of the systematic torture of civilians, using brute, excessive and disproportionate force, causing avoidable loss of life. president emmerson mnangagwa has promised to investigate. he said heads would roll if he finds any wrongdoing by security forces. the partial us government shutdown has gone into a second month, with no signs of republicans and democrats breaking the deadlock. hundreds of thousands of federal workers are facing another week without pay, with some forced to turn to foodbanks. sir david attenborough has warned business leaders in davos it is difficult to overstate the threat facing the environment. in an interview with prince william, the naturalist said human beings are so powerful they can exterminate whole ecosystems without noticing. it is about 4:30am in the morning.

you are up—to—date on the headline. it is time now for hardtalk. hello, and welcome to hardtalk. malaysia has had its first change of government in 60 years. it took a huge corruption scandal to topple the previous one yet the same two names dominate the country's political debate which have done for the last 20 years. mahathir mohamad, a retired prime minister who returned to power at the age of 92, and anwar ibrahim, and then who was jailed and pardoned and now is mahathir mohamad's chosen successor. syed saddiq is the youngest cabinet minister in asia in a cabinet where the average age is the mid—20s. he says malaysia is a country of reform and modernisation. no country for old men or is malaysia still trapped in an attitude shaped by its colonial past? syed saddiq, welcome to hardtalk.

thank you very much. last year's general election resulted in the first change in government since independence in the mid—i9 50s. and hugely significant moment in malaysia's history. how important do you think that election will be for the country's future? to me, the fa ct the country's future? to me, the fact that this is the first change in government for malaysia will allow for the youth to shape the future of malaysia for the next 20 to 30 years. we have never had a change in government and now we do. i believe what we do in the next term will determine what is to come for the next 20 years. i am very hopeful and optimistic when we have more young people shaping the future of our the love of malaysia. you have given them an opportunity to do that by lowering the voting age from

21 to 18, white? many people in parliament most likely in march. something all the parties of the governing coalition party support, so governing coalition party support, so it should become law. we need a two thirds majority in the constitutional amendment but as soon as we brought is up in the cabinet and there is consensus on that i have been engaging with all opposition parties, the pbb and there seems to be consensus on this issue. so hopefully there will be unanimous decision through parliament to reduce voting age. so from 21 to 18, what will that mean in terms of the numbers added to the electoral roll? to me that means truly cementing youth power for the next few decades. the reason being is in the last election about a1% of youth voters who determines the outcome of the election. if we reduce the voting age to 18 years old that means an addition of about 5 million new voters from 18 to 21, let's not forget the election will come in 2022, that means that about

50% of those on the electoral roll will come from young people of malaysia. that means any party, my party or the opposition, cannot mess with the use of malaysia. so they can with the use of malaysia. so they ca n vote, with the use of malaysia. so they can vote, but many of them at the moment can't find a job. that is an issue. that is why the first thing which i want to do... it is a big issue, 10%? which i want to do... it is a big issue, 1096? 10.796. the plan of the government is to reduce youth unemployment into the single digit. it is significantly lower than the global average of 18% but you can't fall behind thailand, singapore in the region... in the region it is higher, singapore is four and a half 96, higher, singapore is four and a half %, you know the statistics that of anae. china has the same level of youth unemployment. it is not so much the numbers which is a story for every single one of those young people who can't find a job, it is about how that matches the economy and the ambitions you have. exactly. 204,000 graduates without a job at

the last statistics your government leaves, 40% of malaysia is unemployed, and yet only 4% of their vacancies for graduates or professionals, quite a mismatch. but i believe in the next few years we will resolve the structural issues. 0ne will resolve the structural issues. one is we need to look into the gig economy, the fourth industrial revolution, when jobs will slowly be replaced with automation but i believe the future lies in vocational education and undermine ministry there are 22 vocational institutions and the rate of employment for the graduates is at 94%, much higher than graduates of universities. so malaysia's universities, what, quality, or teaching the wrong subjects?” believe as long as we update the subjects, try to shorten the time to ensure that the subjects which we teach continuously get updated... some are out of date? yes, the minister of education is looking to phase out unnecessary subjects and update the curriculum. can you update the curriculum. can you update me on what you mean by

unnecessarily unnecessary subjects? exactly, each uni will have compulsory subjects, different universities have different subjects, history or religious education. the point is to ensure we are industry driven an industry led. we should not forget the humanities, there must be a balance. the research which analyses the economy for manufacturers wrote at the time we view the rising youth unemployment rate is possibly yutu skills mismatch. 76% of vacancies we re skills mismatch. 76% of vacancies were for elementary occupations. the next category was 10% for plant and machinery operations, semiskilled. there is a huge problem here. i a nswer there is a huge problem here. i answer what you're saying about change and evolution but it doesn't help someone in their early to mid—20s who has trained and try to become qualified and then is told by their country, sorry, we don't have work for you. they will go abroad. this is why it is critical to update the curriculum and... it doesn't help those people ready to graduate.

we need to look into vocational education, up skilling whether government subsidises a significant amountand government subsidises a significant amount and put graduates through a skills —based processor that even though they might start with these jobs in the end they can be rhys gill further, government invest in them, and then they get betterjobs for the future. —— reskilled. them, and then they get betterjobs for the future. -- reskilled. will they stay around for that or will they stay around for that or will they go abroad? i think they will stay in malaysia. there is hope and optimism. we plan to bring those abroad back and keep those who are in the country in the country. no more brain drain. malaysia is a young country. the average age is 28. you are slightly younger at 26. yet you're a minister in a cabinet which is led by the oldest head of government in the world. yes, ijoke that one of the reasons i was brought in is the average age, 93—year—old and a 28—year—old. it shows a future for malaysia. it is not just about me. shows a future for malaysia. it is notjust about me. i am young. we

have a ministerfor the notjust about me. i am young. we have a minister for the environment, 35 years old. there are two or three ministers below 40 years old. youth represent eight and has increased. minority. —— youth representation has increased. they should listen to you. your views will come less than the men and women in their 50s and 60s and 70s and 19. i disagree. i am 25, there is a form of idealism. at the same time i speak my mind. the cabinet allows me to speak my mind. and they listen. that is where we seek, reducing the age of 218 years old, reducing the definition of youth, on education reform and many landmark changes which have taken place factored in the voices of the youth ministry ——18 years old. place factored in the voices of the youth ministry --18 years old. and in terms of what this will mean in the government you - i suppose the government you serve i supposej the government yoo serve i sopposej is... the government yoo serve isopposej 1is...| the government yoo serve isopposej is... i mean you you were quoted as saying, year you were quoted as saying, mahathir mohamad is meticulous, hard—working mahathir mohamad is meticulous, ha rd—working and tireless. mahathir mohamad is meticulous, hard—working and tireless. i was tired following him in the campaign.

he was receptive to using new ideas like live streaming speeches. people listening might think it is hard to imagine that he knows much about instagram and facebook. he grew up in the generation that had to rely on shortwave the and the telegraph. yes, but he is always adaptive to changes. i remained during the times of the election when we didn't have control of the media it we didn't have resources with the ruling government, we had to think of unconventional methods to reach out to the community. that is where he used facebook live. every week we had policy talks reaching out to hundreds of thousands people. on the final day of election his facebook live had more than 270,000 live views, a record high in asean. we find ways to reach out and send a message to the malaysian populace. for a message to the malaysian populace. fora man message to the malaysian populace. for a man who is still in touch in the way you describe and is still engaged and you say is willing to listen to young people and take on

board your concerns and adapt policy accordingly, this doesn't sound like accordingly, this doesn't sound like a man who is ready for retirement.” mean he has mentioned and signalled many, mean he has mentioned and signalled any mean he has mentioned and signalled many, many times, even when there we re many, many times, even when there were some portions of the community who said, please stay on, please stay on, he has said time after time, most recent one in a mac party general assembly you would expect that a time when he says i will stay on as long as possible he said i will stay —— set down before the next election. in 2022? yes. suggestion he will go next year? there is no guarantee.” suggestion he will go next year? there is no guarantee. i was one of the persons who signed the agreement between all coalition partners. i am a member of the presidential party. there is no agreement it should be two years. that's very interesting because it has been said quite a lot by people in public. one who said it is those who are part of the party, none have said it is two years. so he has said two years but no—one will hold into it if he says i am

enjoying this, it is refreshing. i was prime minister 20 years ago, now iam back was prime minister 20 years ago, now i am back i don't feel like retiring. i will go on and on and on. knowing him he is very focused on. knowing him he is very focused on reforming the country. yes, nothing to lose. he has a legacy. he brought dysfunctional opposition to wina landmark brought dysfunctional opposition to win a landmark election. he has nothing to lose. he wants to ensure that malaysia's news will be in the eyes of the world. certainly that. you understand people will say that's a test of, to use the expression, old wine in a new bottle. he reinvented himself. he is the same old politician from 20 or 30 years ago, some of whose 50 years ago, some of whose'fnet‘nodsi heavily so years ago, some of whose'fnet‘nodsi heavily internationally criticised, , criticised - least i; did to cg man -ieastet;did to crj man - le says; did to crj man - le says will. did to crj man - le says will bedid to crj man - le says will be ad to who 20 years successor, anwar, who 20 years ago was dismissed successor, anwar, who 20 years ago —mm successor, anwar, who 20 years ago was on missed m successor, anwar, who 20 years ago was on missed - today. - judge media. during freed upthe media. during the prime freed opthe media. boring the prime never criticise the government and-now every

criticise the government and-now z e criticise the government and-now every 323; he was criticise the government and-now every % he was the almost every day... he was the government. it doesn't matter. it is how he behaves. it has changed significantly. the media is free to report. the malaysian anticorruption commission reports to the parliament no longer under his purview. we have decentralised power, put to tamminen on the prime minister. many institutional reforms which go beyond the personality that is the future of malaysia. -- two term limit. right now he is in charge... he has led those reforms. let's leave aside what he said when he dismissed them when he said he was quoted as saying i can't have a sodden eyes and i can't imagine a 93v sodden eyes and i can't imagine a gay prime minister. no—one would be safe. anwar sued him for defamation. never allow the pass to lock us and imprison us from moving forward. it's a very good argument you're making and it is a question of whether someone who has been so prominent behaved in the past can change and whether they can be a ca ta lyst change and whether they can be a catalyst for change or not. and you can understand, can't you, anwar might bea

can understand, can't you, anwar might be a little bit cautious about believing that he will really get power from a man who not only did that to him, whose regime played such a part in his imprisonment and all of the rest of it that happened to him, even though he was eventually pardoned by the king, was described by amnesty in amat international as a prisoner of conscience not for the crime he committed by because of his politically inconvenience to the government led by mahathir. isn't it ha rd to government led by mahathir. isn't it hard to imagine mahathir handing over power to a man who just five yea rs over power to a man who just five years ago said he wasn't even qualified to be a chief minister of one of the malay states never mind the prime minister. if this coalition is governed based on caution we would never be able to win an election. the reason we were able to do so is because these leaders were able to put their differences aside and unite for a common cause on purpose. paola. no, not for power, to bring down the biggest global cryptography. currently... that's the most important. let me interrupt you. you say is not about power. listen to what mahathir said about anwar in

february 2014, just under five years ago. he formed a party purely to ensure he becomes prime minister, not to fight for race, religion and nation. everywhere he struggled only to become prime minister. are we to believe that mahathir has completely changed his view of anwar, now saying i was wrong about anwar, he's a really good guy not for political convenience, because i can trust him to ta ke convenience, because i can trust him to take the reins? in 2018 we signed an agreement, the members of the president signed an agreement... the governing coalition. exactly, in 2018 that he would be the prime minister and then will become anwar and they have been meeting closely, almost weekly, so i believe... very impressive. some might meet every couple of days as a member of government. i will leave that. perhaps i am being mischievous. more serious is this, mahathir is 94 next year and you say he might go on until 95, you gave him that

flexibility, anwar will be 72, 70 three. you have given in that flexibility. in a country with a median age half as low as that, why not skip a generation, let the young people, not necessarily you, i won't embarrass you, people, not necessarily you, i won't embarrass you , someone people, not necessarily you, i won't embarrass you, someone who is nearly 40 take charge. ——73. i think what matters is the demand and will of the people and when we entered into that coalition, a difficult coalition, but we were able to put aside our differences, an agreement made by all of us. i believe whether it is doctor mahathir or anwar ibrahim, the youth leadership will be respected. my goal in this new malaysia is not to govern for the next 50 or 100 years, we will be voted out at one point in time but what matters is institutional reforms, empowering the youth today. even when there is a change in government the voices of young people... and communities, communities need to have an equal voice. in the end... a party which

only permits people from indigenous communities? i believe what is most important, the coalition that governs all malaysians is important. not all parties are. this is a country which had race riots at the end of 1960s, affirmative—action, political parties based on race, and not just traditionally, political parties based on race, and notjust traditionally, but political parties based on race, and not just traditionally, but they print —— prevent you from being a candidate if you are from the 24% it was chinese or the 7% who is indian or other communities, that is the kind of things that would prove what you mean, not the warm words, i am sure they are sincere but they don't matter a jot unless you change the things for opportunity. malaysia in history. 1957, of independence, the end —— the indigenous community only helped about —— only held about 2—3%

of economic equity. 90% of the population, they came from the indigenous 0n population, they came from the indigenous on top of it, indigenous community. on top of it, out of - businesses in out of 8000 businesses in the 1970s, only 9% were held by the indigenous in 2019, you are telling community. in 2019, you are telling me don't be imprisoned by the past, why is your party? while we expand malaysia's economic pie, we pursue a policy of equitable economic opportunity, malaysia being a country which doesn't consider race and religious lines is wrong. social and religious lines is wrong. social and economic equity is also reflect racial and religious inequities. what about other minority communities? it took some affirmative action your own, a prominent campaigner for gay rights.

if you want to ask about numan afifi. .. if you want to ask about numan afifi... he made the position to lead the team when the time came. he determined when the time came?m did. igave determined when the time came?m did. i gave him the option. you offered him a job? did. i gave him the option. you offered him ajob? yes. even if somebody said we don't like gay rights campaigners in our government? let's be fair, 2000 employees in my ministry. if i have a policy of assessing each in eve ryo ne a policy of assessing each in everyone of their sexuality is, it becomes impossible. the work is based on the merit. that's what matters the most moving forward. charles santiago, an mp, in pakatan harapan, the charles santiago, an mp, in pakatan hara pan, the "alliance charles santiago, an mp, in pakatan harapan, the "alliance of hope" as it translate, he says numan afifi the victim i aggressive

was the victim of aggressive number, - can call maybe after the programme, we now. maybe after the programme, we will time. now. maybe after the programme, we will. time. what now. maybe after the programme, we will - time. what do you make of 415,34? izee fesfi%:;—— most important thing is to allow these individuals... was most important thing is to allow these indiv treatment?! most important thing is to allow these indiv treatment? wee—— was a regressive malaysia- wm% talking - equality, will leave aside the question of we will leave aside the question of women in cabinet, - to we will leave aside the question of women in cal hope to i’ f ' we will leave aside the question of womenincalhope to in f ' we will leave aside the question of —nm cabinet. we care about it a lot. one is, you look at women on corporate boards. it was 12%, now 30%. is, you look at women on corporate boards. it was 1296, now 3096. your is, you look at women on corporate boards. it was éflh’ow to 96. your is, you look at women on corporate boards. it was éflh’ow to this. jur is, you look at women on corporate boards. it was éflh’ow to this. our is, you look at women on corporate boards “me:%£;iow t( the 5. our is, you look at women on corporate boards bnflznéifl’fiow ti the first fl is, you look at women on corporate boar is bnflznéifl’fiow ti the first fl is, you look at women on corporate boar is e woman iéii’riow ti the first fl is, you look at women on corporate boar is e woman so new ti the first fl is, you look at women on corporate boar is ewoman so we've the first fl is, you look at women on corporate boar is ewoman so we've made st fl

time is a woman so we've made progress, even though there are imperfections. in our last few minutes, that's take another example. king mohammed, who will be succeeded shortly after this interview, he announced his resignation. two people who criticised him were arrested for sedition. malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, part of our identity is linked to the kings which we respect deeply. we are hoping this will still be repealed, while protecting the interests of the rulers and that's what we're looking it. when ministers said last year the lawyers suspended pending abolition, there has been a change of heart about that because you decided there aren't enough alternative mechanisms where you can prosecute what you regard as unacceptable behaviour. we are finding away, hoping to fulfil part of the manifesto which is to repeal

the sedition act. not bringing it back differently? the problem with the sedition act as it does not look into the value of intention therefore someone who says something, despite not intending to do so, can be imprisoned. the new law will still protect the interest of the kings while at the same time allowing for political dissidents to be jailed for arbitrary reasons. we wa nt to be jailed for arbitrary reasons. we want to be sure it is airtight so abuse is no longer happen. as ministers for sport, why are you denying your disabled swimmers to prove themselves against some of the world's best swimmers? where the malaysia in government stands, if hosting international event is more important than safeguarding the interests of our palestinian brothers and sisters being mutilated time and time again, if that is more important, we have lost our moral conscience. all the other countries which permit israel to participate

in sporting events have lost their moral conscience? malaysia is not like other countries. the uk, the us, australia, african, asian... when countries criticised israel, the us will be too at more than 47 times but when we since your israel, the us and the western world will punish these small countries for having a stands. donald card —— donald trump cut millions of dollars. i wonder if you share prime minister mahathir‘s view of dues. he said he was glad to be labelled anti—semitic. "how can i be otherwise when the juice to talk about the horrors of the holocaust show the same nazi cruelty?” about the horrors of the holocaust show the same nazi cruelty? ". the netanyahu government, those are the actions i stand against, not the

race of the person. pillars of defence, tens of thousands of innocent palestinians had their lives murdered, families taken away. plenty of countries condemned that and take action. malaysia must stand firm. that is stand against the opportunity for all people to come together. it's not members of the israeli government, its young men and women. future generations. israelis and malaysians meeting each other on common terms, talking to each other and share concerns. the state is the locus of our collective moral actions. while it is not the focus of all israelis, it is not the fault of all israelis or palestinians for the aggression of some. i want to go back to what we talked about at the start of this programme, and that is whether we have a country determined by the attitudes of the past. in a book,

your prime minister said, the dues are not merely hook nosed, but understand money instinctively. condemnation of human rights is one thing but when used fall back on stereotypes are used it again in the studio, and instinct, are you in the gutter politics? i hope you understand where he is coming from. where you are going to concerns me. a country which will speak up against the gruesome human rights violations, the actions and propensity for violence, these other things we will oppose and stand. what matters is aggression and a government like malaysia having the guts to speak up, despite the fact there may be consequences. is that there may be consequences. is that the new progressive malaysia you wa nt to the new progressive malaysia you want to promote? we stand to the rule of law and we are against human rights violations and crimes of aggression. that is the new malaysia. syed saddiq, minister the

youth and sport in malaysia, thank youth and sport in malaysia, thank you for being with us on hardtalk. thank you, pleasure. hello there. some of us got to see some sleet and snow during tuesday, particularly during the second half of the day. some of the snow was pretty heavy like this weather watcher picture suggests. across some of the chilterns, we saw a good covering of snow on into the evening. that has left a legacy of ice and further wintry showers to take us into wednesday. disruption could be likely on some untreated surfaces. keep tuned to your bbc local radio and take extra care if you're heading out. it is a cold start to this morning, widespread subzero temperatures with some ice and we could be looking at temperatures below

minus five celsius in northern areas. also a few wintry showers across the far south—east of england which could amount to another couple of centimetres in places, something to bear in mind. there will also be freezing fog patches around. widespread ice and further wintry showers pushing through the cheshire gap in towards the midlands. could see further ice as well across northern ireland and into scotland with some sunshiny showers from the word go across western areas. could be looking at temperatures down to —12 celsius in one or two sheltered glens of eastern scotland. but, on the plus side, there could be plenty of sunshine around once the mist and fog tend to clear away. we should start to see showers easing away from the south—east corner and just a few others dotted around western areas. temperatures really will struggle after that — very cold start. no higher than 3—5 degrees. as we look into thursday, a weather front approaches this north—west corner. ahead of it, some showery bursts of rain which will continue to move southwards.

it might turn into sleet and snow in cold air into the south—east, something to keep an eye on. further west, the clouds will build up with outbreaks of showery rain and more of a breeze. much of the country except for a few showery burst of rain, should be dry with some good spells of sunshine but still on the chilly side. 0n into friday, the warm front, as the name suggests, will introduce something a little less cold to many parts of the country. we start to pick up some milder air off the atlantic but it will be short—lived because on into the weekend, it turns colder once again. this front will bring a lot of cloud around through friday, showery bursts of rain which should tend to clear off into the north sea although further showers will pile into scotland and northern ireland. more breeze as well, so less sunshine around but milder temperatures in the upper single digits, maybe 10—11 across western areas.

it's short—lived, it'll turn cold again on into the weekend. sunday will be the drier and brighter day. this is the briefing. i'm maryam moshiri. our top story: vigils in france and the uk for missing footballer, emiliano sala. with the search for his plane set to resume, his father says he's in shock. things are going well, he was playing well, in the news that this thing has happened, i do not know. there are no words to zimba bwe's brutal crackdown the—presidenepremises. es drenes disrdot flights:- in new york, we report on the new detection systems to keep our airspace safe.