By Selangor Journal Team
SHAH ALAM, Sept 6 — A total of 84 per cent of Malaysian youth feel they have a good quality of life, a recent study by research house Merdeka Centre revealed.
The National Youth Survey 2024, released today, also indicated that 64 per cent of youths are optimistic about their financial situation improving within the next year.
However, despite this positive outlook, the survey highlighted concerns over salaries not keeping pace with the rising costs of living and inflation.
“Salaries and the cost of living are not on par. Basic salary needs to be increased to help young people start their working lives,” noted one respondent during a focus group discussion in the east coast region, conducted as part of the survey.
In terms of news consumption, the survey showed that TikTok is increasingly being used as a news source, with 20 per cent of youth relying on the platform for current affairs and political updates, similar to Instagram usage.
Facebook remains the top social media platform for news consumption at 42 per cent, while Twitter is used by 13 per cent of youth.
When it comes to trust in institutions, 56 per cent of Malaysian youth expressed confidence in the Federal government, while 51 per cent trust the Parliament.
However, a majority of Malaysian youth (59 per cent) do not trust politicians.
“Politicians seem more focused on maintaining power than genuinely solving our problems.” said one of the respondents in the survey.
Interestingly, the survey also found that a significant portion of youth (61 per cent) are not interested in political affairs, reflecting a growing disengagement from politics.
The National Youth Survey 2024 polled 1,605 respondents aged between 18 and 30 years.
Of those surveyed, 58 per cent were employed, six per cent were self-employed, 35 per cent were students, nine per cent were unemployed, and three per cent were homemakers.
In terms of ethnic composition, the survey comprised 57 per cent Malay respondents, 21 per cent Chinese, seven per cent Indian, nine per cent Muslim Bumiputera, and seven per cent non-Muslim Bumiputera.
