KUALA LUMPUR: The government targets to table the Senior Citizens Bill in the next Parliament session, subject to procedural coordination and further review by relevant authorities, including the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC).
Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, said the draft bill has already been prepared, but engagement and consultation processes are still ongoing to ensure views from various stakeholders are taken into consideration before it is finalised.
The bill is expected to include provisions related to responsibilities in caring for parents and the welfare of senior citizens, in line with the country’s growing ageing population.
“We are hoping for the next Parliament session because the draft is already there. It is now a matter of procedures with other ministries and resubmitting it to the AGC to provide us with the guidance and further input on areas that require improvement.
“The consultation process has not ended because there are still parties who want their views to be included. That is a positive sign as it shows people care and want us to take into account various aspects for the benefit of senior citizens,” she said.
Nancy told reporters after officiating the Seminar & Stakeholder Consultation ‘The Malaysian Care Ecosystem – Assuring The Quality Of Caregivers’ organised by the Ministry, National Council of Women’s Organisations Malaysia (NCWO) and Universiti Malaya Faculty of Medicine at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here today.
The minister further said that discussions on the bill are also being carried out on a bipartisan basis through the Select Committee to garner cross-party support.
Commenting on concerns over rising elderly caregiving costs, she said the government currently provides support through tax relief measures for children caring for elderly parents at home, including support for persons with disabilities.
She noted that the government is also studying proposals to support families placing elderly parents in private care homes, with recommendations currently being submitted to the Ministry of Finance for consideration.
“We want to train people to become professionals. That includes our own Welfare Department officers and those working with us, and also to provide training outside. We are going to provide this kind of training,” she said.
In her speech, Nancy said Malaysia is currently undergoing a major demographic transition and is expected to become an ageing nation by 2040, with those aged 65 and above projected to exceed 15 per cent of the total population.
She said as of 2025, the elderly population has surpassed 2.9 million, while falling fertility rates, smaller households and rising female labour force participation continue to increase demand for long-term care and community-based caregiving services.
“This year, the ministry targets to train 2,000 caregivers, including Welfare Department officers, caregivers for bedridden persons and community-based providers,” she said. – BERNAMA
