MUAR – The Johor State Government’s move to maintain its youth age limit at 40 will affect the state’s youth movements in the future.
Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the assistance given to youth movements from the federal government to the state governments would be affected as these state organisations may not be receiving such aid.
“I’m concerned that if Johor does not follow (in accepting the new age limit of 30 that was passed in parliament last week) aid may not be forthcoming to the state’s youth movements. So, I hope Johor will be involved in this (matter) together,” he told reporters after an event to fete haj pilgrims in Pagoh, near here yesterday. Also present was Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Sahruddin Jamal.
Muhyiddin, who is also Member of Parliament for Pagoh, said that the youth age limit had given recognition to young people to carry out youth activities across the country.
He was of the view that at the age of 30 an individual was already old enough and was now an adult adding in fact that the definition of youth between the ages of 15 and 30 was also applied internationally.
“If the central (government) has passed the law, then it is good that the states under Pakatan Harapan follow suit, then there is no conflict.
“I’m not the Minister of Youth and Sports but I see this perspective, I think it’s important that whatever decisions made by the parliament…it’s good for us to comply,” he said.
Two days ago, state Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Committee chairman Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, said the Johor state government would maintain its state youth age limit at 40, until the amendment of the Youth Organisations and Youth Development Act 2007 comes into force in 2021.
On July 3, the Dewan Rakyat passed the Youth Organisations and Youth Development (Amendment) Bill 2019, which reduced the age limit of youth from 40 to 30.
–BERNAMA