By Danial Dzulkifly
SELANGOR is leading the development of a care economy in Malaysia, addressing rising demand as the country becomes an ageing nation.
Its care economy initiative recognises the economic contribution of childcare and elderly care, acknowledges the contribution of paid employees in formal and informal sectors, and recognises unpaid care work.
Leading this initiative is state executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari, who said Selangor’s efforts could serve as a model for other states and potentially influence national policy on a care economy.
“Selangor is a pioneer at this stage, as there are no terms of reference at the national level or in any other state.
“We are leading the way in formulating the policy and implementing a framework to empower workers, paid or unpaid, in this sector,” she said in a recent interview with Selangor Journal.
Anfaal said the state is formulating policy through extensive engagement sessions with stakeholders including academicians, child and elderly care experts, industry operators, and government agencies.
She added that the proactive approach will help create job opportunities in the care sector, improve the quality of care services, and provide better support for care workers and care recipients.
This major initiative is part of the First Selangor Plan (RS-1), the state’s five-year development plan introduced in 2022, further refined with its mid-term review, which was passed in the Selangor State Legislative Assembly earlier this month.
While the finer details of the policy are still being discussed, Anfaal expressed hope it will be unveiled in November after careful deliberations with stakeholders.
“We intend to proceed with the development of the policy in the third and fourth quarters of this year.
“We have established a consultation group led by Dr Haniza Khalid, currently with the Universiti Malaya Social Well-being Research Centre, and teamed up with the chief executive officer of Hayat Technologies, Dr Helmi Zakariah, for technological input.
“We hope we will be able to conduct a study for this policy under the supervision of Wanita Berdaya Selangor (WBS). Hopefully, by November, it can be launched. It is still in the planning and research phase, but it is progressing,” she said.
WBS is a state subsidiary that aims to empower Selangor women via education scholarships and micro-credential courses, among others. It is also responsible for helping draft policies that uplift women and enhance their social well-being.
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Babysitter Adibah Nor Mokles, 32, conducts a reading activity with her charges during the launch of the Frontliners’ Children Childcare Centre at the Selangor State Secretariat Building, Shah Alam, on February 18, 2022. — Picture by HAFIZ OTHMAN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
Regulating care centres
With the care economy split into two major segments — childcare and elderly care — among issues being discussed is the regulation of private institutions.
“Currently, there is a mushrooming of private institutions … to develop assisted and independent living for the elderly.
“Should these institutions not be guided by regulations and operate in a conducive environment, they will be driven as mere enterprises. For the welfare of the people in these institutions, we must communicate to the owners that there is an initiative by the Selangor to regulate and ensure they comply with guidelines,” she said.
Anfaal revealed the state government is developing its own elderly care centres. One is for assisted living in Petaling Jaya, which is awaiting approval from the Petaling Jaya City Council, and another is an independent living centre, meant for the elderly to enjoy their favourite activities and receive quality life care.
At present, 802 care centres in the state are registered with the Social Welfare Department.
“These centres are under the purview of the Care Centres Act 1993, as well as the Private Aged Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 2018 that governs private healthcare centres.
“Any private entity wanting to build a healthcare institution must comply with certain guidelines. The state, however, is looking at it from a macro perspective, intending to draft an overall cradle-to-grave policy,” she said.
Anfaal acknowledged that these centres require a huge financial commitment to operate. To solve the issue of sustainable operations and funding, the state intends to consider a hybrid model, where the centres are partly financed by public funds, the private sector, and the community.
“We are looking into the hybrid model. We do not want to develop more government-centric efforts, but redistribute responsibilities between the government, corporate sector, private sector, and family institutions.
“We need strategic partnerships between government sectors, NGOs, the society, and private institutions. If a fund is established successfully, we can subsidise more. For example, Thailand’s municipal council covers 80 per cent of elderly care costs, and patients cover 20 per cent.”
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Senior citizen and chronic illness patient Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, 69, receives the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, while his wife Hayati Omar, 68, waits her turn to be inoculated, at Ideal Convention Centre, Shah Alam, on May 25, 2021. — Picture by BERNAMA[/caption]
Encouraging a ‘silver workforce’
Following the tabling of the RS-1 mid-term review, Anfaal said the state is looking into developing a “silver workforce policy” to encourage senior citizens to contribute to the economy.
This was a suggestion by several opposition lawmakers so as to not sideline senior citizens who have accumulated a lifetime of knowledge and experience.
“The state is looking to leverage the expertise of senior citizens and empower Senior Citizens Activity Centres, which focus on six main domains related to healthcare and active lifestyles.
“For example, in Petaling Jaya, there are opportunities for elderly employment in public areas, but accurate data collection is necessary to support these initiatives.
“With about 400,000 members under the Skim Mesra Usia Emas programme, a survey is needed to understand their post-retirement lifestyle goals.
“Enhancing elderly workforce participation could significantly boost economic growth, especially as the state moves towards an ageing demographic,” she said.
Another major challenge Anfaal wishes to tackle is appropriate wages for formal and informal care workers, which would be a draw for Malaysians, and is a way to reduce dependence on foreign domestic workers.
She said Malaysia faces an outflow of RM1 billion just by employing foreign domestic workers.
“Recognising fair salaries for our carers would make the job more attractive for locals. Otherwise, we will lose our nurses and occupational therapists to countries offering better opportunities.
“It goes back to the narrative of jobs in the caregiving sector being lucrative and compassionate careers. If we have policies that provide training and support, people can take care of their parents and offer their skills to others,” she said.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is also working towards developing the Malaysia Care Industry Plan.
In addition, the state launched the Selangor Care Economy Action Framework 2024-2028 and the Selangor Care Economy Action Council, both under RS-1, to drive the policy.
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Anak Istimewa Selangor personnel guide their special-needs charges in a colouring activity, in Section 7, Shah Alam, on August 6, 2022. — Picture by REMY ARIFIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
More support for women
In May, the Selangor administration launched its Women’s Policy and Action Plan 2024-2026 to further empower women in the state.
During the launch, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said one of the policy’s objectives is to develop sustainable gender equality, with the state setting a benchmark in line with international standards.
Anfaal explained that the plan is part of the state’s effort to ensure better access for women to upskilling, subsidised childcare, and the labour market.
Among Selangor’s main initiatives is MamaKerja, which offers RM1,000 to recipients to engage childcare services.
Due to overwhelming demand, Anfaal said MamaKerja is now part of Iltizam Selangor Penyayang (ISP), one of the main thrusts in RS-1. The state administration is also looking to make MamaKerja an annual initiative.
“On the day of its launch on November 1, 2023, we received one million hits, although we only had 5,000 slots.
“Some 80 to 90 per cent of working mothers have to bear childcare costs, as childcare centres cost between RM500 and RM1,000 a month. With current living costs, it is challenging for families earning between RM2,000 and RM5,000.
“MamaKerja will be added to ISP, with a study on policy execution and annual adjustments, perhaps by opening more slots or providing higher subsidies. We will consider eligibility criteria, for example, for housewives who also face childcare challenges,” she stated.
Another forward-thinking policy is the implementation of flexible working arrangements for parents to ensure better work-life balance.
WBS is undertaking this effort and will identify and scrutinise models that can be adopted in Selangor.
“WBS is exploring flexible work arrangement models that are relevant to helping both male and female workers achieve a better balance between family and career,” said Anfaal in her winding- up speech for the RS-1 mid-term review during the State Legislative Assembly session on July 10.
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State executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari speaks at an interview with Media Selangor at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah building, Shah Alam, on June 28, 2024. — Picture by FIKRI YUSOF/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
These initiatives demonstrate Selangor’s commitment to increasing women’s labour participation by addressing key challenges such as childcare costs and work-life balance.
However, the state is also looking to incentivise the establishment of private nurseries and preschools in high-demand and critical-need areas.
This includes streamlining regulations among local councils, as well as providing grants, especially for operators who are financially struggling.
Anfaal said the aid is targeted at operators whose registrations and approvals are being processed by local councils.
She acknowledged the difficulties in registering nurseries and preschools, adding that these premises must comply with various safety and legal provisions.
Anfaal believes the initiative will alleviate preschool operators’ financial burdens.
To enhance accessibility to childcare centres, Anfaal revealed that the state is preparing a publicly available care centre registry, which includes centres for both the young and old.
“It is similar to geomapping, where parents can see registered care centres near their homes. We hope this can help parents make informed decisions, and incentivise care centres to get registered and follow proper regulation and safety standards,” she said.
**This article first appeared in the Selangor Journal July 2024 Special Edition, published on July 21, 2024.
