Religious hold of the youth fortress from negative influences

KUCHING, Oct. 10: Strong religious support is essential to help youth face life's challenges and avoid negative influences, especially regarding issues of violence and bullying.

Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Amar Fadillah Yusof said that young people should strengthen their religious knowledge and improve their worship practices as a foundation in daily life.

According to him, technological advances that expose young people to a variety of negative content, including elements of violence, have the potential to influence their behaviour and encourage such actions in real life.

He said that video games featuring fighting elements are also concerned about influencing young people to act aggressively, including against peers.

"But the challenges beyond that are a little bit different now with the age of technology, with YouTube, with all kinds of other things that can affect and cause us to run away from our life paths but for this reason we must have a strong foundation so, if our foundation is strong, I hope we people will not be affected by what's happening right now.

"That's why if we look at bullying happening, people can now kill and so on, it's all influenced by social media and in this day and age everybody plays video games that fight each other and when they are not satisfied with fighting, then they fight outside", he said.

He said this while addressing the "Ready to Face the Future" Motivational Program and Special Dialogue Session with YB and TPM at Sukma Park Hall, Kuching, on Saturday.

Fadillah said that the promotion of the motivational programme can encourage young people to engage in positive activities, thus helping to avoid them from negative influences and social symptoms.

He believes that such programs are essential to shaping the identity and skills of young people so they can better face life's challenges.

The one-day programme was organised jointly with P194 Petra Jaya Service Centre and N7 Samariang Service Centre with 70 schoolchildren and postgraduates.

In addition to the motivational programme, Special Session of Joint Dialogue between YB and TPM was also held under the joint sponsorship of both relevant service centres and implemented by UN Education Bureau Branch N7 and UN Youth Branch N7.

Deputy Minister in the Sarawak Department of Premier (Laws, MA63 and State-Federal Relations) followed by Datuk Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali. -TVS