2,500 YOUTH ORGANISATIONS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR RM250 MLN SEJATI MADANI GRANT 

BUTTERWORTH, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- A total of 2,500 youth organisations nationwide are targeted to be eligible to apply for the SejaTi MADANI grant totalling RM250 million to help them generate their own income and strengthen their role as future leaders of the country.

Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said every eligible organisation can receive grants of up to RM100,000, provided as full grants.

He said the initiative aims to ensure youth organisations do not only depend on government assistance, but can also stand on their own two feet through income-generating activities that are sustainable and have a meaningful impact on local communities.

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"This RM100,000 grant is not a one-off for them to be fully spent, but rather seed capital that is expected to grow to RM500,000 or RM1 million within a year through the implementation of viable projects,” he said.

He said this after officiating the national-level programme to draw close to youth organisations here today. 

According to Dr Mohammed Taufiq, the programme, coordinated by the Registrar of Youth (ROY), will be implemented through 12 roadshows nationwide to provide youth organisations with guidance on governance, legal compliance and strengthening organisational structures.

He said that participation in the programme is one of the key requirements for youth organisations to apply for the SejaTi MADANI grant, in addition to being registered with ROY, submitting complete documentation and applying online.

He added that as of Jan 30 this year, a total of 8,077 youth bodies had registered under ROY, and the government aims to increase participation not just in terms of numbers, but also in the quality of programmes implemented by these organisations.

Meanwhile, he said the Implementation Coordination Unit of the Prime Minister's Department (ICU JPM) will monitor the project's implementation, while the Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) will monitor the effectiveness of the programme to ensure the funds achieve their intended objectives.

"We do not want these funds to be disbursed without proper monitoring. The main goal is to produce more youths capable of generating their own income and operating sustainably within their respective organisations,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of nurturing quality youths who can serve as agents of unity, bringing people together regardless of race, religion and background, and rejecting any divisive elements that can undermine national harmony.

According to him, youth should not be defined solely by age, but must also possess a strong sense of identity, idealism and civic awareness in contributing to national development.

-- BERNAMA