09/09/2025

TUESDAY | SEPT 9, 2025

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Creak less, care more on ageing S O here’s the situation: Malaysia is getting older – and it’s not just your knees, but the whole country. According to statistics, we are sliding rapidly into an figure out some basics. Other countries have elderly call-in hotlines, volunteer buddy systems and community health workers who drop by. But us? We are still arguing whether WiFi in kampungs is a luxury or a right. Let’s introduce a national consultations you want but if Auntie Kamariah needs to wait until Hari Raya Haji 2026 for her next appointment, what is the point? And medication stock-outs? Aiyo . One day it is available, next it is kosong . If we want our elders to live longer, maybe don’t make them play lottery with their life-saving pills. A T E D M

What about families? Don’t think you are off the hook just because “eh, government should do something”. Yes, the state must step up but so must you. Don’t call your mother once a week just to ask where she kept your SPM certificate; visit her, bring her kuih . Ask how her heart is, not just whether the house is still under her name. If you can’t be there every day, make sure someone is. Hire help, talk to neighbours or use technology. Love is responsibility, not lip service. And please stop this nonsense of pretending old people cannot make decisions. Old does not mean outdated. Just because Pakcik Dahlan uses a Nokia does not mean he cannot vote, manage his bank account or tell you off in four languages. What we need is support, not babysitting. Respect, not condescension. Care, not coddling. Bottom line We are not ready – not yet – but we can be if we stop acting like it is a future problem and start treating it like the urgent and present situation it is. Ageing is not a disease; it is a guaranteed part of life. So, don’t wait until you are the one stranded in a hot flat with no meds and no company before screaming “why nobody help the old folks?” Start now – build the systems, check on your elders and plan like you will live long enough to benefit from the changes you demand – because makcik ’s knees may be noisy but her message is loud and clear. Sekian , with love, cili padi and one tight makcik slap for anyone still pretending this is someone else’s problem. AzuraAbas is the associate editor of theSun. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com Building on what works The Education Ministry has introduced important programmes such as Literacy and Numeracy Intervention Programme (2024), Anak Kita (2024) and the Reading Aid Programme (2022) to support foundational skills and reduce dropouts. These initiatives show what is possible when education is prioritised. The next step is to scale up and strengthen what works, especially for rural and disadvantaged communities. This includes: 0 Upgrading rural infrastructure: better internet, devices and safe classrooms. 0 Expanding access to digital learning tools: literacy apps, e-libraries and interactive platforms. 0 Supporting teachers: through training, incentives and community-based recruitment. 0 Engaging families and communities: encouraging shared reading and building a culture of learning at home. When schools, families, NGOs and policymakers work together, literacy becomes more than a subject; it becomes a foundation for national growth. Literacy is dignity; it is empowerment and opportunity. Children like Maxuan deserve more than the ability to write their names; they deserve the chance to write their dreams. Malaysia has shown before that it can achieve near-universal literacy. With renewed commitment, we can do it again. But this time, we must ensure that no community and no child is left behind. Let us remember, the true measure of our progress is not only in statistics but in the futures we help children unlock. The real question is not whether we can afford to invest in literacy; it is whether we can afford the cost of lost potential if we don’t. Joseph Lai Sabah Community Development Programme Lead World Vision Malaysia

“ageing nation” status. By 2030, 15% of Malaysians will be aged 60 and above. That will be a lot of atuks , neneks , makciks and uncles trying to survive not just creaky joints, but also a system that is still acting like ageing is a personal inconvenience instead of a national priority. Hello, what’s the plan? You cannot just say “we respect our elders” and then abandon Auntie Salmah in a flat with no lift, and hope a nice neighbour will randomly bring her groceries. Respect is not just poetic Instagram captions on “Hari Warga Emas”; it is also systems, support and showing up. Let’s be real: Malaysians are amazing at ceramahs and slogans. But action? Sometimes slower than a 93-year-old climbing stairs with no railing. So here’s your mild lempang of the day: Malaysia, pull up your socks – not the ankle ones, wear the compression type if you must – as it is time to get serious! Where are the protocols? If an elderly person is living alone, there should be mandatory welfare checks – weekly, biweekly, heck, even AI-powered SMS check ins. Something! Anything! We are talking about real people, not forgotten furniture. Who checks if they have eaten today? Who knows if they slipped in the bathroom three days ago? Who is monitoring if Uncle Tan is slowly slipping into depression because his kids only text once a month – and only when they need ang pow ? It does not take a PhD in policy-making to M A R I N B Y A IN a rural village in Sabah this June, I asked a group of children – ages nine to 12 – to write their names on a form. What should have been a simple task revealed something heartbreaking. Some children hesitated, their hands trembling as they tried to spell. Nine-year-old Maxuan paused over every letter before smiling proudly when he finished. A few others could not even recall or write their birthdays. That moment was more than a classroom exercise; it was a reminder that literacy, something many of us take for granted, remains out of reach for many children. Progress at risk Malaysia has made remarkable strides in education. In 2011, the country came close to universal adult literacy, reaching almost 99%. Yet, according to Unesco’s 2024 report, more than 1.2 million Malaysians aged 15 and above – 5.36% of adults – are still illiterate. The challenge is especially pressing in Sabah, where about 11.2% of adults, roughly 274,000 people, cannot read or write. These numbers reflect not just statistics but thousands of lives and futures at stake. Navigating digital era This year’s International Literacy Day theme, ”Promoting Literacy in the New Digital Era”, is timely. Digital tools bring tremendous opportunities but without strong reading and writing foundations, many children risk being left behind. The World Bank estimates that nearly one in four Malaysian children enter primary school without readiness skills, with low-income LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

elderly well-being register – a safe and respectful system where vulnerable seniors living alone are visited or contacted regularly. Not in a “big brotherly” way but in a “hey, you okay tak , nak makan bubur or rendang today?” way. And please, make it easy. No forms longer than Tolstoy’s War and Peace . No 14-chop approvals. If Makcik Ani can register her chicken rice order on Grab, she should be able to register for a welfare check-in. Accessible housing You think a 72-year-old with arthritis wants to climb three floors to get to her flat in PPR Dahlia B-2-4? Elevators rosak since Merdeka and no one bats an eye. And don’t even get me started on bathroom design – slippery tiles, no railing, tiny space. It is like the architect wanted to audition old folks for Ninja Warrior. What we need: age-friendly housing, functional lifts, ramps that are actually usable – not just decorative or at impossible 90° angles – and bathrooms where you can actually move without needing a stunt double. Future-proof it. Design with ageing in mind because, if you are lucky, you’ll be old one day too. Healthcare that doesn’t cost a kidney Free checkups are great. But you know what is better? Free follow-ups that don’t take seven months – or a secret handshake – to book. You can offer all the RM1 clinic A K C I K A B A S

Healthcare reform isn’t a sexy election slogan but it saves lives. Want to win votes from old folks? Make sure they don’t collapse halfway while queuing four hours for registration. Actual community centres Not just sad karaoke machines from 1998. We want vibrant and activity-filled spaces with tai chi , board games, art therapy, free WiFi and an aunty gossip corner, fully funded and accessible. And “community centre” does not mean one dusty hall with a broken fan where the only event is “bingo night” every leap year. Provide classes – painting, cooking, even TikTok 101. Let nenek go viral for her rendang recipes. Let pakcik form a chess gang. Let them live, not just exist because seniors are not waiting to die quietly; they still have stories, talents, energy. They just need platforms. Transport that does not treat them like a burden Give them discounted Grab rides. Wheelchair friendly buses that work. Not just “eh, got ramp but tak boleh buka , sorry-ah”. And please train drivers, stop jerking the bus like you are auditioning for Fast and Furious . You’ve got neneks holding on for dear life with their Tesco shopping bag. Mobility is dignity. If they can’t move, they can’t participate. If they can’t participate, society loses their wisdom, humour and unpaid babysitting services.

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Writing children’s dreams with dignity through literacy

When schools, families, NGOs and policymakers work together, literacy becomes more than a subject; it becomes a foundation for national growth. – PIC COURTESY OF WORLD VISION MALAYSIA

In rural Sabah, teachers relied on printed worksheets and children depended heavily on parents, many of whom struggled with literacy themselves. One mother, Lucia, whose children take part in World Vision Malaysia programmes, shared her hopes: ”Having Information and communication technology skills, getting excellent results and managing time wisely... these are my hopes for my children.” Her words remind us that literacy today is not only about reading and writing; it is about the skills children need to thrive in school and in a digital world.

families most affected. In Sabah, children face extra hurdles – remote schools, under equipped classrooms and limited internet access. Even before the pandemic, progress in children’s literacy was slow. A World Vision Malaysia study (2019) found that literacy among children under 12 improved by just one percentage point over five years. Wake-up call Covid-19 highlighted how fragile access to learning can be. In urban areas, families juggled limited devices and crowded homes.