PETALING JAYA: The latest findings on unpaid domestic work are too broad to capture the reality of caregiving and whether the task is done willingly or with resentment, says the Malaysian Research Institute of Ageing.
“Caregiving is shaped by many factors, including whether a person becomes a carer by choice or by default, the relationship between caregiver and the care recipient, and the level of care required,” said Datuk Prof Dr Tengku Aizan Tengku Abdul Hamid, founder of the institute.
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“If it’s a good relationship, they will do it with an open heart. But if it’s a conflict relationship, it’s a form of resentful care,” she said in reference to the findings unveiled last Tuesday by the Statistics Department.
According to the survey on “Time Spent on Unpaid Domestic and Care Work in Malaysia 2025”, Malaysian women spent six hours and seven minutes daily on such work.
Men, on the other hand, chalked up four hours and 20 minutes on such work.
“Overall, Malaysians spend a substantial proportion of their daily time on unpaid domestic and care work, averaging five hours, 12 minutes daily, highlighting the significant role of unpaid labour in sustaining households and communities,” said the department.
It also said that the findings would provide a basis for strengthening policies related to social development, work-life balance and gender equality.
Prof Tengku Aizan pointed out that the figures on men’s involvement in unpaid care work were difficult to interpret without knowing who they were caring for and how much care was actually involved.
“If you have that type of data, then I agree that men are now more involved than before,” she said, stressing that year-on-year comparisons should also take into account the type of care provided and the condition of the care recipient.
She said a simple time-use snapshot was not enough to reflect the full complexity of care arrangements, especially where one family member may be the main carer while others provide only occasional support.
Prof Tengku Aizan said that more detailed data was needed to understand whether caregiving involved bedridden elderly people, children or persons with autism, as different conditions require different levels of attention.
Prof Dr Rusmawati Said of Universiti Putra Malaysia’s School of Business and Economics said unpaid care work should be recognised as a labour economics issue rather than a private household matter because it affects time use, productivity and women’s participation in the workforce.
“Unpaid care is not merely a family matter. It is a question of time allocation and opportunity cost,” she said.
“Every hour spent on unpaid care is time not available for paid work, job search, skills training, business activity or rest.”
She also pointed out that women remain more affected, reflecting the heavier burden they carry.
“Malaysia should recognise care as part of the care economy by expanding affordable childcare, eldercare, disability support, respite care, flexible work and care leave.
“This would support households, improve women’s labour participation and strengthen national productivity,” she said.
However, Prof Rusmawati said the data did not prove that unpaid caregiving had increased over time as they were based mainly on 2025 findings.
“But the current level is already high enough to raise sustainability concerns,” she added.
