A well-known community advocate has cautioned that Sarawak needs a cohesive, long-term plan to address issues arising from its rapidly ageing populace. Speaking at a recent seminar in Kuching, she stressed that unless government planners, healthcare authorities, community organisations and private partners join forces, many seniors could slip through the gaps.

Key takeaways from her speech:

• Fast-moving demographic change
– Currently about one in 13 residents in Sarawak is aged 60 or older, and that proportion is expected to double within 15 years.
– Outlying districts are particularly underserved in terms of facilities and services suited to older adults.

• Shortcomings in the current model
– Ageing is too often treated solely as a medical concern, when in truth it spans employment, social inclusion, transportation, housing and digital connectivity.
– Data on seniors’ requirements remains incomplete. Without accurate information on where they live, which services they use and where gaps exist, planning cannot be effective.

• Roadmap for collective effort
1. Form an inter-agency task force led by the Chief Minister’s Department to set strategic goals, monitor outcomes and align budgets.
2. Introduce an “Age-Friendly Sarawak” accreditation for municipalities that meet standards in accessibility, public transport and civic involvement.
3. Enhance rural primary-care systems by expanding geriatric nursing training, outfitting mobile health units and subsidising telehealth services.
4. Provide tax breaks or grants to firms and NGOs operating elder-care centres, dementia support initiatives or intergenerational programmes.
5. Roll out a public outreach campaign promoting healthy ageing—covering topics from nutritious diets and regular exercise to digital skills workshops.

The activist warned that a piecemeal, departmental approach will fall short. “We need one unified plan,” she declared. “Only then can we guarantee our seniors lead healthy, secure and socially engaged lives in their later years.”

She also urged families and community leaders to take action—motivating younger members to interact with older relatives, volunteer in local elder-care schemes and share caregiving duties. In her closing remarks, she called on the state government to present its ageing-population strategy at the next Dewan Undangan Negeri session to secure the necessary funding and legislation without delay.

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