Kuala lumpur: The number of youth aged under 30 in associations has declined to 544,940 as of Feb 28, representing a 45 per cent drop following the enforcement of a new age limit under the Youth Societies and Youth Development (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act A1602).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Mordi Bimol said the decrease occurred because individuals aged between 30 and 40 are no longer categorised as youth and are therefore not eligible to become ordinary members of youth organisations. He mentioned that records from the Registrar of Youth Societies (ROY) showed that membership prior to the enforcement of the amended age limit stood at 991,729.
Mordi emphasized that despite the reduction in membership numbers, the implementation of this policy has produced several positive effects on the structure and sustainability of youth organisations. He stated that it provides greater opportunities for the younger generation to lead, reduces the dominance of older groups, and accelerates the process of renewal and rejuvenation in youth leadership. This was in response to a question from Senator Nik Mohamad Abduh Nik Abdul Aziz during the Dewan Negara sitting, who inquired about the latest status of the policy and its impact on membership numbers and the sustainability of youth associations, particularly in rural and low-income areas.
The amendment to the act sees the youth age limit reduced to between 15 and below 30 years, while the age limit for heads of youth organisations or office bearers is set between 18 and below 30, with the tenure limited to four years only. Mordi further explained that through the amendment, the implementation of policies and programmes has become more targeted at the real needs of youth, while organisations have become more dynamic and relevant to current challenges.
To encourage the establishment of new youth organisations, particularly in rural or low-income communities, the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) has waived registration and constitutional amendment fees for youth organisations until Dec 31, 2027. Additionally, KBS through ROY has implemented compliance programmes such as the Santuni Pertubuhan Belia programme, the Strengthening of Required Information Workshop (MYKD), and the Act 668 Workshop to ensure the sustainability of youth organisations in line with the enforcement of Act A1602.