Malaysia’s former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will be in Singapore for a month to complete his studies at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy on a full scholarship.
In a Facebook post on Monday (8 Mar), the Muar Member of Parliament said that while he has been attending online classes for the executive course since last September, he is now required to attend classes in-person to complete the programme.
“I am not going on a vacation but to study. I hope my studies in public policy will make me a better parliamentarian and policymaker for Muar and Malaysia,” he said.
Syed Saddiq noted that his team in Muar has successfully assisted over 765 families in obtaining laptops and tablets for learning since the state of Emergency was first announced.
5,500 families have received help from the food bank, and 150 students have received funding assistance from Dermasiswa Harapan Muar during the same period, he added.
“These efforts will be continued by my team in Muar throughout my time in Singapore,” said Syed Saddiq.
Syed Saddiq also said that he will “humbly” return his MP salary for March for the use of the constituency while he is away in Singapore.
“I don’t deserve to keep my salary while I further my studies,” he said, while thanking Malaysians and the residents of Muar.
Speaking to CNA in a video interview in August, Syed Saddiq said regarding his new party, MUDA — the Malay word for “young” — that it is high time for politics in Malaysia to cease being “controlled and monopolised by the same old people”.
“If in Thailand they can set up Future Forward, in France they can set up En Marche under Macron, I think it is timely in Malaysia to start up a movement made of young people,” said Syed Saddiq.
The new party, he said, will comprise “young technocrats, professionals, young politicians from different backgrounds” to ensure that the interests of the youths in the country “can never be taken lightly any more”.
Syed Saddiq was formerly the leader of ARMADA, the youth wing of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU) while BERSATU was still a component party of the Pakatan Harapan coalition alongside Parti Keadilan Rakyat and the Democratic Action Party.
Bersatu is currently led by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin after co-founder Mahathir Mohamad was ousted from the party.
Dr Mahathir’s then-right-hand man Muhyiddin took the mantle of Prime Minister following a power vacuum left by the former’s resignation from the post.