Dr M: If palace had intervened, we’ll void Johor’s youth age decision

The federal government will invalidate Johor’s move to maintain the age limit for youth if the Johor palace is found to have intervened in the state government’s decision, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said the palace has no business interfering in the federal government’s decisions.

“There are claims that the palace had intervened in the Johor government’s decision to retain the youth age limit at 40 years.

“The palace has no right to interfere in the federal government’s decision,” Mahathir told a press conference after chairing the Bersatu supreme council meeting at the Perdana Leadership Foundation’s office in Putrajaya today.

He also confirmed that Putrajaya would invalidate the Johor government’s decision if there is evidence of royal interference in the decision.

Also present at the event were Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

The Johor government had flip-flopped several times on the youth age limit, eventually settling on the status quo of defining youths as those aged between 15 to 40 years.

Apart from Johor, other states that retained the upper age limit at 40 years are Sarawak, Selangor, Perlis, Pahang, Kelantan, and Kedah.

This followed the Dewan Rakyat’s approval of a bill tabled by Syed Saddiq on July 1 to lower the upper limit to 30 year. - Mkini