TN50 should be a common aspiration among Malaysians - Johor MB

Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the policy should not be seen as an idea belonging to some party or certain factions only.

"TN50 must be developed and translated in a way that engages the collective spirit of Malaysians.

"In this 21st century, a one-way development plan is no longer relevant and if it is practised, it will not succeed," he said when opening the Johor TN50 dialogue session attended by about 1,500 youths here, Friday.

Also present were Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Johor Barisan Nasional Supporters Club president Datuk Samsol Bari Jamali and Deputy Home Minister, Datuk Nur Jazlan who is also Pulai MP.

Mohamed Khaled said TN50's biggest challenge was keeping the right focus.

"TN50 is not about having the tallest building, the longest bridge or largest stadium. Its not about the projects and development of physical and material aspects.

"The real challenge is to maintain what Malaysia has achieved, at the same time find a new narrative to improve on what we have and create new things."

TN50, envisioned to chart the country's direction for the next 30 years after 2020 was introduced in January.

The tour has so far covered Sabah and Terengganu with Perak next in line.

Its objective is to create a platform and gather ideas and insights from youths and young scholars in town hall sessions to look into ways of drafting and driving TN50 development plan.

Meanwhile, Khairy said youth executive council members in the state involved in TN50 had been instructed to go down to the ground to hold dialogue sessions at district level. "This is important to increase youth participation and allow them to voice their views and ideas on the nation's development," he said.