Covert discrimination against elderly people

LIKE many countries in the world, Malaysia is also experiencing the ageing population phenomenon. Data from the Department of Statistics show that 7% of the older population were aged 60 years and above in 2005, and the figure is anticipated to double (14%) by 2028. By 2030, we will be donning the title of “ageing nation”.

Since the adoption of the National Policy For The Elderly in 1995, issues pertaining to our ageing population have been highlighted. These include increasing public awareness of the needs of the elderly, and planning and developing infrastructure as well as support for action-oriented research that would directly translate into comprehensive and cohesive social strategies, policies and legislation to protect not just the current generation of older Malaysians but the future of all Malaysians.