PUTRAJAYA, Oct 11 2026 – Perbadanan Putrajaya and the Federal Territories Department have been asked to examine the allocations they will receive under Budget 2027 to strengthen the care and welfare of senior citizens, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh.
She said existing approaches must be adapted to the physical and social needs of the elderly, including those who are bedridden, living alone or have lost their spouses.
Programmes for senior citizens, according to her, should not be limited to physical activities such as aerobics and brisk walking. Instead, they need to include activities that match the abilities and interests of the elderly.
“The needs of a 60-year-old and an 80-year-old are very different. If we do not think about the real needs of senior citizens, we end up organising programmes that are easy to run but difficult for them to follow, and those needs remain unmet,” she said.
Hannah was speaking at the Federal Territories-level Senior Citizens’ Day celebration in Putrajaya today.
She also stressed that the issue of loneliness among the elderly needs attention, as those living alone or who have lost their spouses risk becoming socially isolated and more vulnerable to scam crimes.
“Having many children and grandchildren does not mean they are not lonely. In fact, having many children and grandchildren can make them lonelier because everyone is busy with their own schedules,” she said.
In this regard, she proposed that community centres and places of worship reach out to elderly people who have lost their spouses and plan follow-up activities to ensure they are not left alone.
She said such efforts should also be extended to senior citizens who are unable to attend programmes at Senior Citizens’ Activity Centres so that they too receive the necessary social support.
Hannah also expressed her commitment to supporting the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in efforts to empower vulnerable groups, including the elderly.
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