Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates.

The government will draft a Senior Citizens Bill to address neglect and strengthen the elderly care ecosystem, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced on Friday (9 October).

Presenting Budget 2027 in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said the government will step up efforts to prepare the country for ageing nation status.

Emphasis On Elderly Care

From 1 January 2027, the service tax on elderly care services will be lowered from 8% to 6%.

Care fees of up to RM96,000 a year will be fully exempted.

Elderly assistance will rise to RM1.3 billion next year, benefiting nearly 200,000 recipients.

More than RM40 million will go through HRD Corp to train 8,000 people for elderly care jobs.

Two National Integrated Care of the Elderly (NICE) centres will be built in Penang and Sarawak for training, research and elderly care.

EPF members who reach 55 and 60 can opt for the i-Emas scheme to receive monthly withdrawals, so the remaining savings continue to earn dividends.

Equipment And Hospitals

More than RM770 million will be set aside for advanced and modern equipment.

This includes upgraded haemodialysis facilities at hospitals nationwide and 400 new ambulances for Health Ministry hospitals.

Hospital Pakar USM will be equipped with robotic surgery technology, extending treatment to patients on the East Coast and in the northern Peninsula.

18 Health Ministry training institutes will receive clinical simulation equipment and basic science laboratories. The move is aimed at improving skills for over 20,000 trainees, medical staff and paramedics.

Patients With Special Needs

Overall aid for persons with disabilities (OKU) rises to RM1.5 billion, benefiting over 300,000 people.

The care aid for bedridden and chronically ill OKU goes up from RM500 to RM600 a month.

15 Community-Based Rehabilitation (PDK) premises will be upgraded into specialised therapy centres, benefiting 20,000 registered OKU with Down syndrome.

3,000 new OKU caregivers will be equipped with specialised skills.

Treatment Support

The Medical Aid Fund will increase from RM40 million to RM60 million.

MySalam will continue in 2027. Anwar said the scheme has benefited 1.6 million people, with RM1.3 billion in claims.

The BuAi programme will offer affordable fertility treatment to 2,000 couples and men’s wellness services to 42,000 individuals.

Free thalassaemia screening will be extended to husbands and children of carriers, to reduce the risk of babies born with thalassaemia major.

PERKESO will provide health screening vouchers to commercial vehicle drivers to detect health risks that could affect their ability to drive.

Digital Health Records And Licensing

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will continue accelerating the Electronic Medical Record system at healthcare facilities nationwide, with an investment of RM1 billion.

The system will follow a “one person, one record” principle.

The e-CKAPS portal will allow licensing of private healthcare facilities to be done fully online from 2027. Processing time is targeted to fall by up to 65%.

Share your thoughts with us via TRP’s Facebook, X, Instagram, or Threads.