Josephians Participate in Youth Engagement Session by PA MESRA

By Bilquis Aimie Binte Muhamed Abdillah (MN518)

The People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council (PA MESRA), together with Malay Language Committee, organised a youth engagement session for Pre-University Madrasah Malay/Muslim students on 20 August, for youths to network and share their aspirations and concerns, learn about the available resources from community partners.

The event was hosted by Madam Rahayu Mazham, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Law and Ministry of Health & Adviser to PA MESRA Youth, who engaged in an insightful dialogue on key issues raised by students; most notably the controversy around DPM Heng Swee Keat’s comment on the possibility of a non-Chinese Prime Minister in Singapore, the extent of the effects of Malaysia’s Bumiputera law on the economic and education gap of Singapore’s Malay community in addition to the ambition of Malay youth and how it interplays with the expectation of success and wealth in the community. Besides discussing the extent of government assistance, Madam Rahayu reiterated the importance of self-initiative and gratitude.

The event also served as an opportunity for Malay students to be more aware of the available resources provided by Malay-oriented organisations such as Yayasan Mendaki and Club HEAL at various stages of their educational journey. The participants had the opportunity to discover and find more information about scholarship opportunities offered by universities such as NUS and SIT, as well as explore specific skills through fun activities such as candle-making and coaster-making.

The event was well-received by the eight Malay Language (MLB) students from SJI who found the experience enlightening and were more aware of the politics relevant to the community. One of the attendees, Adam Azlan from LE510, revealed, “The speakers were enthusiastic, and the MP answered all our inquiries with conviction, making us feel as though all our concerns were being heard. After the question and answer session, we had a lot of fun at the booths where we made our own candles and coasters. We also had the chance to explore and engage with representatives from different organisations that shared the many different pathways available after our graduation. All in all, it was an exciting, enriching experience.”