YOUTHS TAKE LEAD IN MALAYSIA PARADES

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama) - More than 80 per cent of the 10,073 participants in the Merdeka Day-Malaysia Day parade here on Friday were youths, according to the Malaysian Youth Council.

Its president Mohamed Maliki Mohamed Rapiee said the youths' involvement reflects the big part that the government assigns to young people in transforming the country.

"I am awed by the involvement of youths, and I see significance in them being put in the first group of the parade," said Mohamed Maliki who headed a 100-strong contingent.

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission chairman Khalid Ramli said the young participants could help foster solidarity among people of their generation.

He led a contingent of telecommunication companies Celcom, Maxis, DiGi and U-Mobile.

National diver Pandelela Rinong urged more youths to take part in national celebrations. She was in the contingent of young and veteran athletes who paraded in Proton Lotus and vintage cars at the double national celebrations at Dataran Merdeka.

With 8,500 youths participating, the parade this year seemed extra
energetic, National Culture and Arts Department director Norliza Rofli said.

Norliza, who coordinated the celebrations, said the participants had
performed well what had been rehearsed.

"Many of the spectators had told me the presentation had been somehow different from the parade last year, and they were impressed," she said.