GEORGE TOWN - The Penang government has launched the Age-Friendly City: Penang Island Strategic Action Plan, setting the course for the state to become age-friendly by 2028.
State Local Government, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman H’ng Mooi Lye said the initiative involves a tripartite collaboration between the Penang Island City Council (MBPP), the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC) and the Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society (MHAS) consultants.
He said the initiative, which began in 2022, consists of eight strategic modules outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to meet the criteria for Age-Friendly City status.
"Based on the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s 2024 projections, 80 per cent or 143,805 of Penang’s population will be senior citizens (aged 65 and above), with 73,975 living on the island and 69,830 in Seberang Perai.
"With this in mind, the state government has taken proactive steps by developing a strategic action plan to provide the necessary facilities towards becoming an ageing state, ensuring that the people of Penang can live more sustainably,” he told a press conference following the plan’s launch and a publicity session here recently.
MBPP Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran and PWDC chief executive officer Datuk Ong Bee Leng were also present.
Elaborating, H’ng said the eight modules of the action plan include outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, as well as health services and community supports.
He said that senior citizens often face challenges in daily life and their surroundings, whether in urban and rural areas, including mobility issues, difficulty accessing services and limited access to age-friendly public transportation and infrastructure.
In addition, he pointed out that accessing services provided by government agencies can be difficult due to a lack of information, digital barriers and complex bureaucratic processes, leading to social isolation, a decline in quality of life, and difficulty maintaining independence.
"Therefore, creating an age-friendly environment is essential, as we will all eventually become senior citizens. This initiative will also benefit future ageing generations,” he added.
H’ng said the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) would also roll out the initiative in 2025 and believed that Penang can achieve age-friendly status by 2028.
According to the Current Population Estimates by Administrative Districts, 2024, published on Aug 30, Seberang Perai Tengah is among 11 districts identified as ageing, where the population aged 65 and above reached seven per cent. - BERNAMA