Designated department should be set up for elderly Malaysians

SHAH ALAM - A designated department to protect the well-being of senior citizens in the country needs to be established.

Third Age Media Association founding president Cheah Tuck Wing said the welfare of senior citizens (those aged 60 and above) should be placed under its own department, ideally one that will report to the Prime Minister.

“The first thing we need to address is that the interests of senior citizens should not fall under the Social Welfare Department (JKM).

“Their well-being in the country deserves a department of its own, with someone that will continuously fight for their rights and not out of self interest.

“Ideally, the appointed person will report to the Prime Minister for an immediate and more direct action,” he said.

Cheah said this after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Malaysian Coalition on Ageing (MCOA), in efforts to support and improve the quality of life for 3.4 million senior citizens in the country.

The MoU was also signed by eight other associations during the launching of MCOA at the ALTY Orthopaedic Hospital, in Kuala Lumpur, today,

Speaking to reporters, Cheah shared that there were five objectives that the coalition wanted to achieve in its formation.

The most important one, he said was to play a legislative advocacy role and formulate appropriate policies for the well-being of senior citizens.

He said the role of MCOA was important as it has drawn up initiatives to help senior citizens remain on their feet and enjoy a productive lifestyle.

Besides that, he said MCOA was also looking into proposing the formation of departments in universities for senior citizens who would like to pursue their studies after their retirement.

Having certified caretakers were of utmost importance, hence MCOA is planning to set up training centres that award unemployed youths with a degree, training, and a job as caretakers of senior citizens, Cheah said.

“The coalition has reached out to universities including MAHSA University and International Medical University (IMU),” he added.

According to Cheah, between 2010 to 2020, the number of senior citizens grew by 54 per cent.

He said people must cast off the notion that senior citizens are no longer of use to the society as this perception was wrong.