KUCHING: Kuching South City Council (MBKS) is preparing the city for its transition into an ageing society by 2028.
In line with this, the council launched its first Age-Friendly City Workshop on Saturday, which brought together government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), academics, councillors and community leaders to begin charting strategies for the city’s future.
MBKS Mayor, Datuk Wee Hong Seng, stressed the urgency of early preparation, warning that the city cannot afford to wait until 2028 to act.
“By 2028, Kuching South will officially become an ageing city. This is not just a statistic, it will affect healthcare, transportation, housing and the way we design our public spaces.
“The way we prepare today will decide how our seniors live tomorrow. We cannot wait until 2028 to act,” he said in statement.
Wee also urged the workshop participants to contribute bold ideas to help formulate a comprehensive Kuching South Aging Plan.
“We need practical solutions driven by real community needs. One day, all of us will grow old in this city, so this plan is for ourselves as much as it is for our parents and grandparents,” he said.
Meanwhile, the session also featured a briefing by Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak’s Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Ida Fatimawati Adi Badiozaman, who presented findings on health, infrastructure accessibility, and social inclusion issues faced by older persons.
The session was chaired by MBKS Age-Friendly City Committee chairlady, Judy Kho, with MBKS councillors, senior officers, and representatives from multiple government agencies and NGOs actively engaging in the discussion.
Kho also affirmed that the workshop marked only the beginning of a wider engagement process.
“We will continue to consult stakeholders and study best practices so that Kuching South can become a model age-friendly city for Sarawak and beyond,” she said.
The workshop ended with participants pledging support for continued collaboration to develop age-friendly infrastructure, public services and community programmes for healthy and dignified ageing.
