KUCHING: A total of 36 youth delegates will be involved in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Youth Volunteer Programme 2025, highlighting the power of regional youth in driving meaningful transformation.
The programme will bring together 22 youth representatives from 11 ASEAN member countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor Leste, alongside 14 local youths from Sarawak.
Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said the programme is more than just a volunteer initiative, describing it as a catalyst for ASEAN’s future shaped by young leaders.
“It is a catalyst, a signal that ASEAN’s transformation will be forged not behind closed doors, but through the hands, hearts and hopes of its youth.
“Your presence here goes beyond simply fulfilling the theme _ ‘ASEAN Youth: Catalysts for Inclusive and Sustainable Communities’.
“It is a powerful testament that volunteerism is ASEAN’s greatest strength, and solidarity is our most effective tool,” he said.
He said this in his welcoming speech when officiating the Sarawak ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme 2025 at English Tea House, Dataran Ibu Pertiwi here today.
Abdul Karim added that the experience will leave lasting value for the participants, who will return home with more than just memories.
“You carry the spirit of Sarawak’s people, the power of shared collective action, and a blueprint for meaningful cross-border collaboration.
“Hence, on behalf of the Sarawak Government, I reaffirm our unwavering commitment to youth empowerment, volunteerism, and a future defined and shaped by bonds connections, not boundaries,” he added.
Also present were Malaysia Youth and Sports Deputy Minister, Adam Adli Abdul Halim; Deputy Secretary General (Strategic) at the Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia, Chan Hong Jin; National Youth and Sports Department’s Director-General, Azura Abidin; and Sarawak Youth and Sports Department’s Director, Lamat Nyalau.
