KUCHING: About 350 senior citizens attended the ‘Senior Citizens – We Care for You] programme at Dewan Serbaguna Taman Sukma today, aimed at improving access to health, welfare and support services for older persons.
Head of State, Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, together with his wife, Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi, attended the event as guests of honour and arrived at about 11 am before touring exhibition booths set up for participants.
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Sarawak in collaboration with Normah Medical Specialist Centre as part of ongoing efforts to enhance awareness of government assistance, healthcare services, and active ageing initiatives among senior citizens.
Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdulla, said the initiative also provided a platform for older persons to engage directly with agencies and service providers through exhibition booths offering health screenings, welfare consultations, document registration services and advisory support.
“The programme is organised as a continuous effort to ensure the wellbeing of senior citizens remains protected,” she said.
Among the highlights was a townhall session themed ‘Healthy, Active, Productive and Dignified Ageing’, featuring speakers from the Sarawak Social Welfare Department and Normah Medical Specialist Centre who shared information on welfare assistance, healthcare and nutrition for older persons.
Participants also attended a session titled ‘Protect Your Memory – Physical Activities for Dementia Prevention’, conducted by the Community Geriatric Unit (GeKO) of Kota Samarahan Health Clinic.
In addition, a Rahmah Sale organised by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), with participation from Mydin as a Kenyalang Gold Card merchant, enabled senior citizens to purchase essential items at more affordable prices.
As part of the programme, a new initiative known as WaveJak was also introduced, using Palm Vein AI technology that allows users to verify identity by scanning their palm without requiring mobile phones, cards or physical contact.
Fatimah said the technology provides a high level of security and is recognised internationally for its effectiveness in preventing scams and identity theft.
“WaveJak brings this innovation to Sarawak and is the first of its kind in Malaysia, positioning the state in line with global smart AI technology trends,” she said.
She expressed hope that the programme would benefit all participants and serve as a platform to strengthen social support networks for senior citizens across the state.
