KUCHING: Senior citizens in Puncak Borneo have been advised to maintain connections, stay active, and find purpose in their life.
Puncak Borneo Member of Parliament, Datuk Willie Mongin, said retirement can be a time to explore new interests, learn new skills, and pursue passions that may have been overlooked earlier in life.
“Just treasure every moment of your life because we do not know how long we can live or how we will be in the later years of our old age.
“So while we are still able senior citizens, consider your everyday journey of life a blessing,” he said at the launch of Hasrat MADANI Programme – Hari Mesra Warga Emas Sihat & Ceria at the Senior Citizen Activity Centre here today.
Willie said as senior citizens, they must strive to accomplish what they have dreamt of since young but found themselves too busy at work.
“For example, if you have dreamt to go for holiday, let’s say in China, just go if you have the budget. If you do not have money, try to talk to your children about your intention, who knows they can help to raise money for you to accomplish your dream.
“Make your dream come through. Don’t wait until you become disabled, bedridden, sitting on a wheelchair or lying on the hospital bed. By then it’s already too late. Then, you start to regret not doing it,” added.
Willie also urged senior citizens in Puncak Borneo to maintain connections and stay active.
He believed that strong relationships with family and friends are vital for emotional well-being and preventing isolation.
He said engaging in physical and mental activities, hobbies, and social events helps senior citizens stay healthy, engaged, and connected to their communities.
“We have got the Senior Citizen Centre here, so come and meet here, mix around, get to know each other. While here, you can play some games, share your experience, appreciate every small thing, and find joy in everyday life with your friends.
“Just treasure life as a senior; living with intention, embracing opportunities, and finding meaning and joy in every stage of your life as time and age goes by,” he said.
Willie also called on the people including the senior citizens in the Puncak Borneo, who are still healthy, to start producing their own products.
He noted that the cottage industries can be a good fit for senior citizens, as they offer a way for older adults to engage in meaningful activities, generate income, and maintain a sense of purpose and independence, all within a flexible and manageable environment.
He said engaging in works to produce own products, even on a small scale, can boost self-esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment, which is crucial for healthy aging.
“Creating handmade items like banana chips or even shrimp paste or belacan, can be a rewarding way to use your existing skills.
“Please, do not laugh or look down at people producing belacan. Don’t you know that some people in Bintulu have got rich by selling belacan?
“You know, there is a woman in Setiawan, Perak, who has become a millionaire by selling preserved fish or perkasam. It’s not a joke,” he said.
Willie believed that the cottage industries hold significant potential for rural development, economic empowerment, and cultural preservation, offering opportunities for income generation, particularly for women senior citizens.
He hoped to see someone, especially from among the senior citizens in Puncak Borneo, becoming a millionaire by producing and selling his or her own products one day.
