PETALING JAYA: The Social Welfare Department is urging the government to enact special laws to protect the elderly from being abandoned by their families.
Its director-general Norazman Othman said: “Currently, there are no legal provisions allowing for action against families who abandon their parents and other elders. It is time that such laws are enacted to protect these people.”
He said having such laws is important considering 3,865 elderly people were placed in old folks homes between 2020 and 2022.
“While the numbers may be small considering our 32 million population, the fact remains that sending an elderly person to an old folks home should be the last thing to do.
“Last year alone, a total of 1,187 elderly people were left at old folks homes, with 97 of them being abandoned by their families. This is very sad because our elders deserve our love and support in their old age.
“The existence of old folks homes is not an invitation for families to abandon their responsibilities to their parents and other elders who would prefer to be with their families in their last days,” he said.
Norazman added that responsibility aside, filial piety should at least make them care for their parents. But since this is not always the case, the government has had to step in and provide shelter for such elders in the form of old folks homes.
He said the government has also provided several initiatives to ensure children who are too poor to look after their parents could obtain monthly financial assistance from the department, adding that this would allow parents to continue living with their children.
He said the department constantly strives to improve the quality of life for the elderly through various social support services for those who need care and protection.
“We established Rumah Seri Kenangan, which is for elderly people who are poor and above 60 years, have no heirs, guardians or a permanent residence, are free from infectious diseases and can look after themselves.
“We also have Rumah Ehsan (RE), which provides care, treatment and protection to those who are sick, poor, don’t have heirs and need long-term care in a comfortable and peaceful environment.
“Hence, RE is more suitable for the elderly who are bedridden and without family.”
Elderly people who are homeless are usually also jobless, unable to contribute to the family or society and live on the streets, he added.
“It cannot be denied that one of the factors that causes homelessness among the elderly is family neglect.”
However, National Council of Senior Citizens Organisations Malaysia (Nacscom) president Datuk Dr Soon Ting Kueh said his organisation will not support legislation to force children to pay for the upkeep of parents who have been abandoned.
Instead, he suggested that children be taught the meaning of filial piety.
“The issue of the elderly being abandoned by their families can be quite complex. One possible reason is the lack of financial means to pay for medical bills and other expenses that the elderly may require,” he said, adding that there are two types of old folks homes in the country.
“The first is free of charge and operated by civil society or charitable organisations like Nacscom. These homes generally take in homeless elderly people who have no income or dependents.
“The second are aged-care homes run by societies or organisations that charge a fee. So, anybody who is willing to pay can live there.”
Soon said one should instil the Asian culture and tradition, which call for children to always support their elderly parents.
“Parents who abandon their children are frowned upon, but when a child does the same to their parents, there isn’t much of a reaction as sending them to old folks homes is
considered normal.
“While I don’t condone such acts, I believe children would one day become parents themselves. When that happens, they would understand the struggle and sacrifices of their parents. However, regretting it then would be meaningless.”
