KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 935 youth organisations have amended their constitutions to align with the revised youth age limit under the Youth Societies and Youth Development Act 2007.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh confirmed the updates from 935 out of 8,189 registered organisations as of 25 August.
All youth organisations registered with the Office of the Registrar of Youth Organisations must ensure constitutional compliance before the amendments take effect on 1 January next year.
“The amendment to Act 668 sets the age limit for youth from 40 years to before reaching the age of 30,” she stated during the Dewan Negara session.
This change resulted from the Youth Development Cabinet Committee Meeting in 2023 and only affects organisations under ROY jurisdiction.
Yeoh explained that the amendment aligns Malaysia with international standards defining youth as individuals from 15 to under 30 years.
Although Parliament passed the amendment in 2019, implementation was postponed multiple times until 2026 to allow transitional adjustments.
Her ministry and related agencies have conducted advocacy, consultation and capacity building programmes to support organisations through this transition.
Responding to suggestions about raising the limit to 35 or 40 years, Yeoh emphasised respecting parliamentary decisions.
“If laws can be amended at will due to external pressure, then our legal process is not respected,” she asserted.
She highlighted that maturity for leadership exists at 28 or 30 years, noting that 18-year-olds can already vote and contest elections.
The minister stated this policy update reflects necessary adaptations to modern youth engagement methods, primarily occurring online.
“If we continue to stick with the old approach and do not give space to real youth, then the country’s youth policy will be considered a failure,” she concluded. – Bernama