SHAH ALAM, Oct 18 — The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) to develop a more comprehensive elderly care ecosystem through cooperation in medicine, training, and research.
The LOI was signed by Petaling Jaya Mayor Dato' Mohd Yazid Sairi and UMMC director Prof Dr Mohd Zulkiflee Abu Bakar during the closing ceremony of the Selangor International Care Expo (SICE) 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday.
MBPJ said the strategic partnership covered six key areas: elderly care training, module and trainer development, health support for caregivers, community support models, pilot projects, and research and impact assessments.
“The initiative will enhance the competencies of family caregivers, community members, and care centre staff through structured training, health education, and practical demonstrations drawing on UMMC's expertise.
“Caregivers’ well-being will also be emphasised through education on stress management, mental health, dementia, and peer support to ensure higher-quality and safer care,” it said in a statement.
MBPJ added that the collaboration will also explore community health support models and pilot projects integrating age-friendly urban planning principles with access to comprehensive healthcare services.
Similarly, studies on caregivers’ needs, the effectiveness of training programmes, and healthy ageing will be conducted to inform future improvements to policies and elderly care initiatives.
“This initial step will be followed by the development of a memorandum of understanding to detail the scope and implementation mechanisms, subject to the relevant approvals and regulations,” it said.
The partnership aligns with the Petaling Jaya Elderly Action Plan 2030 and the Petaling Jaya Care Economy Action Plan 2025-2030, which support efforts to strengthen public-sector collaboration for the people's well-being.
