An ageing Malaysia needs new models of elder care

 

MALAYSIA is becoming an ageing society more quickly than many people realise. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), people aged 65 and above accounted for 8.0% of the population in the first quarter of 2026, up from 7.9% a year earlier.

As life expectancy rises and birth rates continue to decline, this proportion will only increase in the years ahead.

For generations, Malaysian families have been the primary source of care for older people. Adult children traditionally provided financial support, companionship and daily care, particularly in rural communities where extended families often lived together.

That model is now under increasing strain.

One major factor is urbanisation. Many young Malaysians leave their hometowns to pursue education and employment opportunities in cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru and Penang.

While migration creates economic opportunities, it also separates families, leaving many elderly parents living alone or only with their spouses.

Although children may continue providing financial assistance, distance often makes it difficult to offer the regular care that older people require, especially when health problems or mobility issues arise.

Malaysia’s declining fertility rate has also changed the dynamics of family care. Smaller families mean fewer adult children are available to share the responsibilities of supporting ageing parents.

Where previous generations may have relied on four or five children to contribute financially and share caregiving duties, today’s families often have only one or two children.

As a result, the responsibility increasingly falls on fewer individuals, placing greater emotional and financial pressure on working adults.

The rising cost of living further compounds the challenge.

Many younger Malaysians are already juggling housing costs, childcare expenses, education loans and their own retirement planning. Supporting elderly parents becomes more difficult when household finances are already stretched.

Changing family structures have also reduced the availability of informal caregivers. Nuclear families have largely replaced extended family households, while higher female labour force participation means fewer family members are available to provide full-time care during the day.

At the same time, Malaysians are living longer than ever before.

Longer life expectancy is a welcome achievement, but it also means many older people require healthcare, financial support and assistance with daily living for much longer periods after retirement.

Caring for ageing parents is no longer a short-term responsibility but may extend over one or even two decades.

Family support therefore remains essential, but it can no longer be expected to shoulder the entire burden.

Malaysia needs to strengthen formal support systems that complement, rather than replace, the role of families. This includes expanding pension coverage, improving community-based care services, increasing access to affordable long-term care and providing greater support for family caregivers.

Age-friendly communities, accessible healthcare and stronger social protection will become increasingly important as the country’s elderly population grows.

Malaysia’s ageing population is not a future challenge. It is already here.

Families will continue to play a central role in caring for older people, but demographic and social changes mean they cannot do it alone.

A more comprehensive system of public support will be essential to ensure older Malaysians can age with dignity, security and a better quality of life. 

The author, Sayed Mohammad Reza Yamani Sayed Umar is a Research Fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies (UAC), Universiti Malaya and a part-time lecturer at Azman Hashim International  Business School (AHIBS) UTM.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.

- Focus Malaysia.

MCA calls for urgent action to cut waiting times at public healthcare facilities

 

AN MCA leader has urged the government to take immediate steps to reduce long waiting times at public hospitals and health clinics, saying timely healthcare should be a basic right for all Malaysians.

Its deputy president Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said prolonged delays reflected persistent challenges within the public healthcare system, despite efforts by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to improve service delivery.

He noted that the ministry’s Cloud-Based Clinic Management System (CCMS) reported that 81% of patients were able to consult a medical officer within an hour, with the remainder seen within 90 minutes.

“While these figures are encouraging, they do not fully reflect the daily experience of many Malaysians who continue to spend hours waiting for basic medical consultation,” he stated.

Dr Mah said many Malaysians rely exclusively on public healthcare because private medical treatment remains beyond their financial means.“The government must ensure that public healthcare services are efficient, patient-centred and adequately resourced,” he stressed,

“Senior citizens, persons with disabilities and patients with chronic illnesses should be prioritised so they can receive timely consultation and treatment.”

He also cited reports indicating that patients admitted through emergency departments at government hospitals wait a median of two hours and 24 minutes before being assigned a ward bed.

According to Dr Mah, the situation underscores the need to recruit more junior doctors, medical officers and specialists to reduce overcrowding and improve patient care.

He highlighted conditions at Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) in Klang, where surgical clinics are reportedly staffed by only one medical officer per session responsible for seeing between 30 and 40 patients.

“Such workloads are simply not sustainable. They inevitably affect waiting times, staff wellbeing and the quality of care provided to patients,” he remarked.

Dr Mah said the country’s healthcare manpower shortage was being compounded by declining participation in housemanship programmes, staff burnout and the continued migration of doctors to the private sector and overseas.

He pointed to reports that only 529 medical graduates reported for duty despite 5,000 housemanship positions being offered for the January 2026 intake.

“This should serve as a serious warning. The government must address the underlying issues by offering fair employment terms, creating more permanent medical officer positions and providing competitive allowances and clearer career progression,” he emphasised.

While Malaysia has earned international recognition for its affordable and high-quality private healthcare sector through medical tourism, Dr Mah said ordinary Malaysians should also be able to access timely and quality treatment within the public healthcare system.

“Every Malaysian deserves timely access to medical treatment, and no patient should have to sacrifice half a day simply to see a doctor,” he said. ‒  Focus Malaysia

Preparing Malaysia for an ageing future requires more than legislation

 

THE proposed Senior Citizens Bill and Social Work Professionals Bill are long overdue. They deserve support because they acknowledge a demographic reality Malaysia can no longer ignore: our population is ageing rapidly.

But passing two laws should not be mistaken for solving the problem.

Within the next two decades, one in five Malaysians is expected to be aged 60 or above. That is not simply a welfare issue.

It will affect healthcare, housing, employment, transport and public finances, and responding effectively will require far more than legislation. It demands a coordinated national strategy.

The proposed Bills focus largely on protecting older persons once they have become vulnerable. That protection is necessary, but it addresses only part of the challenge.

The broader goal should be to help Malaysians age with dignity, independence and purpose. This means stronger legal protection against physical, emotional, financial and digital abuse, supported by effective enforcement and clear reporting mechanisms. Elder abuse often remains hidden because victims fear speaking out or depend on those responsible for their care.

The Bills should also recognise the growing pressure on family caregivers.

For generations, Malaysian families have shouldered the responsibility of caring for ageing parents. That model is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. Families are smaller, children often live far from home, and rising living costs make it harder for working adults to balance careers with caregiving responsibilities.

Many caregivers, particularly women, reduce their working hours or leave the workforce altogether. The economic cost of this largely invisible sacrifice deserves greater recognition.

More support is needed through caregiver allowances, tax incentives, flexible working arrangements and respite care services. Helping caregivers is not simply a welfare measure. It enables more Malaysians to remain economically active while ensuring older family members receive proper care.

Financing long-term care is another issue that cannot be postponed.

As Malaysians live longer and chronic illnesses become more common, healthcare costs will continue to rise. Relying solely on government spending and family savings is unlikely to be sustainable. Malaysia should begin serious discussions on long-term care financing and insurance before demand outpaces available resources.

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The Social Work Professionals Bill is another welcome development. Professional registration and higher standards will strengthen the profession, but regulation alone will not solve the shortage of qualified social workers. Better salaries, clearer career pathways and continuous professional development will be equally important if Malaysia is to attract and retain talent in this critical field.

Preparing for an ageing society also means rethinking how communities are designed.

Older Malaysians should be able to remain active and independent for as long as possible. That requires age-friendly neighbourhoods, accessible public transport, suitable housing, community healthcare services and opportunities for seniors to continue working, volunteering or mentoring if they choose.

Older people should not be viewed solely as recipients of care. They continue to contribute experience, skills and knowledge that strengthen families, workplaces and communities.

The two proposed Bills are therefore best seen as the beginning of a much broader effort. Malaysia needs a National Ageing Strategy that brings together healthcare, housing, employment, transport, education and local government into a coordinated response.

The country still has time to prepare for an ageing society, but that window is narrowing. The real measure of success will not be the passage of legislation alone, but whether older Malaysians can continue to live healthy, secure and meaningful lives. ‒  Focus Malaysia

KT Maran is a Focus Malaysia viewer.

The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT

- Focus Malaysia.