Attitude of Chinese Youth towards Politics

The Political Value of youth today has to be viewed from the aspects of Political Psychology & Political Theory.

Look at the 2006 Merdeka Center Youth Survey. It shows that:

• 64% of the surveyed youth think that Politics are complicated
• 35% admitted that they don’t understand politics while
• 26% think that politic is dirty.

IF government can guarantee economic growth, 41% youth are willing to give up election, among them

• 49% Chinese
• 37% Malay and
• 48% Indian

Only 27% think that election is conducted fairly while only 8% think that they can affect the government.

On the other hand, the 2004 New Era College Youth Survey which focused on Selangor concluded that:

• Political awareness is high but the involvement is low.
• Most youth are concerned about corruption while
• agree that the government policy affect Chinese youth significantly and
• should allow more space for opposition.
• These youth think that they are good citizens but
• are willing to compromise law to achieve certain task.

Conclusions derived from these surveys indicated that our youth care about social issues more than political issues, which can further described as having a mindset of a residence in this country more than citizen. Their awareness is high but never participates in politics.

Development of youth mentality from the Agricultural age to industrial age then the information age has posed the following problems:

1. Polarization – It’s a result from the heritage of anti colonial mindset from our education system, media, and (race based) political parties
2. Education System – Its aim is to train worker for economical development using the social engineering approach. Hence trained generations of non-thinking youth – controlled with Higher Education Act.
3. Economical Structure – Individualism, consumerism, materialism act as catalyst of the mindset of the youth.

Characteristic of these mindsets are: Hatred on politicizing of issues, Self-marginalization – think that their own vote is not important and would prefer migrate than the long term struggle of participating in politics.

Reason of the development: Lack of Political Idealism which caused the materialization of politics, and Lack of motivation which is a product of emptiness of the soul.

Never the less, facing these grey sentiments, youth worker like YMM have to determine in promoting the positive concept of Vertrical Heritaging & Horizontal Interaction actively among the youth. It is important to Seek the common value within the difference among the multiracial context of Malaysia.