SHAH ALAM, June 9 — Improving access to childcare, eldercare and other support services could add RM77 billion annually to Malaysia’s economy, said Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, as reported by The Star.
She said greater labour participation, enabled by more accessible and reliable care services, could contribute the equivalent of about 5 per cent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Speaking at the APEC Business Advisory Council’s Malaysia Care Economy Roundtable 2026 yesterday, Nancy said the care economy should no longer be viewed solely as social responsibility, but as a key economic driver.
“While unpaid care and domestic work has historically remained under-recognised within conventional economic measurements, its implications for labour participation, productivity and economic resilience are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore,” she said, citing a 2024 study by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.
The study estimated the value of unpaid care and domestic work at RM379 billion annually.
“Yet 3.2 million Malaysians, mostly women, remain constrained from full workforce participation.
“That is why we must expand the care ecosystem, so families can contribute fully to the nation’s growth,” she added.
She also said strengthening the care economy requires not only expanding care services, but also elevating the sector with recognised, sustainable professions.
“Greater emphasis will need to be placed on workforce professionalisation, accreditation, career pathways and talent development capable of attracting and retaining future generations of care workers,” she said.
She emphasised that the National Care Standards for older persons and persons with disabilities are expected to be introduced as early as October.
“These are standards setting minimum benchmarks to ensure quality, safety and accountability in care services,” she said.
According to Nancy, the standards are being developed with the support of the Finance Ministry and Economy Ministry to safeguard the dignity and rights of care recipients, while promoting consistency across institutional, community-based and home care services.
The roundtable also featured discussions among policymakers and experts on challenges facing the care sector, including women leaving the workforce to fulfill caregiving responsibilities and the need for stronger care infrastructure such as childcare facilities and formal caregiving services.
