PM Announces Incentives for Youths

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Najib Razak has announced several special incentives for youths to underline the government's continuous support and recognition of the country's young generation. A special fund called 'Dana Sukarelawan 1Malaysia' (DRe1M) will be set up with a RM100 million allocation for the benefit of youth organisations, non-governmental organisations and youth groups who are not members of any organisations to carry out beneficial programmes. "The fund is for youths to carry out voluntary activities like gotong-royong (cooperating in community work), cleaning up beaches etc. Anyone who wants to organise tuition classes for Orang Asli can also apply for the fund," he told some 50,000 youths when launching 1Malaysia For Youth (iM4U) at the KLCC Esplanade here Sunday. All applications will be processed online and information and procedures on how to apply for the fund may be obtained from www.1m4youth.com.my. During the launch, Najib also announced the setting up of an iM4U Board of Trustees which will be chaired by the prime minister himself to ensure all programmes carried out under the iM4U platform progress smoothly. "We need to support activities and programmes carried out by youths voluntarily through reasonable financial support and not provide funds for lavish spending," he said. Najib said an iM4U Radio station will be introduced to disseminate information and to provide programmes that cater for young listeners and at the same time be a platform to unearth and expose the youths' talent and ideas. The Prime Minister also announced 2013 as Volunteerism Year to maintain and instill the spirit of contributing towards the community and the country. He said the iM4U was a platform for the young generation to step forward and contribute their energy, ideas and time for the benefit of the community and country. "We are gathered here because we love peace. We are gathered here to mobilise iM4U as a wave to surf peace, to be a platform for youths and the young generation to put forward their creativity, ideas and activities, not to riot or demonstrate," he said. Najib also cited Mohd Zariff Affandi, 31, as an example of a dedicated volunteer who was willing to offer his services and ideas to the community despite not having both hands. "I met Mohd Zariff. He does not have both of his hands but he was willing to become a volunteer and contribute his services to the country," he said. Najib said the acronym iM4U that was chosen means that the government of the day is for the youths and the government would do its best to ensure a bright future for young people to achieve their hopes and ensure success in their struggle for excellence and transformation programmes. "The future is determined by you (youths). If the youths wish to defend the community, the welfare of the community will be defended. If the government's efforts and transformation programmes are supported, the country will progress," he said. The Prime Minister also launched the composition of the iM4U song by the Lim Kok Wing University and later distributed 100,000 helmets to youths from throughout the country. --BERNAMA