KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) will enforce the 30-year age limit for youth starting January 1, 2025, after two previous delays.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said the ministry had held engagement sessions and provided funding to support the transition.
KBS will submit a working paper to the Cabinet to ensure ministries continue offering age-based assistance during the transition.
The announcement was made during the National Youth Consultative Council (MPBN) meeting at the International Youth Centre (IYC).
Some delegates raised concerns about rural youth associations being unprepared, while others suggested extending the limit to 35.
Under the Youth Societies and Youth Development (Amendment) Act 2019, to be enforced in 2026, youth membership will be capped at ages 15-30, with leadership roles between 18-30, and a four-year term limit.
Currently, 8,272 youth organisations are registered under the Registrar of Societies, with 54% of officeholders under 30.
Only 10% of groups, including Gabungan Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) and Majlis Belia India Malaysia (MIYC), have updated their constitutions accordingly.
MIYC president Dhanesh Basil supported a lower age cap, noting most ASEAN and developed nations set youth limits under 30.
“We still consider 40-50-year-olds as youth, unlike global standards,“ he said. – Bernama
