KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — A White Paper on the National Ageing Blueprint (NAB) 2025-2045 will be tabled in Parliament this year to ensure the country is prepared to face the aged nation status by 2048.

Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the White Paper aims to coordinate strategic adaptations at the federal, ministerial and state government levels, as well as to secure support from all stakeholders.

He said the NAB outlines five key strategic thrusts, namely macroeconomics and fiscal policy, education, skills and workforce, lifelong health, social protection and long-term care.

“The primary focus of the NAB has also been translated into specific strategies and initiatives under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) to prepare the country for the challenges of an ageing population.

“Among the strategies to be implemented are prioritising national productivity and competitiveness, preparing for an aged nation, and labour market reforms, including increasing the participation of older workers, women, and persons with disabilities (PwD),” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Akmal Nasrullah was responding to a question from Datuk Dr Alias Razak (PN-Kuala Nerus) regarding strategies to address the impact of the declining national fertility rate on economic projections and specific planning within the 13MP to ensure demographic balance and sustainable regional development nationwide.

He said proactive measures were taken following projections by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), which indicate that the national fertility rate is expected to decline significantly to 0.7 children for every woman aged 15 to 49 by 2050.

He added that the downward trend from 1.6 children in 2024 would have a direct impact on the shrinking ratio of the working-age population and the country’s future economic growth potential.

He said engagement sessions with state governments were held during the drafting of the NAB to ensure understanding of national readiness and to strengthen grassroots-level preparations.

In response to a supplementary question from Alias on regional development, Akmal Nasrullah said the government is examining the potential of high-impact industries such as Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) in the East Coast to leverage the region’s larger youth population. — Bernama