WHENEVER a national issue arises, many are quick to share their opinions, but few step up to shape actual policies.

This can change if youth are given opportunities to contribute meaningfully to policymaking, says Tasha Pan Jia Yue.

“At its core, policymaking is about identifying problems and proposing practical solutions.

“In Malaysia, policies are mostly debated and passed in Parliament with limited public input, while think tanks often struggle to reach policymakers unless their work goes viral.

“Unfortunately, youth voices tend to be sidelined under the ‘let the adults handle it’ mindset. But we’ve seen youth power before – for example, Undi18,” the Universiti Malaya law student told StarEdu.

Competitions, she said, are a great way to change the narrative.

As project executive director for the Malaysian Public Policy Competition (MPPC) 2025, organised by the International Council of Malaysian Scholars (ICMS), Pan said students stand to gain from joining such platforms.

“When students get involved in policymaking, they not only grow as individuals but also help shape a better future,” she noted.

Stressing the importance of cultivating policymaking interest among students, she added that real change starts with awareness and action.

Pan: Real change starts with awareness and action.

“If you’re looking to grow professionally, gain internships or expand your network, ICMS is the place for you. If your passion lies in making real change in society, MPPC gives you the tools and platform to do that,” said the 21-year-old.

University of Cambridge linguistics student Esther Ng Yu Xuan, who was a member of the winning team in MPPC 2024, said policymaking offers a pragmatic and enlightening pathway for youth to understand the core problems that society needs to overcome, as well as the tools, skills and knowledge they should equip themselves with to discuss solutions to these problems maturely.

“Youth who are maturing start paying attention to national plans, but if these policies are not accessible, not written in layman’s terms or lack transparency, it is easy for them to get disillusioned.

“Being able to have a voice and be driven to do research on a topic, I believe, is quite a motivating factor for youth to start thinking about how they can contribute to the country,” the 21-year-old added.

Her teammate Wai Yixin, who recently completed her A-Levels at Sunway College, agreed that youth should be more involved in policymaking.

“It teaches us how to address problems with effective solutions that can be implemented in whatever we do in life, not just policymaking,” said the 19-year-old.

This year’s MPPC, held in collaboration with the Human Resources Ministry, drew its curtain with Team Y=1M+3C being crowned champions, taking home RM4,000.

Placing second and third were Team Fantastic Four and Team 404 Policy Not Found, respectively. Team What Dora Didn’t Explore won the Best Policy Memo Award, while Team Navigators earned the Youth Parliamentarian Award.

Themed “Innovating the Economy: Reimagining Our Careers”, the competition focused on Malaysia’s talent drain and the need for high-value industries, challenging participants to craft bold policy solutions that pave the way for an economy that adapts to the rising tide of artificial intelligence, bridges sustainability and innovation, and empowers its youth. 

It saw the participation of over 160 students from local and international varsities at the online preliminary stage, which was later narrowed down to 80 students for the semi-finals and grand finals at Sunway University on Aug 23 and 24.

Established in 2010, MPPC is an annual case-based competition that engages Malaysian students in the public policymaking process.

By identifying policy gaps and crafting feasible solutions to address them, youth gain firsthand experience in analysing complex social issues and diverse perspectives, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

ICMS is a student-led organisation that focuses on creating opportunities for career and personal growth, while also nurturing innovative ideas to fruition. Among its programmes are Industry Insights, where youth can connect with industry leaders, and internal workshops to improve members’ soft skills in consulting and pitching.

Currently, there are 142 active members, half of whom are Malaysia-based, with the rest based in countries including North America, Australia, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

Li Zhen, 21, a student in the United Kingdom, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.

For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.