KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia should consider setting up a dedicated Senior Citizens Ministry to ensure the needs and welfare of its ageing population receive greater attention in policymaking, budget allocation and national development.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said senior citizens, particularly those in their 60s to 80s, remained an underserved group despite their contributions throughout their working lives.
She said there was no dedicated government agency overseeing their specific needs.
Policymakers, she said, must move beyond the perception that older people were no longer productive or interested in working, and recognise their potential to remain active contributors to society.
“Until and unless you have a designated ministry (for senior citizens), advocates, policymakers, budgets set aside for them, you have people putting on the lens of a senior citizen when looking into amendments to the law. All that will require the energy and resources of a particular ministry,” she said.
Yeoh was speaking as a panellist at the High-Level Forum on the Silver Economy 2026: Healthy Longevity for Economic Growth, during a session titled ‘Built for Every Age: Cities, Work, and the Environments That Extend Health and Enterprise’, here today.
She said substantial resources were invested in supporting citizens during the first 30 years of their lives through ministries and agencies responsible for children, education, higher education and youth, but similar attention was lacking for later stages of life.
Without dedicated institutional support, she said, the needs of senior citizens could be overlooked, including opportunities to remain employed, socially connected and involved in community activities.
Yeoh also highlighted the social and emotional needs of older people, particularly those who were single or widowed.
“Many times we assume older people can do away with fellowship and a partner… the moment they become a widow, we just assume they’ll be okay to be alone. So nobody addresses these needs, and if social needs are not taken care of, your health and mental well-being will be affected,” she said.
She said safe spaces for senior citizens to socialise and build companionship should be part of broader ageing policies, rather than limiting programmes to health screenings and financial planning.
Meanwhile, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Department is drafting a Mental Capacity Act to strengthen legal protection for older people, particularly against abuse and neglect, as Malaysia transitions towards an ageing society.
Its assistant director, Nur Shahkierin Abd Manan, said the proposed law would cover mental capacity issues, including decision-making on healthcare, welfare and property, and complement the proposed Senior Citizen Bill.
“The Mental Capacity Act focuses on welfare and aims to prevent abuse and neglect of older people. The Legal Affairs Division is supporting the bill while working on the Mental Capacity Act to complement the proposed Senior Citizen Bill,” she said.
She was speaking during a session titled “Law in Ageing Societies”.
Nur Shahkierin said a town hall session involving state muftis and the Syariah Judiciary Department would be held this month to gather Syariah perspectives and ensure the proposed framework took into account state jurisdiction over Syariah matters.