Hannah Yeoh: Govt Will Lower Youth Age Limit in Malaysia from 40yo to 30yo Starting from 2026

Did you know that if you’re a 40-year-old in Malaysia, you are still considered a youth by the Malaysian government?

This is because the youth age limit in our country is currently 40 years of age, which is kind of out of place when compared to other nearby countries.

For example, in Indonesia, only those aged 16 to 30 are considered youth, 15 to 30 in the Philippines, 15 to 24 in Thailand and 9 to 24 in South Korea.

However, this is set to change soon, as the Youth Societies and Youth Development (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act A1602) will be coming into force in 2 years’ time.

Specifically, the legislation will come into effect on 1 January 2026 and will lower the youth age limit to 30 years old.

Announced by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh recently, she also took to her official Facebook page to further clarify the matter.

She said that the amendments also set the age limit for youth society office bearers to 18 to 30 years old and shortened the period to hold office as head of youth society from 6 to 4 years.

Yeoh added that it is important for her ministry to inform all stakeholders related to youth today as they need to be aware of the enforcement of the amendment, especially things related to the age limit of youth,

Furthermore, the setting of the date was the result of a series of discussions between her ministry and the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM).

So, what do you guys think of this development? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

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