A first-of its-kind internship programme and new think tank to advocate progressive policies in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, are drawing young people into the world of local governance. These initiatives are getting youths to experience first-hand the challenges that come with decision-making and policy implementation that directly impact their communities. Leading the charge are two young councillors from Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) who are keen to show youths that getting involved in local government matters is anything but boring.
Local authority knowledge Nalina is also MBPJ public health and safety sub-committee chairman. — Filepic Two-term councillor Nalina Nair told StarMetro that the internship programme provided insight into how local government policies were made and gave interns a first-hand look into what councillors deal with on a daily basis. Nalina announced the internship programme on her social media pages earlier this month, calling for youths interested to learn about local governance to apply.
There is no age limit but those below 18 will need parental consent. Her post stated that interns would be part of a process to learn about research, policy-making, public service, and office administrative assistance. “Seven potential interns have sent in their applications and the first one has interned for a month,” she said.
While there is no maximum limit placed on the internship duration, the minimum is one month. “Some of the applicants have done imp.
