To solve problems, listen to our youth

I facilitated university students in an engagement programme organised by the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT), an agency under the Foreign Ministry.

Aimed at elevating youth awareness of violent extremism, my interaction with them led to interesting observations, some beyond the parameters of preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE).

FIRST, many youth lack awareness of the threat of violent extremism in Malaysia and the region, despite years of publicity on the matter.

They often needed time to unpack the learning materials that we shared, many of which were new to them.

Some made comparisons with local criminal cases to contrast them with past terrorist incidents.

The declining threat perception, especially since the physical defeat of the Islamic State militant group and the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, may explain this low level of awareness.

A lack of knowledge, however, did not stop them from taking an active part in the sessions, asking questions and voicing out opinions to speakers, including a former inmate, experts and academicians.

One student remained plugged into the virtual conversation while on a bus because she didn't want to miss out.

This level of interest shattered my preconceived notion that P/CVE is a highly esoteric subject. It shows that youth are open to and capable of processing new knowledge quickly.

It shows that more engagements can be devised.

SEARCCT's programmes are designed to not only equip youth with the necessary information, but also to build their skills in digital resilience, critical thinking and counter-messaging.

It is crucial to include them as part of the solution to the problem.

SECOND, the programme highlighted the Covid-19 pandemic-induced problem of inequality. Some students did not have access to a stable Internet connection, regularly dropping out and missing chunks of the conversation.

Unlike their urban-based peers, they were in Negri Sembilan at the time. If taking part in such a programme was a challenge, I dread to think about their regular classes.

When probed further, they said their kampung folk have had it worse.

Schools and pupils in Jitra and Bintulu face electricity and water problems, infrastructural challenges and drop-out phenomenon, in addition to the unstable Internet connection and expensive learning devices to keep up with studies during the pandemic.

These anecdotes point to the risk of rural schoolchildren falling further behind.

It was also reflected in my students' recommendation to stave off extremist ideas in youth.

Many of their peers are concerned about political concepts, such as the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, Undi 18 and greater youth participation, while my students focused on one objective: development.

Their recommendation reminds us that extremism and the pandemic are not just urban problems.

Covid-19 has exacerbated the urban-rural divide in Malaysia. If those on the periphery fail to receive proper goods and services from the government, extremist groups could prey on them to further their subversive agenda.

THIRD, there is a need to acknowledge that today's youth have their own world view and expectations. My students related the difficulty of connecting with his parents, even on something as simple as vaccines.

Failure to acknowledge this intergenerational divide could lead to difficulties later, especially if policies or strategies are devised without reflecting the reality of today's youth.

This is why interactions and partnerships with youth, such as via the SEARCCT programme, should be encouraged to bridge this chasm between the young and the old.

Often, youth only need someone to listen to them and assure them that the world has not ended.

According to Albus Dumbledore, a character in the Harry Potter books and movies: "Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young."

We may have been guilty of this as well.

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