Committed to promoting the rights of older persons

ON the occasion of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15), the Gerontological Association of Malaysia (GeM) reaffirms its commitment to promoting the rights, dignity and protection of older persons in this country.

GeM welcomes the ongoing efforts of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry in advancing the proposed Senior Citizens Bill, particularly the emphasis on structured public consultation and stakeholder engagement.

We urge Malaysians to actively participate and provide feedback through the official consultation platform at https://forms.gle/LKVhjgCjcnZSTokX7.

This reflects an important step towards strengthening a more responsive and evidence-based framework for the rights of older persons in Malaysia.

GeM also recognises the urgent need to address elder abuse, neglect and maltreatment, which remain significantly under-reported. Both national and international studies consistently show that elder abuse is a persistent yet largely hidden issue. It occurs in multiple forms, including physical, psychological and financial abuse, as well as neglect and abandonment, often remaining under-detected across both community and institutional settings.

We therefore call for strengthened national action through:

> A comprehensive elder abuse prevention and protection legal framework;

> Clear reporting and safeguarding mechanisms across different settings;

> Integrated multi-sectoral coordination involving health, social welfare housing and relevant enforcement agencies; and

> Public education and caregiver support systems to reduce risk and improve early detection.

GeM further supports continued global and national dialogue towards the development of a United Nations Convention on the Human Rights of Older Persons to address existing gaps in elder protection and ensure stronger accountability mechanisms against age-based discrimination and abuse.

We look forward to continued collaboration with the Women, Family and Community Develop-ment Ministry, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that Malaysia’s ageing policy agenda is evidence- based, centred on rights and grounded in a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

GERONTOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF MALAYSIA

Serdang, Selangor