KUALA LUMPUR: There is no place for extremism and radicalism in the country, say Malaysian youths.
Participants at the launch of the Malaysian Youth as Peace Ambassadors (MYPA) programme yesterday said it was imperative for everyone to practise a culture of respect given the country’s diverse cultural and religious makeup.
They also said it was crucial for young people to understand what constitutes extreme or radical behaviour, and the major role they played in mitigating it, especially among their peers.
Siti Sharifah Shakierah, 19, said both extremist behaviour and radicalisation should be stamped out.
“We live in a multicultural and multireligious society with its members being both peaceful and respectful to one another.
“Given the vibrant demographics of our country, it is important that we continue efforts to co-exist with one another and preserve the harmony and unity we all enjoy,” said Siti Sharifa, who studies at a polytechnic in Negri Sembilan.
Youths, she added, should also take the initiative in educating themselves and their peers on the dangers that come with extreme and radical actions.
The MYPA programme aims to develop students as peace messengers and ambassadors on both online and offline platforms.
It brings together more than 120 student leaders from 13 tertiary institutions to build their resilience against radicalisation.
It is jointly organised by the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation of the International Islamic University (Istac-IIUM), the South-East Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), youth media organisation MyKampus Radio (MKR), and the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Student Melvin Naayagam said it was imperative for people to mitigate extreme behaviour as it could jeopardise the harmony of the country.
“I was raised to always be respectful of others and this is especially important in a country which comprises many from different cultural and religious backgrounds.
“Apart from both radical and extreme behaviour, violence should also never be used as nothing good comes from it,” he said, citing examples of various displays of violence in videos seen online.
Muhammad Faizh Zaini, 20, concurred, saying that extremist or radical behaviour was unwelcome in Malaysia.
“We need to accept that some people do not understand what constitutes these behaviours. It is our role as youths to educate them.
“Acknowledging such issues allows us to take the appropriate steps in ensuring they can be stamped out to ensure the safety of society,” said Muhammad Faizh, who is a student representative council member at a polytechnic in Johor.
Lavanyha Linggam, 20, said understanding what constituted extreme and radical behaviour was the first step in tackling the issue.
“Some people do not know that such actions would jeopardise the harmony of society and they instead take them lightly.
“But this is no laughing matter as normalising such actions can lead others to join suit.
“Hence, we should play our part in educating our peers in efforts to develop a generation of peace- loving and respectful citizens,” said Lavanyha.
In his speech at the launch of the MYPA programme yesterday, US Ambassador to Malaysia Brian McFeeters said youth empowerment was key to fighting violent extremism.
He said the MYPA programme aimed to empower youths to identify and dismiss attempts to exploit social media to promote violence.
“With that, I also firmly believe that our young people are more than ready to tackle this global challenge, alongside assisting to create a more peaceful and sustainable future for generations to come.
“At the same time, the programme will equip students to engage on the importance of diversity and multiculturalism across race and religion to encourage a sense of inclusion, especially among those most at risk for radicalisation,” he added.
Also present at the launch were SEARCCT director-general Datuk Ganeson Sivagurunathan representing Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, Istac-IIUM dean Prof AbdelAziz Berghout, Istac-IIUM Postgraduate and Responsible Research deputy dean Prof Waleed Fekry Faris, MYPA 2022 grant principal Associate Prof Dr Danial Mohd Yusof and MKR general manager Praba Ganesan.