SARAWAK is preparing to introduce another bold and compassionate policy – one that places our elderly citizens at the heart of development, regardless of where they live or who they are.
Under this initiative, local authorities will be encouraged to design age-friendly public spaces, facilities, and infrastructure that prioritise accessibility, safety, and comfort.
The goal is simple: to ensure our seniors can continue living active, meaningful and dignified lives in their own communities.
According to Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, this policy will be all-inclusive, ensuring that no elder is left behind.
Speaking at the opening of the Sarawak International Conference on Ageing (SICA) 2025 on Monday, he reminded the need for such a policy to ensure that growing older should never mean growing invisible.
Longer lives, he said, are a blessing, but only if they remain fulfilling.
If implemented well, Sarawak could set the benchmark as an age-friendly region where seniors are not only cared for, but respected, included, and given every opportunity to thrive.
It shifts the conversation from simply “managing ageing” to embracing it as a shared journey, because ageing is not their story alone; it is ours too.
The Premier’s commitment deserves recognition – and our collective support. How we treat our elders today reflects the kind of future we hope to inherit tomorrow.
Every elderly Sarawakian deserves care, support, and inclusion. This new policy is not just about structures and guidelines.
It is about a promise, a promise that every senior, whether in the heart of Kuching or in a quiet longhouse deep in the interior, will age with dignity, connection, and purpose.
We often speak of a developed Sarawak – strong in economy, leading in digital innovation, renewable energy and green economy, boasting modern infrastructure and world-class facilities.
Yet, in this pursuit of progress, we must not forget those who built the foundation we stand on: our seniors.
They are the ones who shaped our communities, protected our traditions, and instilled the values we carry forward. Yet too often, their presence fades quietly into the background of development.
The world is ageing quickly – with one in six people expected to be aged 60 and above by 2050.
This reflects remarkable progress in healthcare and living standards. But longer lives must be matched with stronger care systems.
Sarawak, with about 2.5 million people, as recorded by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) last year, is moving in the same direction.
Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, has projected that Sarawak will officially become an “ageing state” by 2028, when seniors make up 15 per cent of the population.
For context:
• A population becomes ageing when those aged 65 and above reach 7 per cent.
• It becomes an aged nation at 14 per cent.
We are already on that path – and fast.
This is why the new policy matters. It provides a framework that allows seniors to age in place, staying rooted in familiar environments, surrounded by strong community support.
Existing programmes such as the Senior Citizens Activity Centre (PAWE), Senior Citizen Service Centre (PPWE), and community geriatric care services already reflect this commitment.
They recognise that ageing is not just a medical journey – it is emotional, social, and deeply human.
Care must extend beyond hospitals into community halls, neighbourhoods, and family homes – because wellbeing cannot exist in isolation.
And let’s be honest, ageing is not a topic about “them”. It is about us.
Each day, we take one step closer to that chapter of life.
The real question is: what kind of environment do we want waiting for us?
We want a society where grey hair is worn like a crown of wisdom; where grandparents stay active in the community – not left sitting quietly at home, staring at a silent phone, waiting for a knock that never comes.
Traditionally, Asian families cared for ageing parents instinctively. But with smaller households, demanding work lives, and children moving farther away, that safety net is shifting.
Stronger community-based support systems and social protections are no longer optional – they are essential.
Because ageing with dignity is not measured by the number of years lived, but by the quality of those years; staying active, pursuing passions, feeling valued and staying connected.
Ageing must not be an afterthought in our development plans; it must be at the centre of them.
A compassionate society is not judged by how it treats its strongest, but by how it honours those who once used their strength to build the world we now enjoy.
The Sarawak we envision – modern, progressive, and prosperous – must also be kind.
And by caring for our seniors today, we are ultimately preparing a better future for ourselves too.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at drnagrace@gmail.com.
