ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government has introduced a proposal that would require students aged 16 and above to join voluntary associations or organisations. These could include groups such as District Youth Councils or Southern Volunteers (SV), aiming to provide students with early exposure to organisational involvement. According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development, and Cooperatives Committee chairman, Mohd Hairi Mad Shah, highlighted the initiative's intent to bolster students' confidence in engaging with registered organisations. He mentioned the proposal during the Johor assembly sitting at Kota Iskandar, responding to a query from Ee Chin Li (PH-Tangkak) regarding the establishment of youth clubs in schools. Mohd Hairi clarified that the state government does not plan to establish youth clubs in schools through the Johor Youth and Sports Department. This decision aligns with the existing Co-curriculum Implementation Policy and the Education Act 1961, overseen by the Ministry of Education. The choice also considers the current workload of teachers and Malaysia's teaching staff shortage. For context, Johor's youth population comprises nearly two million individuals, representing half of the state's 4.1 million residents, based on the latest data from the Department of Statistics. Additionally, there are currently 1,123 registered youth associations or organisations within the state.