7.3 Freedom of expression and association

empowerment and active citizenship include selfmanagement, resilience and communication (for personal empowerment) and respect for diversity,

empathy and participation (for active citizenship). 280 Leadership and negotiation skills are also important for civic engagement, as is digital literacy, which is not only the ability to use technologies but also the social and emotional skills to ‘navigate the digital space’ responsibly and safely.

The GOM implements a range of programmes and initiatives aimed at developing skills for the personal

empowerment of youth. Malaysia’s Future Leaders School (MFLS) focuses on five key elements of youth development: volunteerism, leadership, entrepreneurship, development of character and identity and patriotism. The programme initially targets 35,000 students from 15 to 17 years for ‘Tier 1’ training and development, and these students attend a 10-day intensive programme at 16 campsites across the country. Of these, 200 shortlisted candidates are selected to undergo a training programme and placed in parliamentary offices, with state assembly, ministers, chief executive officers and chairs of leading companies. 281 The Ministry of Youth and Sports also administers several initiatives aimed at developing the entrepreneurial skills of young people. The Youth Entrepreneurial Network (YEN) is a National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) to promote the economic development of youth and connect young entrepreneurs with reputable agencies. 282 The eUsahawan Young Heroes Programme is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and MDEC to empower 10,000 youths in digital entrepreneurship skills through a range of free courses and classes for Malaysians aged 18 to 40 years. 283

A number of initiatives have also aimed to develop youth leadership and critical thinking skills. The International Youth Leadership Conference is a weeklong youth forum organised by the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia. It aims to facilitate an exchange of ideas across an ethnically diverse and socially responsible group of young international leaders. 284 The Cendana Arts Education Programme is an initiative by the MOE, implemented by the Cultural Economy Development Agency (Cendana) to develop critical thinking skills and humane youth through a National Art Education Policy. It is aimed at students from standard three to six (14- to 17-year-olds) and gives priority to sub-urban, rural and special education schools, and those with B40, indigenous populations. 285

Freedom of expression and association are constitutionally guaranteed under Article 10 of the Federal Constitution. However, these rights can be restricted in the interests of security, public order

and/or morality. There are also a number of laws that pertain directly on the freedom of expression, including the Sedition Act 1948 which has been used to punish expression on sensitive political and religious issues. The Pakatan Harapan government, whilst pledging to repeal the Sedition Act had failed to do so, although Freedom House notes that the government has ‘generally created a more open environment for public discussion of issues that had previously been considered off limits.’ 286

In addition to the restrictions on grounds of security, public order and morality to freedom of assembly,

section 141 of the Penal Code designates an assembly of five or more persons as ‘unlawful’ on

broad and general grounds, including if the purpose of the assembly is to resist the execution of any law or legal process. 287 Further, the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 prohibits all street protests and bars the participation of children under the age of 15 (as well as non-citizens) from participating in public assemblies. Despite these legislative restrictions, demonstrations are held in practice, and in 2018, unauthorised

280 281

282 283

284 285

286 287 Ibid. ‘No youth will be left behind’, The Star Online, 14 July 2019, parliamentary offices, with state assemblymen, ministers, chief executive officers and chairmen of leading companies, accessed 31 January 2020. See Youth Entrepreneurial Network, http://www.yen.gov.my, accessed 31 January 2020. eUsahawan Young Heroes Programme, https://www.go-ecommerce.my/campaign/eusahawan-young-heroes-programme, accessed 31 January 2020. International Youth Leadership Conference, https://www.iylc.com/malaysia/, accessed 31 January 2020. ‘Art to return to education system’, 23 August 2019, https://www.bernama.com/en/news.php?id=1760198, accessed 31 January 2020. Freedom House, ‘Freedom in the World 2019’, available at: https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2019/malaysia International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, ‘Civic Freedom Monitor: Malaysia’, available at: http://www.icnl.org/research/monitor/ malaysia.html