Julaihi (standing front, seventh left), flanked by Paul on his right and Hasbi, joins the youths in striking freestyle poses for the camera after the closing ceremony.
SEBUYAU: Youths need to be equipped with the skills, knowledge and mental strength to face the future.
In this respect, Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi hopes that more programmes for youths would be held to prepare them face future challenges.
Adding on, he also believes that it is equally important to instil strong moral values and a strong sense of friendship in the young ones.
“When we talk about youths (aged 15 to 20 years) – comprising about 43 per cent of the state population – they are more tempted by various (bad) influences like free sex, illegal racing and drug abuse – among other things.
“Being the future leaders of the state, they must be equipped with the proper knowledge and skills – so we need more programmes for them,” he spoke at the closing of ‘Kawan Ku Sayang, Keluarga Ku Kenang’ programme at SMK Sebuyau here on Sunday.
The family-friendship camp – organised by Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports and Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (Saberkas) – involved 118 students consisting of those who would be sitting for the Pentaksiran Tingkatan 3 (PT3) and Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations this year.
Still talking on youths, Julaihi who is Sebuyau assemblyman pointed out that the present young generation is facing various threats from social media.
“With such threats posed by the Internet, we must prepare and properly guide our youths,” he stressed.
Moreover, Julaihi also reminded the students to have confidence in themselves in studying science subjects.
“It is not that we do not want students to study Arts Stream subjects; we also want students to have confidence in studying Additional Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Science subjects in order to propel our state in line with our ‘Digital Economy’ aspiration,” he said.
On programmes slated for youths, Julaihi hoped that more would be extended to the rural areas.
Meanwhile, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Ministry’s senior Youth officer Paul Kawin Pipo said the programme was the ministry’s outreach programme for youths.
He said it was meant to instil discipline and moral values in the youths, as well as to foster closer rapport between them and local leaders.
The state administrative officer (SAO) for Sebuyau, Ajis Ahmad and SMK Sebuyau principal Hasbi Ancheh witnessed the closing ceremony.