PETALING JAYA: With Malaysia facing an increasingly ageing population, the government should be conscientious of middle-income earners before announcing allocations aimed at seniors, says an expert.

Chai Sen Tyng, from Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing, said poorly thought-out projects, which receive funding but lack proper follow-up, often result in allocations that serve as mere cash handouts with little return on investment.

He argued that one such case was the RM100mil allocated last year for the Madani health programme, which was poorly executed and had no clear metrics to assess its impact on target groups like senior citizens.

“The nature of annual budgets has become about allocating resources for current or new programmes. Very rarely does the federal budget involve new thinking or an approach to a problem,” he said.

Chai emphasised the need to consider whether Malaysians are facing challenges accessing primary healthcare due to cost.

“Reducing congestion in the public health sector is different from meeting the long-term care needs that most seniors require,” he said.

He also questioned whether the tax breaks announced last year for hiring seniors actually benefited them, pointing to the lack of data on how many seniors were hired.

Chai said that while tax breaks may help companies, they do not guarantee that seniors receive adequate wages.

“As for new grants for senior citizen projects, who are they given to – the operators or the clients?

“We heard there might be a new grant to subsidise home and community-based care and support services.

“We applaud this, but again, how is this going to work?” said Chai, who also questioned the RM50,000 annual grant for senior citizen activity centres.

“Why is it only RM50,000 when there are so many ageing citizens? Do we give them funds after they submit annual reports, or do we provide funding upfront and pray they use it well?”

On Sept 23, the Statistics Department reported that 34.1 million Malaysians are aged 60 and above, and the country was approaching ageing society status more rapidly than anticipated.

Meanwhile, Alliance for Safe Community chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye stressed the importance of addressing digital literacy and healthcare in the upcoming Budget 2025.

“Many of those scammed are senior citizens with sizeable savings. The authorities should implement better digital literacy programmes to protect seniors,” he said.

The Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department revealed that 1,916 people aged 61 and above fell victim to online scams in the first eight months of this year, resulting in losses exceeding RM255mil.

On healthcare, Lee called for the Health Ministry to consider a substantial budget allocation for senior medical care.

“When seniors visit government hospitals, they are prescribed generic medications as the hospitals cite budget constraints.

“Given their contributions to the country, isn’t it time for the government to treat seniors better in their golden years?”

He also emphasised the need for improved medical insurance for seniors, many of whom turn to private hospitals due to overcrowding in public healthcare facilities.

He pointed out that most senior citizens need lifelong medication, and a proper plan could help them afford to access private care more.

Lee also urged the government to consider the development of age-friendly homes and communities in the Budget.

“Such homes should be accessible, safe, and affordable, featuring ramps, wider doorways, and non-slip flooring.

“We also need age-friendly transportation options such as low-entry buses, accessible metro stations and discounts to help seniors maintain mobility and independence, as well as parks and recreational facilities.

“Such developments should be rated under an Age-Friendly Index, not unlike the Green Building Index,” said Lee.

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/29/our-elders-need-better-care