KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — The DAP today proposed a national care economy and ageing community preparedness plan as a way forward to address the country’s elder community's concerns.

Pasir Pinji assemblyman Howard Lee, who is a member of DAP's national GE15 action plan committee, said their proposal is in line with recent findings by the United Nation and Department of Statistics which forecast Malaysia as an ageing nation by 2045 with 17 per cent of its population aged 65 and above.

"Through these findings, we have come up with a plan that could translate our ageing society's concerns into opportunities to develop the country progressively.

"We are hopeful that this plan could be adopted as an inter-ministerial initiative, led by the welfare department and supported by ministries such as the Human Resources Ministry, International Trade and Industry Ministry and Education Ministry,” Lee told reporters during a press conference held at the DAP headquarters here today.

According to Lee, the committee is also looking at this plan presented in Parliament, as a plan on par with national development plans such as the 12th Malaysia Plan.

He said the plan will ensure that the ageing society is cared for as findings show that demand for caregiving will increase drastically.

DAP's Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh, who was also present, said the responsibility to offer care for the ageing society that is shouldered by the younger generation today has hampered individuals from committing to full-time jobs.

"The statistics from the ministry (Women, Family and Community Development Ministry) before, looking at women in workforce, for 2020 it was only at 55.3 per cent and our target was 56 per cent by 2020, and this was not met.

"So why the care economy is important because we want to increase the number of men and women in the workforce.

"Now the number is low because they either need to look at their children or parents — one of them needs to quit their job to take up this responsibility,” said Yeoh.

To raise the percentage of women in the workforce, Yeoh said there is a need for a caregiving infrastructure for senior citizens and children.

Johor DAP chairman Liew Chin Tong said it is time for the country to focus on discussions about good policies instead of partisan politics because only with good policies a society with substance can exist.

"This may be a DAP initiative but I hope that more can embark on discussions such as this so that in general we can focus more on good policies and not just partisan politics,” said Liew.

He said for too long the country’s political discourse has been focused on who will contest where or which party will control what seats.

"The coming GE15, it should be about what agenda we have, and how to bring the nation forward.

"It is not just about political parties, but it is really about how to bring Malaysia forward in this climate of global crisis.

"We are facing multiple crises, and it’s time for us to think through as a society and a nation and to talk about these things. These are things that concern every one of us, whether now or in five to 10 years' time because most of us will be in a position of caring for someone,” he said indicating that DAP intends to kickstart the debate on these issues.

When asked if the national care economy and ageing community preparedness plan would be included in PH’s manifesto in the coming GE15, Lee said the committee has brought the proposal to the manifesto committee.

"We have brought this to their attention, and we hope that it could be incorporated into PH’s GE15 manifesto,” he said.