Youth gathering closes with record attendance of two million
(Bernama) – PUTRAJAYA: The five-day Gathering of Millions of Youths 2012, held in conjunction with National Youth Day, which ended today, created a record with the presence of two million youths.
This indirectly proves that the government’s effort through the Ministry of Youth and Sports in getting close to the nation’s youths is on the right track.
Themed ‘Today Is Better Compared To Tomorrow’, 500 activities from 38 segments with 1,000 performances held since Wednesday, gave the impression that the national administrative center was overrun by youths.
The climax of the National Youth Day celebration this year was when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor visited the sites of the carnival and mingled with the youths on Saturday.
Najib and Rosmah and cabinet ministers used the opportunity to be together with the youths by visiting the sites such as My Kampung Art, Little India Street, Chinese Youth Cultural Village and the Japanese Fest.
The arrival of the prime minister and his wife at the carnival was received by thousands of youths wearing colourful T-shirts with the printed words, ‘I love PM’ as a sign of support and respect for the number one national leader.
Other than shouts, clappings and beating of drums to show support, banners stating ‘We stand behind you, PM’, ‘Thank You PM’ and ‘N.A.J.I.B, Najib Adalah Jaguh Inspirasi Belia’ (Najib is the champion inspiration of youths) and so on were hung along Dataran Persiaran, here.
The carnival also received good response from the foreign ambassadors and high commissioners in Malaysia who visited the carnival sites yesterday.
Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said a proposal would be submitted to the Cabinet for the Gathering of Millions of Youths to be held in this youth-friendly township, in the years to come.
“We believe the organising of the carnival will raise the enthusiasm of the young and love for Putrajaya, and to simultaneously contribute to the nation’s success,” he told reporters when visiting the media centre, here.
The carnival, believed to become one of the 10 biggest in the world, is seen as able to close the gap between the current national leaders and youths, who are the future leaders.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, for example, had no qualms about sitting cross-legged with the youths when opening Y-Avenue, one of the programmes, during the celebration.
Although the carnival was marred by an accident that took place during the drag race on Lebuh Wadi Ehsan in Precinct 19 late last night, Ahmad Shabery hoped it would not be politicised.
He said the accident should not dampen the spirit of the youths to engage in sports and other healthy pursuits.
