KUALA LUMPUR: The establishment of the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) Global Secretariat in Malaysia is expected to catalyse better legislation, stronger institutions, greater opportunities for young people and greater dignity for ageing populations, says Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
The Works Minister, who is also AFPPD Malaysia president, said the secretariat reflects Malaysia’s growing role in the organisation after member states entrusted the country to host it in 2025.
The new Kuala Lumpur office will be officially inaugurated today.
“The success of the secretariat will never be measured by the building itself. It will be measured by the ideas it generates, the partnerships it builds and the lives it improves.
“It must become a catalyst for better legislation, stronger institutions, greater opportunities for young people and greater dignity for ageing populations,” he said in his welcoming remarks at the AFPPD Annual Conference 2026 here yesterday.
Also present were Senate president Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah, AFPPD chairman Kamikawa Yoko and United Nations assistant secretary-general and United Nations Population Fund deputy executive director Pio Smith.
Nanta said Malaysia’s move to take on a larger role in AFPPD began in 2024 following discussions with then Japanese health minister Keizo Takemi during the International Conference on Population and Development in Tokyo.
The initiative later culminated in Malaysia’s successful bid to host the global secretariat.
On demographic challenges, Nanta said populations worldwide are ageing at an unprecedented pace, requiring policies to evolve alongside demographic change.
“Ageing must never be viewed as a burden to be managed. It must be recognised as a testament to human progress and a reflection of better healthcare, better living standards and longer lives,” he said, Bernama reported.
“The care economy should not be regarded merely as a policy discussion but as a measure of humanity and how societies protect the dignity of those who depend on others for support, including children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities and vulnerable families.”
Nanta added that Malaysia, through the 13th Malaysia Plan and the newly established Malaysia Care Strategic Framework and Action Plan 2026-2030, is taking steps to prepare for an ageing society, strengthen youth development, accelerate digital transformation and improve quality of life.
The two-day conference, themed “Parliamentary Leadership for the Future: An All of Society Approach to the Care Economy and Demographic Resilience”, brings together parliamentarians from Asia, the Pacific, Africa and the Arab world.
Meanwhile, Awang Bemee said demographic change should be treated as a governance challenge, with long-term demographic considerations incorporated into national decision-making.
He said ageing populations, changing family structures, declining fertility, migration and increasing urbanisation had implications for healthcare, labour markets, pension systems, public finances and quality of life.
“These challenges require adequate resources, coordinated government policies and appropriate legislation,” he said.
Awang Bemee said greater attention should also be given to the care economy as smaller families, longer life expectancy and changing living arrangements increasingly put pressure on traditional family-based care.
He said demographic resilience requires an all-of-society approach, as ageing and declining fertility were interconnected with employment, housing, education, childcare and social protection.
