21/04/2026

TUESDAY | APR 21, 2026

3 Majority of elderly not ageing healthy

more than 30% of its population now aged 65 and above. “In Malaysia, all three phases are happening much faster. From now until 2036, we will reach 15% of the population aged over 60. “The transition is happening in about 15 to 16 years compared with Japan’s 100 years, about 1.5 times faster.” He said the shift would strain fiscal resources, social protection systems and caregiving structures. He added that while the overall situation is concerning, one positive trend is that mental health among older persons has improved, with depression prevalence declining from 11.2% in 2018 to 8% in 2025. However, he cautioned that dementia remains a growing concern, often linked to uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol,

which could lead to vascular damage and cognitive decline. The survey also found a sharp rise in older persons living alone, increasing to about 18%, nearly three times previous levels. Despite this, it showed that social support indicators improved slightly from 45% to 48%. “This suggests that although more older persons are living independently, support systems have also strengthened, possibly through extended family arrangements and community engagement.” He described the development as “paradoxical but positive”, adding that modern communication and shared caregiving responsibilities may be helping sustain family support structures. Dzulkefly said Malaysia is strengthening its response through

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia faces renewed cost-of-living pressure as a deepening global energy crisis threatens to drive up prices beyond fuel with ripple effects expected across logistics, insurance and production inputs. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said inflationary pressures are beginning to spread along the supply chain, raising the risk of broader price increases in the months ahead. He added that inflation edged up to 1.7% in March from 1.4% in February, but emphasised that the greater concern now lay in rising input costs that could eventually be passed on to consumers. Among the key risks being monitored are higher fertiliser prices, rising costs of imported production inputs and disruptions linked to freight and insurance. “Inflation factors also involve the goods being used, and once input costs are affected, the impact becomes much broader.” Akmal said the full impact might not be immediate due to existing inventories and buffers but cautioned that prolonged disruptions could have wider economic consequences. He added that as part of efforts to manage inflationary pressures, the government is taking a more practical approach to expand biodiesel use, including plans to increase the blend from B10 to B15 without waiting for large-scale infrastructure upgrades. Akmal also said operational adjustments at depots and fuel facilities could help accelerate implementation, with domestic biodiesel supply deemed sufficient to support the move. Meanwhile, the second Malaysian oil-laden vessel to have passed through the Strait of Hormuz is expected to arrive by the end of the week, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said, according to Bernama. He said the shipment would help strengthen Malaysia’s supply security. – By Faiz Ruzman ‘Inflation pressures affecting supply chain’ international collaboration to reduce diagnostic delays, which could stretch up to 10 years in some cases. He also emphasised the need to strengthen caregiver support, adding that the burden of ageing extends beyond patients to families. the National Ageing Blueprint, the Health Services Action Plan for Older Persons (2023–2030) and the National Dementia Action Plan (2023–2030), focusing on prevention, long-term care and system resilience. He also highlighted efforts to improve disease registries, including a rare disease registry with

o Data reinforces urgency to expedite Senior Citizens Bill, says Health minister

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

diseases, frailty, falls, sarcopenia and cognitive decline, adding that failure to act early would trap the country in a cycle of crisis-driven care. He added that the ministry fully supports accelerating the Bill in line with broader national ageing and dementia action plans. He also said Malaysia is ageing at a significantly faster pace than developed nations. Dzulkefly said Japan’s ageing transition unfolded over a century through three phases – improved longevity, declining fertility and population ageing – resulting in

PUTRAJAYA: The government is moving to transform the Central Data Repository into a powerful policy engine from May, adding analytics capabilities to a database that already holds detailed profiles of 30.7 million Malaysians and is used across multiple agencies. Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said 26 government agencies and departments are on board, with another set to join soon as adoption of the platform continues to expand. He added that the database has effectively evolved into a live back-end government platform, primarily used to verify applicant data but would soon be enhanced to support analytics-driven decision making across ministries. “(The databse) will focus on the back end, but we want to make it more sophisticated to assist our agencies on analytics,” he told reporters after the Economy Ministry monthly assembly at the Putrajaya PUTRAJAYA: A staggering 85.3% of older Malaysians are not ageing well, with only 14.7% meeting the criteria for healthy ageing, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2025 (NHMS 2025), underscoring concerns over the country’s preparedness for a rapidly greying nation and accelerating calls for urgent policy intervention, including the proposed Senior Citizens Bill. Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said “healthy ageing” is defined through five criteria: strong social support, absence of cognitive impairment such as dementia, no depression or only minimal depressive symptoms, independence in daily living activities and either no chronic diseases or well-controlled conditions. “Only those who meet all five criteria are considered to be ageing well. This is the most important point.” Based on NHMS 2025 data involving 7,258 respondents, only 14.7% of older persons met all five criteria, effectively meaning 85.3% fall short of what is considered healthy ageing. Dzulkefly said the findings reinforce the urgency to expedite the Senior Citizens Bill, which he described as a crucial legal framework to safeguard the rights and welfare of older persons. “We should not wait until people reach their 60s. We need to start from their early 50s, giving at least a decade to prepare them for healthy ageing.” He emphasised that early intervention is key to preventing or delaying non-communicable

Dzulkefly said the ministry fully supports accelerating the Bill in line with broader national ageing and dementia action plans. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

Govt to add analytics capabilities to Central Data Repository Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

International Convention Centre yesterday. He also said its current strength lies in streamlining verification processes, particularly for agencies handling scholarships, loans, grants and targeted assistance, as it allows for cross-checking of data through a single platform instead of multiple agencies such as the Inland Revenue Board, Social Security Organisation and Employees Provident Fund. Among those currently using the system are the Public Service Department, National Higher Education Fund Corporation, Skills Development Department under the Human Resources Ministry, agencies under the Youth and Sports Ministry, the National Digital Department and the Penang State Secretary’s Office. The Welfare Department is expected to join next. He added that one agency under the Youth and Sports Ministry had reduced the time and manpower required for verification by 70% after adopting the database. Akmal emphasised that the database is no longer operating as an

open public registration drive, adding that individual sign-ups have always been voluntary and that the data collection phase had concluded. “The data we receive comes from more than 200 agencies. “Some update in real time, some periodically and some only after certain filings are completed. So the process is ongoing. “The platform is (active) and continuously updated. In terms of total data points, there are about 600 that we receive regularly and consistently.” Introduced by former Economy minister Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, the Central Data Repository was designed as a central socio-economic database to improve subsidy targeting, aid distribution and government planning. Rafizi had said in September 2023 that the system was about 60% complete, with plans to open it to the public in January 2024 following a trial run. It was officially launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Jan 2, 2024, with Malaysians given until March 31 to verify and update

their data. At the time, the government positioned it as a key tool to ensure targeted subsidies reached the intended recipients more accurately. In November 2024, Rafizi said phase two registration would proceed after Cabinet approval of refined criteria. The platform remained in use following his departure, with Akmal assuming the portfolio in December 2025. Akmal said the database’s build out phase is now complete, with the focus shifting to wider adoption and deeper use among agencies. “It is done, and the platform is ready. As of now, if agencies come for verification, the data checks are already embedded in the system. “But we also want to strengthen it further. It should not only confirm information or perform verification; we also want to add an analytics element. “So the challenge is to ensure more agencies understand the significance of the services, which will help them carry out their duties.”