THE government is proposing a law to protect senior citizens, said Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

Wan Azizah, who is also the women, family and community development minister, said the new law is to enhance and improve the present action plan for senior citizens under the National Policy and Action Plan for Older Persons.

“We are doing a thorough study because nowadays, there are many children who neglect their parents because they do not have the means to care for them.

“They themselves may be stressed by their financial situation and therefore, we are looking at ways to tackle it as a whole,” she said after officiating the Tasputra day care and training centre for special needs children in Ampang today.

The government will study ways to form a long-term model to care for the elderly, she said, as the ministry looks at way to improve the action plan. 

Last week, Wan Azizah’s deputy, Hannah Yeoh, said the ministry is ready to discuss with stakeholders on ways to form a law looking into the welfare of senior citizens. 

Yeoh told Berita Harian that the ministry is ready to study a proposal on forming a specific act revolving the welfare of the elderly, including protection from neglect and abuse. 

Meanwhile, Wan Azizah said today Tasputra Perkim received an RM52,200 allowance for the disabled and an RM33,132 grant to cover the needs of the children at the centre. 

The ministry also disbursed RM13.7 million to 224 civil society organisations, including those providing childcare, such as Tasputra Perkim.

But she urged them not to become too dependent on government grants.

“We have to move from a handout culture to a self-sustainable one.”  – February 7, 2019.