Meet Malaysia’s Syed Saddiq, 25, youngest cabinet minister in Asia

Saddiq, who spent the lead-up to the election working closely with Mahathir, was fielded as a candidate in the constituency of Muar in the state of Johor. Rival politicians mockingly referred to him as a “kitten”, an insult he took in good-natured stride. “Thank you!”, he posted on his Instagram account, which currently boasts 1.5 million followers. “I have always wanted to be a kitten.”

The statement was tongue in cheek, but Saddiq’s affection for cats is just one of the things that marks him as firmly millennial – along with his tech-savvy approach to governance and ability to seamlessly multitask. It’s one thing for a youth minister to promise to champion youth interests, but how many of them have actual skin in the game? Since coming to office, Saddiq’s policy actions have endeared him to those who fall under his portfolio: working to increase public awareness and interest in the Paralympic Games; lowering the voting age from 21 to 18 (“That’s 3.7 million new voters on the roll – so now political parties will have to take young people very seriously,” he states); and championing e-sports as a valid form of competition – something older politicians may hesitate to do. His boyish good looks don’t hurt his popularity, either.

An ordinary day in Saddiq’s ministerial schedule – which runs from Monday to Friday – is packed with events, keynote addresses, sports facility visits, inter-government engagements, and the odd gym visit. On Friday nights, when his peers head out to hip bars or popular restaurants, Saddiq returns to Muar – a two-hour drive from Putrajaya, the nation’s administrative capital – to perform MP duties, doffing his ministerial hat for a more grass roots role.

“My constituency centre is there, and I deal with complaints that have been lodged, I meet with constituents and address a range of problems: from drainage issues to students who need financial assistance for scholarships.