Living alone, dying alone: A growing crisis in Malaysia’s aging society

SHAH ALAM - The phenomenon of ‘living and dying alone’ is becoming increasingly alarming, with more individuals, especially the elderly, found deceased in isolation.

In many cases, their deaths go unnoticed for days, placing an emotional and physical toll on society while adding to the burden of authorities handling unclaimed bodies.

A recent Sinar report revealed a growing number of such cases.

In Perlis alone, a state with fewer than 300,000 residents, 80 solitary deaths were recorded between 2022 and August 2024.

According to Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia (PSSM) special advisor Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Embong, United Nations (UN) data from 2021 ranked Malaysia as the third-highest Asean country in terms of unmarried individuals, at 44.7 per cent.

He warned that Malaysia’s rapidly ageing population is on track to becoming an aged nation before achieving developed status, leading to an increasing number of people living alone.

This trend highlights the urgent need for stronger social support systems and policy interventions to prevent long-term societal repercussions.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Public Health Physician, Associate Professor Dr Halimatus Sakdiah Minhat identified several high-risk groups prone to dying alone.

These include elderly individuals who have never married or have no children, those with chronic illnesses, individuals struggling with mental health issues, loneliness or depression, as well as the poor, homeless and persons with disabilities (PwD).

Recent cases in Malaysia highlight the severity of the issue:

• May 26, 2024: A 46-year-old woman who lived alone was found dead in her home in Taman Putra Perdana, Putrajaya, due to a chronic illness.
• January 2, 2024: Johari Musa, 49, who suffered from tuberculosis and diabetes, was discovered lifeless in his home in Kampung Kuala Ping, Kuala Berang, Terengganu.
• January 7, 2024: S Santhekasakar, 44, who had a history of chronic diabetes and lived alone, was found dead in a locked house in Kampung Boyan, Taiping, Perak.

As concerns grow, some families are taking precautionary steps by installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems to monitor elderly parents remotely.

However, senior lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla clarified that dying alone does not necessarily indicate negligence by family members.

He stressed that each case must be assessed individually rather than assuming next of kin are at fault without clear evidence of neglect or wrongdoing.

The rising number of solitary deaths signals the need to strengthen Malaysia’s social safety net.

A collective effort from the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and society is crucial to addressing this issue and ensuring that no individual is left to face life—and death—in isolation.