PERDANA FELLOWS PROGRAMME SET TO RETURN IN JUNE

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 (Bernama) -- The Perdana Fellows Programme, an initiative under the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS), is set to return this year from June to October after a two-year hiatus, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Mordi Bimol  said the programme, introduced in 2013, was temporarily suspended in 2024 and 2025 to allow for a comprehensive study by the Institute for Youth Research Malaysia.

He said the study focused on the programme’s effectiveness, training modules, and its impact on youth leadership development.

“After 10 years, a study was needed to assess the programme’s effectiveness.The study found that 95 per cent of participants made notable improvements in leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills,” he said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question from Datuk Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (PN-Kuala Kangsar) on whether KBS planned to resume the programme and what improvements would be introduced.

Mordi added that 88.7 per cent of participants stated the programme aided their career development, with 80 per cent noting its positive effect on professional networking.

The Perdana Fellows Programme aims to provide high-potential youth with early exposure to policy formulation, government governance, and leadership at the highest levels in the country.

Regarding the programme’s improvements, Mordi said that 62 participants would be selected as mentees for this edition and assigned for four months to four key offices, namely the Minister’s Office, the Deputy Minister’s Office, the Office of the Chief Secretary to the Government, and the Office of the Director-General of the Public Service.

He said the selection process would be strengthened with the introduction of a centralised assessment after interviews and psychometric tests, while participants would also be required to sign an integrity pledge to ensure compliance with the law.

“In terms of participation requirements, this edition of the programme is only open to graduates, unlike earlier editions, which accepted final-year students,” he said.

-- BERNAMA