The Malaysian Insight

CARE givers, welfare workers and homes for the elderly have welcomed the Senior Citizens Bill that is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat next year.

The bill seeks to provide provisions for legal action and penalties for adult children who refuse to be responsible for their aged parents.

The proposed law is aimed at arresting the growing problem of the elderly being abandoned by their children.

Peter Tan, founder of non-profit home Persatuan Syukur Penyayang Pulau Pinang said the law should be aimed at children who “cheat” their parents.

“Some parents hand over their business to their children with the expectation they would care for them in their old age,” he said.

“Instead their children do not bother about them or take care of them after inheriting the business. This is what we often hear from our residents.

“These are ungrateful children who should be punished. They should be made legally bound to take care of their elderly parents.”

Peter said the law should compel such children to do community work as punishment.

“Don’t fine them. Order them serve in charity groups and homes for the elderly. Make them care for the elderly, like giving them a bath.”

Tan said some parents were left in the hospital when they fell sick.

“We have seen many cases. The Welfare Department often calls us to ask if we could take in the abandoned folk.

Tan said it is heartbreaking to see children turn their back on the father and mother who raised them.

It is unacceptable, he added.

Tan Hiang Hock, who has been a social worker for 20 years, said the most common reasons cited by children for neglecting their parents is financial and time constraints.

None of the reasons are acceptable, he said.

“The bottom line is, children are simply reluctant to spend money on their parents.”

Tan said more and more elderly folk were being abandoned every year and the homes could only do so much to help.

“They are non-profit homes and they give priority to single elderly people. Their capacity is limited.”

He said he receives about 25 calls for help each month.

Persatuan Kebajikan Kasih OKU Selangor’s Jacky Bah is all in favour of the law.

Bah said many of the elderly were dumped at hospitals.

He added some were left at the entrance of hospitals.

He said the Covid-19 pandemic and inflation had contributed to the growing cases of abandonment.

“Their children are now saddled with financial problems making it difficult for them to feed extra mouths,” said Bah.

“Every day, we receive calls for help, the number of people who want to apply for admission to the homes keeps increasing.

“They are of all races.”

Steven Gee said his home for the elderly is full and cannot take in any more.

The home can only accommodate 25 people.

Gee said he still receives calls from hospitals and the Social Welfare Department asking him to take in more.

He said he can only help by referring the callers to other homes.

On March 15, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Aiman Athirah Sabu told the Dewan Rakyat the Senior Citizens Bill the bill would protect senior citizens and also prepare the country to become an ageing nation by 2030.

She said her ministry had conducted a study on the content, approach and scope of the law.

“The ministry will also look into the appropriateness of the punishments for adult children who refuse to be responsible for their parents and to enhance public awareness on the importance of taking care of the elderly,” she said in reply to Mohd Sany Hamzan’s (Hulu Langat-PH) question.

Aiman said the ministry had implemented various initiatives to ensure the wellbeing of senior citizens in the country, such as establishing the Rumah Seri Kenangan and Rumah Ehsan nursing homes for those in need through the Social Welfare Department. – March 26, 2023.