Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights (Sabar) has officially launched Belia Says, a new youth-led initiative aimed at strengthening civic awareness, leadership and public participation among Sabahan youths.
The project, led by Sabar Youth Chair Adelina Adna Adenan, marks Sabar’s continued commitment to empowering young voices following the success of its Voices to Action programme carried out earlier this year.
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Belia Says begins with a six-episode pilot podcast series produced in collaboration with Kopitiam Council. The first episode, released on Nov 20, focuses on political education and features Priska Magdalena from Hai Mandak.
The conversation highlights the efforts of youth-led groups to promote informed participation and a culture of knowledge among their peers. The episode also explores community challenges and illustrates how, when given agency, young people show readiness to take responsibility in shaping Sabah’s future.
During a recent programme organised by the Community Empowerment Initiative Sabah (CEI), Sabar members attended and observed a high level of professionalism among youth participants, particularly in how they navigated political discussions with maturity and respect.
Their ability to discuss issues without resorting to personal attacks reflected a strong foundation for the state’s future leadership.
At the event, Sabar Chairman, Datuk Haji Zainie Haji Abdul Aucasa, shared his confidence in the younger generation.
He noted that despite political differences, the youths demonstrated a focus on issues affecting Sabahans and expressed Sabar’s commitment to encouraging and strengthening a culture of accountability before and after elections.
He also shared Sabar’s intention to support a large youth-led forum next year to further encourage youth-driven discourse.
Former Director of Sabah Health Department and Sabar Trustee, Datuk Dr Christina Rundi, echoed this sentiment.
She highlighted the spirit of unity and togetherness demonstrated by the youth and emphasised that Sabah’s long standing culture of peace, resilience and collaborative problem solving must be protected.
She said that seeing the quality of youth leadership today gives her confidence in Sabah’s future.
In her remarks as project lead, Adelina shared that Belia Says aims to recognise youths as essential contributors to Sabah’s development. “Young Sabahans must not be kept on the sidelines,” she said.
“They deserve respect, space and meaningful involvement. The voices we hear through Belia Says show that this generation is ready to step up and it is our responsibility to listen and evolve with them.”
Two additional episodes are scheduled for release in November, featuring young changemakers including Atalia Jaua-Mojuntin, Yvonne Yong, Desmond Chan and Allison Chan.
The remaining three episodes will air in December, completing the pilot series. Discussions will cover Sabah rights, political and social advocacy, community engagement and the struggles and aspirations of Sabah’s youth.
Through Belia Says, Sabar hopes to deepen unity, strengthen political literacy and highlight the leadership potential within the younger generation.
Sabar believes this rising generation is increasingly calling for responsibility, accountability and integrity from the leaders they elect and that their voices will play a crucial role in shaping Sabah’s future and fostering stability within the community.
Sabah Action Body Advocating Rights (Sabar) is a non-political and non-religious entity in Sabah that educates people about Malaysia’s historical formation, conducts research on the Malaysia Agreement 1963, takes legal action to protect Sabah’s rights, and supports government initiatives for unity and social justice.
