EMPOWERING YOUTH THROUGH TVET: SYED HUSSIEN'S KEY AGENDA

KLUANG, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- One of the key agendas of Syed Hussien Syed Abdullah, the Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate for the Mahkota state assembly by-election, is to empower the young people in the constituency through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). 

He emphasised the urgent need to implement this agenda, which was initiated by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, to ensure that the constituents can benefit from this educational empowerment.

"TVET is a crucial component of the 'Johor Maju' concept, which is the state's agenda. Therefore, this is one of the priorities we need to highlight to ensure that the benefits of both the state and national agendas are enjoyed by the people of the Mahkota state constituency. We can then help meet the country's future demand for skilled labour as well," he told Bernama here today.

Citing community colleges, vocational colleges, GiatMARA, and private institutions like Kolej Kemahiran Mentari, Syed Hussien noted that Kluang already has several TVET institutions that can be leveraged for expansion. 

Regarding the progress of the campaign so far, the Kluang UMNO Youth chief said he was blessed by the united front formed by all component parties within BN and Pakatan Harapan (PH) to support him, which demonstrates the spirit of harmony within the Unity Government.

"Alhamdulillah, I am grateful to see that today we are moving as one big family, maintaining good relations and fostering political harmony. Stability and unity are crucial in politics.

“This is something we must uphold to ensure a better future for the country, as without strong political stability, the negative impact will be felt across various aspects of society—not just by the residents of Mahkota, but by all Malaysians,” he said.

Syed Hussien explained that he prefers to connect with voters through targeted, in-person visits to hear their concerns and gather feedback from people of all age groups about the constituency. He also uses social media platforms to engage with voters from outside the area and with the youth.

This is important because young voters and those living outside the Mahkota constituency represent a significant portion of the 66,318 registered voters in the by-election.

Reflecting on his packed campaign schedule since the nomination on Saturday, Syed Hussien, 40, shared that he follows his mother’s advice to consume honey daily to boost his immune system and ensures he gets quality sleep, even if it is brief.

“I sleep about four hours a day, and then use the entire time from dawn to midnight to meet with voters," he said.

The Mahkota by-election, scheduled for Sept 28, will be a straight contest between Syed Hussien and Perikatan Nasional candidate Mohamad Haizan Jaafar.

The by-election is being held following the passing of its incumbent, Datuk Sharifah Azizah Syed Zain, 63, who died while receiving treatment at the Hospital Enche' Besar Hajjah Khalsom here on Aug 2.

-- BERNAMA