DPM: Rakyat also involved in drafting govt policies

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KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the real democratic process is where the people not only give their mandate to the government to rule but also have the opportunity to draft government policies.

The deputy prime minister said the rakyat, including the undergraduates, had the opportunity to be involved directly or indirectly in drawing up the policies.

“We should be grateful and proud because such democracy exists in our country and the undergraduates are among the groups who have the chance to grab this opportunity,” he said before chairing the Meeting of the National Students Consultative Council (MPPK) 2015, here yesterday.

Also present were Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh as well as several other cabinet ministers including Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar and Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, as well as Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister, said the government not only adopted an open attitude in listening to the voice of the undergraduates, but also gave a serious view on every opinion presented.

He said the 25th MPPK Meeting today, which was entering its 17th year of implementation, was among the best platforms for student leaders to voice their opinions and suggestions in a constructive manner to the government.

He said that all views presented would be considered in the best manner possible by the government and to be made as useful inputs in drafting policies and introducing any new initiative.

Meanwhile, he also gave feedback on several proposals presented at the last MPPK meeting which included a proposal to develop the Malaysian Youth Apps (MY Youth APPS) system to assist in the information gathering process based on education, entrepreneurship, sports, job opportunities and current issues.

“But they have to be properly scrutinised to ensure that the existence of the MY Youth APPS system could be fully exploited later,” said Muhyiddin.

He said the government would also continue the efforts to reduce the living cost for undergraduates including through the introduction of the 1Malaysia Undergraduate Discount Card.

Up to May 12, the Discount Card programme was participated by 436 companies with 2,981 outlets including the books and stationery, clothings and sports equipment, health clinic and optometry sectors, he said.

On the proposal to set up a sports university, Muhyiddin said this was not in the plans of the ministry in the near future as several local institutions of higher learning had offered courses on sports.   — Bernama