KOTA KINABALU: The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has urged the Sabah State Government to reject the federal move to lower the youth age cap from 40 to 30 by 2026, calling instead to follow Sarawak’s example of maintaining the current limit.
LDP Secretary General Datuk Chin Shu Ying argued that Sabah’s socio-economic realities mirror Sarawak’s, where many individuals only begin establishing careers and families in their 30s.
Lowering the age would exclude them from vital youth programmes, leadership roles, and funding.
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Chin also called on the Sabah Government to reaffirm the 40-year limit, initiate inclusive consultations to develop a Sabah-specific Youth Development Blueprint, and table the matter in the State Assembly.
He warned that blindly following Peninsular-centric policies risks undermining rural and indigenous leadership traditions, stressing that youth development must reflect local realities not rigid age thresholds.
