.
24:37For me, what we need is not actually another declaration,
24:43but one thing that is really solid.
24:46Because in my opinion,
24:48Belia Sabah sendiri
24:50sudah terlalu penatlah
24:52untuk mendengar
24:53satu janji lagi,
24:54satu janji lagi,
24:55satu janji lagi.
24:56Jadi sebenarnya yang kita perlukan adalah bukti.
24:59Bukannya
25:00satu deklarasi lagi.
25:03Dan adakah ini akan
25:04boleh
25:05menjadi sesuatu yang kami pegang
25:09atau menjadi sesuatu yang promising
25:12adalah bergantung kepada Belia juga
25:16untuk memastikan
25:17apa yang dijanjikan itu
25:19akan betul-betul dilaksanakan.
25:21Sebab saya percaya
25:22Belia memang sudah penatlah
25:24dengan situasi
25:26taburan janji yang banyak.
25:29Jadi saya rasa ini berbalik kepada Belia.
25:31Belia kena faham
25:32kuasa undi kita
25:33dan sebenarnya apa posisi kita
25:35dalam membentuk
25:35sebenarnya negara kita ini
25:37atau membentuk negeri kita
25:38dan membentuk keputusan kita.
25:41Jadi itulah kenapa kami buat inisiatif
25:43kalau ada kuasa, Pak,
25:44untuk menunjukkan yang memang
25:46kita ini ada kuasa
25:47dan bukan kita cuma ada kuasa
25:49untuk mendapatkan janji
25:50tapi mendapatkan tindakan.
25:53Thank you very much for that.
25:55We hear you loud and clear.
25:57So to end up the conversation,
25:58a few quick thoughts about
25:59looking at migration.
26:01So there is also a vote and vanish scenario,
26:04Melvin as well as Prisca,
26:06where Sabahan Youth register and vote
26:07then of course leave for perhaps
26:09Lango, Singapore,
26:10where they're based for work
26:11or permanently relocated.
26:13So how can political engagement
26:15be tied to reasons to stay?
26:18Melvin?
26:20Okay, if in SIN,
26:21we do believe that
26:23political action
26:24can reverse this
26:26what we call the migration thing
26:28because
26:29because since
26:31it still nak be
26:33more on infographic, right,
26:35Instagram,
26:36so we actually
26:37push for youth focus
26:39development
26:40like we address
26:41the public transport issue
26:44and also the
26:45what you call
26:47the thing that
26:49let the youth
26:51so that they can have
26:53what you call
26:54so that they have the interest
26:56to keep staying in SIN,
26:58and also at the same time
27:00actually
27:00in future
27:03I do believe that
27:04SIN will post
27:05more posting
27:06on
27:07regarding
27:08how the youth
27:09can contribute
27:11back to Sabah
27:12but at the same time
27:13they can stay here
27:14so that
27:15because we don't want
27:17to see
27:17the brain drain
27:18happen at Sabah
27:19because
27:20apparently
27:21there's a lot of
27:21youth at Sabah
27:23migrate
27:24overseas
27:25and also
27:26to
27:26our neighbor
27:27like Singapore
27:28and also to
27:29West Malaysia
27:29just to find
27:31the job opportunity
27:31so
27:32at the same time
27:34also
27:34the youth
27:35they need to
27:38push
27:38I mean
27:39push
27:40make their voice
27:42louder
27:42regarding about
27:44the paragraph
27:44and also
27:46in policy making
27:47and also
27:48lack of infrastructure
27:49like the road
27:50and electricity
27:51in Sabah
27:52so that
27:53the politician
27:53really
27:54find something
27:56find a way
27:58to solve
27:58this
27:59thank you very much
28:01for the insights
28:02Melvin
28:02as well
28:03as Prisca
28:04now clearly
28:04Sabah
28:05youth are no longer
28:06a silent majority
28:06they're the front line
28:07of a political
28:08and economic
28:09shift
28:10well that's all
28:11we have time
28:11for today
28:12on Nyaga Spotlight
28:13having a deep dive
28:14into looking
28:15at the youth vote
28:16for Sabah's
28:17upcoming state
28:18elections
28:19I'm Tamina Kowji
28:20signing off for now
28:21and we'll see you
28:22next week
28:22with more
28:22economic analysis
28:23and insights
28:24here's to a
28:25productive week
28:26ahead
28:26and we'll see you
28:28next week
28:29You
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