SHAH ALAM, Sept 25 — Selangor aims to move from research and pilot programmes to wider implementation of proven initiatives in 2027, particularly in strengthening social welfare and the care economy, said state executive councillor for women empowerment and social welfare Anfaal Saari.
Research and data should not remain as studies or policies on paper but must be translated into programmes that directly benefit targeted communities.
“For me, 2027 needs to be about moving from research to implementation…from pilot to scale.
“Perhaps, we implement it in one or two areas, one or two PPRs (People’s Housing Programme), then we scale it up to a higher and wider phase,” she said during the 2027 Selangor Budget Engagement Session at the Selangor International Trade Centre today.
Anfaal added that Selangor has developed various policies involving the care economy, women, and disabled persons, alongside efforts to improve guidelines for childcare and care centres.
However, there is a need to explore wider funding sources, with the Bantuan Rahmah Anak Istimewa Selangor programme as an example, which has a RM800,000 allocation but which received around 3,000 applications.
She said the state government needs to look at how to create more employment opportunities for healthy elderly people, expand support for bedridden senior citizens, and explore the potential of the silver economy.
Selangor’s social and economic agendas are closely linked, with a caring society essential to building a productive, skilled and inclusive workforce under the Second Selangor Plan.
“For me, the two cannot be separated. When you talk about a productive workforce, it ultimately comes from productive human capital,” Anfaal said.
The councillor emphasised the need to make social policies more accessible, citing the difficulties faced by single mothers seeking maintenance payments, as guidelines must be backed by enforcement and outreach.
“We do not want to stop at guidelines. We want to move towards enforcement, and not only through a punitive approach, but more towards outreach,” she said.
The 2027 Selangor Budget is scheduled to be tabled on November 13.
