Thursday March 10, 2011
By FLORENCE A.SAMY newsdesk@thestar.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Youths should have the courage to grab opportunities and adapt to changes in striving towards success, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
“They need to shape their thinking so that they can become more innovative and creative even as they gain knowledge. Their leadership talents must be honed so that they will show quality leadership capabilities in all aspects.
“They must have the courage to take opportunities and to make changes so that today will be better than yesterday, and tomorrow better than today,” he said before launching Perbadanan Nasional Bhd’s 1Malaysia Young Entrepreneurs Franchise (FUM1M) programme and exhibition here yesterday.
The programme, Najib said, would provide an opportunity for youths to blaze a trail in the franchise business.
Youths, he added, needed to have proper etiquette, manage their time wisely and not cause trouble to others.
Najib said the notion that youths were a “window to the future” was no longer accurate with the present change in environment and train of thought.
He said it was necessary to empower and engage them with the latest tools such as Twitter and Facebook.
The economy, he said, needed to be stimulated to provide more job opportunities including high-value jobs for school leavers.
Earlier in his speech, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the franchise industry was growing steadily despite being relatively new.
As of Feb 22, there were 499 registered franchisors and 6,323 franchisees. The industry has also raked in RM10.2bil in total sales from 2006 to 2008, he added.