Fatimah (third right) and others popping balloons as a gimmick to declare the centre open.

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By William Isau

SIBU, Aug 4: Sarawak will carry out a comprehensive study this year to profile the elderly population in the State.

The study titled “The Preparation for an Ageing Sarawak: Profiling and Addressing the Issues Faced by Older Individuals in Sarawak” will provide a detailed approach to address the impending ageing phenomenon by 2028.

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Women, Early Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said this at the opening ceremony of En Ling Elderly Daycare Centre today.

She stressed that Sarawak recorded a marked reduction in new births, with figures dropping by half in 2021 and 2022, in contrast to the annual average of approximately 40,000 births in the preceding years.

“Consequently, Sarawak is undergoing the process of ageing, a phenomenon that will manifest in 2028, earlier than the national trend. Estimates suggest that by 2028, about 15 per cent Sarawak’s population will be aged 60 and above,” she said.

She emphasised the need for an integrated, holistic, and whole-of-nation approach to adequately address the ageing population issue.

She added that her ministry is also conducting studies on what other countries have done for their ageing populations which would later be adopted and implemented in Sarawak. — DayakDaily