Flashback to StarMetro’s report on July 12.
A SELANGOR executive councillor is calling for swift action on the Senior Citizens Bill to address the growing issue of elderly abandonment.
State women, family empowerment, welfare and care economy committee chairman Anfaal Saari said political will was required to expedite the law to protect elderly and vulnerable members of the community.
She said unlike children, who are protected under the Child Act 2001, there is currently no equivalent law safeguarding the elderly in Malaysia.
“Under the Child Act, parents can be penalised for abandoning their children.
“However, there is no such Act for the elderly,” Anfaal said.
She was responding to a StarMetro report on July 12 titled “Patient abandonment on the rise”, which highlighted a rise in the elderly being left behind in public hospitals.
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Anfaal drew a comparison with Singapore, which had the Maintenance of Parents Act, enabling folk over 60 who cannot maintain themselves adequately to claim an allowance from their children.
Anfaal emphasised the effectiveness of having specific legislation in place to prevent such heart-wrenching cases.
Anfaal says caring for the elderly extends beyond financial obligations.
“With such an Act in place, it will be a crime to neglect senior citizens,” she added.
Recognising the challenges faced by caregivers, Anfaal highlighted the potential for burnout and the need to provide comprehensive support.
She added that caring for the elderly extended beyond financial obligations, requiring emotional investment and specialised knowledge.
Sharing a personal experience of caring for her father, former Hulu Kelang assemblyman Saari Sungib who has Parkinson’s disease, Anfaal underscored the complexities involved in providing both emotional and medical care to ailing seniors, which is often beyond the capabilities of most families.
“In most cases, the families don’t know how to care for the elderly and sick,” she said.
To address the knowledge gap in senior care, Anfaal encouraged the public to enrol in courses offered by Institut Sosial Malaysia under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
These programmes aim to empower individuals with caregiving skills while providing potential income opportunities.
Anfaal acknowledged the challenges faced by the “sandwich generation,” primarily women who juggle responsibilities for both children and elderly parents or in-laws alongside their careers.
In response, she said the state government would launch the Selangor Care Economy Policy by the end of this month, which would include guidelines for senior care, and serve as a referral point for local councils in establishing senior homes.
“Through the Selangor Care Economy Council, we will undertake research to identify challenges within the caregiving sector,” she said, adding that it would also include developing user-friendly guidelines for senior care homes to ensure compliance and prevent illegal operations.
Ultimately, Anfaal stressed the importance of a collaborative approach involving communities, corporations and families to support seniors and enable them to age with their well-being in mind.
