Muar Youth Is in Your Hand

MUAR, 17th May 2008 (Saturday)- Muar youth deserves more!

As a member of the public,I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to present my own views on the issue of our youth to our new Deputy Youth & Sports minister,YB Wee Jeck Seng on the sideline of Forum Perdana Pemimpin Belia in Muar.

YB Wee, has spoken fondly about his plans and visions for our Malaysian youth. I am very impressed with his hands-on approach, where he wanted to listen first hand from voices on the ground, especially from the horse's mouth.

He has expressed concern on the challenges faced by our youth today. With an immediate effect, he expected his officers to touch base with the targeted youth group and those officers according to him, must live up to the people's expectation and to "fix up" the problem!

I submitted four challenges faced by the youth in Muar to him: 1)District library 2) Muar Stadium 3)Muar Swimming pool 4)Basketball courts

1)District Library
With only 12 years left for us to realise Wawasan 2020,not to mention our MSC,Cyberjaya or Iskandar Dvelopment, I am sad to announce that Muar district library has no either computers or broadband for the public!

After 15 years, I revisited the Muar library. It is in a sorry state. Lack of innovations,lack of ideas and lack of maintanance. (and they may tell you lack of funding!) It is a very basic library like during the 1980s,if not 1970s. For the "little Napoleans" who held responsible, wake up! wake up!

Why don't we install internet to attract our youth to stay in the library instead of cyber cafes?

Why don't we create a conducive environment for our youth to learn ICT and promote a strong reading culture in a "contained & control environment"?

2)Muar Stadium
Out of 10 Muarians, only one know that the actual name is called Stadium Sultan Ibrahim Muar. Out of 10 people,11 of them shook their heads when you mentioned about this stadium.

Basketball courts without baskets, damaged tracks, broken fencing and etc.

Why don't the government utilise it as a Rakan Muda hub to train, groom and contain our youth but rather allow them to go loitering at shopping centres, game centres, warongs and son become Mat Rempit?

Why don't the government brighten up the Staduim so that all activities can be run till 10pm when the light turn off automatically.

When body energy exhausted, our youth head home straight.

3)Muar Swimming Pool
The latest census indicated that Muar, has a population of about 365,000. But, I am again sad to announce that we live in a district without a public swimming pool.

Local government may claim that the running costs to repair and maintance the one and only swimming in town is costly.

So, if you are incapable of running it, then privatise it! Muarians need to learn and swim. Muarians need a place for their hobby. Muarians do pay taxes and deserve the basic sporting facilities!

4)Basketball Court Infront Of High School Muar
Three young boys played basketball at the court till 7.45pm. The sky turned dark, a group of "bicycle gang" arrived, wrecked the 3 poor buys without a reason. They went home crying with a blue-black face.

Why don't the authority brighthen up the basketball court for safety reasons, so that our youth can continue to use up their energy for their hobby up till 10p.m?

In sports terms,too much time has been spent in playing "Tai-Chi" and dancing "Tango" among our officers(what they don't really understand is they are the Servants to the people).

I cited an example to YB Wee that I had submitted my application to join Rakan Muda in 1991, and yet to receive my membership!

YB Wee (log on to: weejeckseng.blogspot.com) himself had led by example turun padang and listened carefully to the voices on the ground. Let's pray (sometime it is least powerful to just hope) that his officers are intellengent enough to also "turn padang".

To YB Wee, thank you for being a good listener. We wish you the very best. Muar youth is our hope for the future, and what the Celcom's tagline goes:".....is in your hand!"

*** Happy Wesak day to all Malaysians!

You are not working today because it is a public holiday, you are sipping your favorite Kopi-O with your papers at home. Very comfortable and relax.

But out there in Sichuan, China, as many as more than 30,000 earth quake victims, young and old, are still fighting for lives when they are trapped under the rumbles crying loud for help. It is painful, very painful and every second counts.....

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