SHAH ALAM, Oct 4 — The Selangor government is committed to fortifying the social support ecosystem for senior citizens, especially those in high-risk groups and who live alone, said state executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari.
She said the effort is in line with the Selangor Care Economy Policy, which emphasises the concept of shared responsibilities between government, family and community in ensuring senior citizens’ well-being.
“Tragedies could be prevented with easy mechanisms like daily calls and periodic visits, which could seem small but have a big impact on preventing loneliness and undetected disappearances.
“We are also looking into senior citizens’ needs to ensure aid is impactful, like the Senior Citizens’ Activity Centre (PAWE), and we’re exploring a smart monitoring system to automatically detect falls and health emergencies,” Anfaal told Media Selangor.
Meanwhile, Teman Malaysia chief executive officer and co-founder Nurul Ezzati Mohamed Nasir said support from local communities is important to make the endeavour a success.
She said cooperation between government agencies, non-governmental organisations, and the community is important to ensure aid is channelled quickly and effectively to those in need.
“Those aged 45 and above with chronic illnesses are also at risk, not just senior citizens. This issue involves the community’s shared responsibility to be more aware and not be fully dependent on digital communication,” Ezzati added.
Previously, Malaysian Social Science Association (PSSM) special adviser Prof Emeritus Datuk Abdul Rahman Embong said 44.7 per cent of Malaysians were single in 2021, the third-highest in Asean. He added that there must be serious attention on the ageing population issue and the increasing number of people living alone.
Among Malaysia’s dying-alone cases, a 77-year-old was found dead near Batu Niah, Sarawak, on September 21, a week after he was reported missing as he was driving alone without his family’s knowledge.
Another was when a 72-year-old’s corpse was found rotting in his locked home in Sungai Pinang, Penang, on July 7. Similarly, a 76-year-old was found dead in a two-storey terrace home on June 14 in Pandan Indah, Kuala Lumpur, after complaints from neighbours about a stench from the house.
