SHAH ALAM, Mar 17 – Dato’ Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has asked all youth components in Selangor to work together even if they have not received acknowledgement from the federal government.

He said the state government could channel financial assistance to enable youth development activities in the state.

He said, the state government had previously allocated RM6 million a year for the development of youth and sports.

“However due to the fact that the Federal Youth and Sports Department has not acknowledged the youth in Selangor, we have restructured our land and amenities under the Menteri Besar Incorporated (MB Inc),” he said in reply to additional questions by Dato’ Mohd Shamsudin Lias (BN-Sungai Burong) whether youths under the Selangor Youth Council would be utilised to assist the state government in implementing its youth development programmes.

Abdul Khalid said he would ask three State Assemblymen (Aduns) to meet with youth groups.

The Adun involved are Batu Caves Adun, Amirudin Shari, Teratai Adun, Janice Lee and Sijangkang Adun Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi.

Earlier, in reply to Dato’ Marsum Paing (BN-Dengkil) on the effectiveness of youth skill development programmes, Abdul Khalid said it had yet to reach a satisfactory level.

He said, the state government would place a youth representative at each state assembly area (Dun) to enable them to encourage youths to involve themselves in activities provided by the state government.

He said, 425 participants had joined four series of youth skills development programmes implemented by the state government in 2008

“Through these programmes, 132 participants had succeeded in furthering their studies,  131 are now employed and 84 have chosen to become entrepreneurs,” he said. 

All of them had participated in programmes whose teaching staff included lecturers at the Universiti Industri Selangor (Unisel), Inspens Kolej, Institut Kemahiran Yayasan and government agencies such as the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS), Selangor Agricultural Development Corporation (PKPS), Agro Bank and Tekun Nasional. – NOOR ALLIA KASSIM