KUCHING: A new civic education initiative is advancing in Sarawak, aiming to empower youth from technical and vocational education and training (TVET) backgrounds with the skills and confidence to become active participants in Malaysia’s democratic process.
The full-day workshop, titled ‘UNDI18 BridgeWorks: Empowering TVET Youth for Democratic Participation’, was organised by final-year Politics and Government students from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) under the PolGov Society.
The event was supported by the Youth Empowerment Society (YES) Sarawak, in collaboration with Rise of Sarawak Efforts (ROSE) and Pertiwi Progresif (PRO).
In response to Malaysia’s UNDI18 policy, which lowers the voting age to 18, the workshop aimed to tackle low voter awareness by providing practical political literacy education to first-time voters.
A total of 48 students from Sarawak Skills Kuching took part in the programme, which targeted youth aged 18 to 25 and aimed to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world civic knowledge.
Participants engaged in a variety of interactive sessions, including leadership-building exercises, democracy simulations, and a thought-provoking panel discussion, while also learning how to register as voters, critically analyse political information, and remain actively involved in Malaysia’s democratic process beyond election seasons.
Panellists included Assoc. Prof. Dr Arnold Puyok, ROSE President, Geoffrey Tang, and youth activist, Ivan Alexander Ong, who shared insights into political engagement, voter rights, and the importance of youth participation in shaping the nation’s future.
The programme reflects broader national efforts to promote civic education among Malaysian youth and ensure that young people, regardless of background, are informed, empowered, and prepared to participate meaningfully in upcoming elections.
