Many changes are expected in the 2005 Youth Organisations Bill which is currently being drafted to cap the age of those leading such groups, among other aspects of administration.

"I can't tell you the contents as the document is categorised as an official secret," said Badari Awang Damit, assistant director of the youth development session (social development division) of the youth and sports ministry.

Draft legislation in Malaysia is routinely classified secret until it is tabled in Parliament for the first reading.

Badari said the ministry has yet to finalise the bill and this is why it has not been submitted to the Attorney-General's (AG) Chambers.

"When it is submitted will depend on the minister," he said when asked if the bill would be tabled during the upcoming parliamentary sitting slated from Sept 19 to Dec 8.

Sweeping powers

According to media reports last week, Youth and Sports Minister Azalina Othman Said had said the ministry is finalising the draft to be submitted to the AG's Chambers.

The 2003 draft, which was made public, stated that the objective of the act is 'to encourage, monitor and administrate the youth organisations in the country'.

The new law is expected to give sweeping powers to the minister 'to guide, to monitor, to give any directive or to take any necessary actions regarding the development, encouragement and the administration of youth organisations'.

This has drawn flak from some youth bodies, which feel that this would further control the youth movement.