KUCHING: Changing the age definition of senior citizens from 60 to 65 years would have several implications, including a reduction in the nation’s fiscal deficit.
Datuk Dr Madeline Berma, Fellow at Academy of Sciences Malaysia, explained that this would arise as there would be reduction in public spending for social security, health, and care of the elderly – which would start at 65 years of age should the definition be changed.
She was commenting on the suggested change in age definition of senior citizens from 60 to 65 years, one of the proposals presented by the Social Welfare Department in the National Senior Citizens Advisory and Consultative Council (MPPWEN) meeting on Thursday (Dec 17).
Should this proposal be implemented, she said that subsidies and discounts for the elderly such as service subsidies (public transport, museum entrance passes) would be reduced.
“There would also be a reduction in government expenditure on welfare programmes for the elderly,” she said when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune.
“Another implication of increasing the age definition to 65 years is that in terms of statistics, the ratio of elderly citizens to the total population of Malaysia will decrease,” she said.
Madeline added that the implementation of this proposal would cause the non-aged population to increase.
“They can still be employed and contribute to the family and national economy,” she said.
She noted that in Malaysia, senior citizens are defined as those aged 60 and above, based on the World Assembly on Ageing 1982 in Vienna, Austria.
