KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will be an ageing nation by 2035, when 15 per cent of the population are classified as senior citizens.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said a forecast by the Statistics Department revealed that Malaysia's senior citizen population (aged 60 and above) would number 5.6 million by 2035.
"Last year's statistics showed that there are 2.8 million or 9 per cent of senior citizens, out of the overall population of 31 million people," she said.
The government has taken steps in its preparation to face the challenges of an ageing nation including ensuring adequate health care services, financials as wellad infrastructure that are senior-citizen friendly.
"One of these included revising the retirement age from 55 to 66 years old. A consultative council for senior citizens was set up to monitor the implementation of the senior citizen policy and action plan, which was approved by the government in 2011," she said in response to a question by Datuk Wira Ahmad Hamzah (BN-Jasin).
She said the ministry was also looking for ways for researchers to carry out studies relating to the matter as well as to improve policy and laws to ensure that the senior citizens' wellbeing is taken care of.