KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 — The government aims to table a senior citizens’ Bill in 2024, Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Raj Munni Sabu said.
She said the Act will look into addressing elder-related issues as the country prepares itself to be an ageing nation by 2030.
“The Bill is targeted for its first reading in 2024. In relation to that, the Ministry will study the suitability of the law towards children who are not being responsible of their parents, ensuring that public awareness can be increased on caring for senior citizens,” Raj Munni told the Parliament today during question time.
Raj Munni was responding to Amanah’s Hulu Langat MP Mohd Sany Hamzan who asked if the ministry intends to introduce a law requiring a deduction from the children’s salary when they send their parents to the daycare centres or nursing homes for the elderly.
Part of the efforts carried out by the ministry to date include plans to set up more senior citizen activity centres (PAWE) in parliamentary constituencies which do not have such facilities.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri reportedly said the move was to enable more senior citizens across the country to have access to facilities to carry out activities or programmes at the community level, thus ensuring that the group remains active and productive.
Currently, she said there are 161 PAWE in 146 parliamentary constituencies across the country, which are used by more than 52,000 senior citizens.
