NOVEMBER 15 — Malaysia is fast entering a demographic transition that will fundamentally transform its social and economic landscape.

The latest figures from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) show that citizens aged 65 years and above now make up 8.4 per cent of the total population.

For many seniors living outside the main districts, the closest PAWE is tens of kilometres away, essentially creating huge geographic deserts where the most vulnerable segments of the population are excluded from community support. — Pexels pic

The country’s median age is 31.7 years old and its old-age dependency ratio is 11.9, putting it on a path to becoming a full “aged nation” – when 14 per cent of the population is aged 65 or older – by 2040.