KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — To cultivate love for the country among youth, more suitable platforms should be promoted for the group, says Veterans Affairs Department (JHEV) director-general Major General Datuk Dzulkarnain Ahmad.

He said different platforms were needed as young people are more opened and they have their own approach in expressing their feelings of patriotism.

"The feeling of love for the country comes in various forms and not only in the conventional way of waving the flag. I see that the spirit is still there, it is just that the aura of patriotism is not the same as before.

"However, it cannot be denied that some of them (youth) prefer to relax or seek entertainment instead of spending time to participate in the Merdeka programmes,” he told Bernama in conjunction with the National Month and Malaysia Day 2020 celebration here, recently.

Dzulkarnain said to inculcate patriotic values among youth, it is best to expose them from a young age.

"Early childhood education at home is the main foundation in nurturing patriotism because parents play a major role in providing awareness and giving exposure on the sacrifices made by the previous generations,” he said.

He said certain groups should also play their role in commercialising stories and highlighting the experiences of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans during the war, adding that this could also be taught as a core subject in school.

"The MAF veterans were always ready to defend the country’s honour and sovereignty from all forms of threat whenever required by the government,” he said.

The veterans’ high sense of patriotism and loyalty to the country had remained strong although they have long retired, he added. — Bernama