KUCHING, July 13: Sarawak has no plans to follow in the federal government’s move to put a 30-year-old age limit on youth in Malaysia, says Sarawak Minister for Youth, Sports, and Entrepreneur Development, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
According to TVS, he said that Sarawak has the authority to set the age limit for youth at the State level.
“We are not bound by what is proposed at the federal level, but we acknowledge such suggestions.
“For Sarawak, the current youth age limit is 40. We are not in favour of lowering it drastically, as it carries numerous implications. Various ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture and other sectors, have programmes aimed at supporting youth.
“If the age limit is suddenly reduced to 30, how will they be able to assist those who still fall within the current definition?” he asked.
He stated this when speaking to the media after the BELIA GoBiz@Limbang 2025 Programme on Saturday (July 12).
He said that Sarawak, through the Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (SABERKAS), plays a vital role in developing youth in Sarawak in various fields.
According to him, SABERKAS is unique because 30 per cent of its management consists of individuals aged over 40, while 70 per cent must be aged 40 and below.
This, he said, is a step taken with the hope of leveraging the experience and knowledge of the older generation to guide the younger generation.
According to several media outlets, federal Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh stated that her ministry had set the youth age limit at 30 years for Malaysia, which will take effect starting January 1, 2026. The current youth age limit is 40.
According to TVS, he said that Sarawak has the authority to set the age limit for youth at the State level.
“We are not bound by what is proposed at the federal level, but we acknowledge such suggestions.
“For Sarawak, the current youth age limit is 40. We are not in favour of lowering it drastically, as it carries numerous implications. Various ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture and other sectors, have programmes aimed at supporting youth.
“If the age limit is suddenly reduced to 30, how will they be able to assist those who still fall within the current definition?” he asked.
He stated this when speaking to the media after the BELIA GoBiz@Limbang 2025 Programme on Saturday (July 12).
He said that Sarawak, through the Sarawak United National Youth Organisation (SABERKAS), plays a vital role in developing youth in Sarawak in various fields.
According to him, SABERKAS is unique because 30 per cent of its management consists of individuals aged over 40, while 70 per cent must be aged 40 and below.
This, he said, is a step taken with the hope of leveraging the experience and knowledge of the older generation to guide the younger generation.
According to several media outlets, federal Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh stated that her ministry had set the youth age limit at 30 years for Malaysia, which will take effect starting January 1, 2026. The current youth age limit is 40.