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The Star
14-07-2025
- General
- The Star
Seniors find joy in booming network
BURSTS of laughter fill a senior citizen activity centre in Taman Gombak Permai, Selangor, where men and women gather for a morning of making friends and sharing stories. But this is not your typical place where the elderly socialise with their peers; it's a growing network of 'Pusat Aktiviti Warga Emas' (senior citizens activity centres), or PAWE, all over Malaysia where the able-bodied silver-haired community congregates with gusto, purpose and dignity. With 15% of Malaysians projected to be over 60 by 2030, ageing has become one of the country's most pressing demographic shifts. Participants engaging in a cognitive health check activity at the Sungai Tua PAWE. As such, these centres are emerging as lifelines to keep seniors engaged, independent and even economically productive. Sanctuary for seniors Rosita says the Lembah Pantai PAWE has 332 registered members.A vacant plot initially earmarked for a community hall in Taman Gombak Permai, is now the Sungai Tua senior activity centre under Selayang Municipal Council (MPS). It is Selangor's first such centre under a local authority. Before any PAWE existed, the elderly local community had no place to spend their time when their children and grandchildren went off to work or school, said retired kindergarten teacher Ruslina Othman, 61. 'There is nothing much to do at home,' she said. 'The activities here are good for our physical and spiritual well-being. 'We can make new friends, and sometimes reunite with old friends. Mohd Sharizwan finds the Sungai Tua PAWE centre conducive and convenient.'When we return home, we feel happy. 'I hope this (centre) lasts,' she said. The Sungai Tua PAWE, located on 0.58ha of government land and having a built-up area of 4,387sq ft, is just one of the 192 centres operating nationwide. According to Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, all the centres are administered by voluntary organisations registered with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) and supervised by the Welfare Department (JKM). 'JKM provides annual operational financial assistance of RM50,000 for each PAWE,' the ministry's corporate communication said in reply to StarMetro. To date, there are 21 PAWE in Selangor and 10 in Kuala Lumpur. Retiree Phriya Mayavan, 69, takes a 15-minute walk from her home nearby to the Sungai Tua PAWE in Jalan Laksamana 2 almost every day. 'It is good exercise for me. I like the health talk organised today. 'It keeps our mind active and open,' said the former production operator. The PAWE is where Phriya socialises with other seniors and accompanies them to run errands and even visit the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso), Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and JKM office if need be. 'Some seniors here even sponsor food for those who don't have much money,' she said. The bright and airy centre houses a games area with carrom tables and board games, a lounge with two massage chairs, classroom, surau, kitchen and disabled-friendly toilets. Mohd Sharizwan Kang Abdullah, 65, a retired security officer, finds the centre conducive and convenient for them to socialise – an important activity to ward off loneliness among the aged. 'Socialising can help reduce the occurrence of depression among seniors,' said Sharizwan. Pensioner Misnan Mohd Damin, 65, concurs, sharing that now that he is retired, he needs to take better care of his physical and mental health. 'The world of retirees can be lonely. 'We need to learn to be with people and make new friends,' added Misnan, acknowledging the supportive centre staff for catering to the seniors' needs. Building more PAWE According to the ministry, new centres are set up with development budget allocations approved under the Malaysia Plan. A total of RM17mil had been allocated since 2018 for PAWE under the 11th Malaysia Plan. Initially, all states received the allocation based on the planned number of approved PAWE. However, at the end of the 12th Malaysia Plan (2025), only nine states received the allocation for the establishment of PAWE. Several states have channelled funds to improve PAWE premises and services. The Johor government, for example, allocated RM385,000 in 2024 and RM584,000 in 2025 to upgrade 12 PAWE premises and services improvement projects. State initiative MPS Community Development Department director Affendei Samingan said the Sungai Tua PAWE opened on Sept 1 last year. He attributed the centre to Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari who is Selangor Mentri Besar and Sungai Tua assemblyman. Affendei said Amirudin was instrumental in the initiative to care for the elderly at the local council level. 'We had to work out something since we had the site already. 'While our department's forte is community programmes and sports, building a PAWE made us go further,' he said. He added that building the centre cost RM2.5mil. Affendei said MPS reached out to international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Japan's Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (JCLAIR). 'We submitted a paper requesting for a subject matter expert to be sent from Japan to guide us in building a PAWE,' he said. Adapting similar architectural concepts like PAWE centres in Japan was challenging, said Affendei. 'These included accommodating public transport adjacent to PAWE locations. 'Their centres are more clinical in architecture too, with more advanced technology. 'We did our best in adopting their design in terms of use of air-conditioning and open space for the seniors to meet,' he added. At the moment, the Sungai Tua PAWE is managed by MPS staff, comprising a chairman (MPS deputy president), secretary (Affendei) and a treasurer. A PAWE needs to be run by a registered association under ROS. 'We are getting this done because we need to form the executive committee. 'We are spending public money to give back to the community, so good governance is needed, including checks and balances to run the centre at an optimum level,' Affendei said. For now, it is open from 9am to 12pm Mondays to Fridays. Registered members, now at 481, come for activities in the morning and return home in the afternoon. 'Once the centre gets approval from ROS, there will be a supervisor and assistant to manage it,' said Affendei. He said they were also open to university students and corporations to conduct their corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects with the seniors at the centre. Beyond day care All PAWE are encouraged to carry out programmes and activities based on five dimensions under the National Senior Citizen Policy. These are Positive Ageing (holding positive beliefs), Healthy Ageing (forming healthy lifestyles), Active Ageing (optimising involvement in family and society), Productive Ageing (contributing to economic activities) and Environmental Ageing (senior- friendly internal and external environments to age well). Intergenerational membership In Kuala Lumpur, the Lembah Pantai PAWE at Jalan Sri Sentosa 8 in Taman Sri Sentosa started operations on Jan 2, 2020. It is open from 9am to 3pm on weekdays, and if there are events, on weekends too. Its chairman Rosita Rahim, 68, is busy making the premises, parked under Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), a vibrant one for the elderly. They now have 332 registered multi-racial members. The outspoken pensioner's last post was with the Prime Minister's Office as a secretary, and she also lectures at the National Institute of Public Administration (Intan). In fact, she said they have opened their PAWE to younger members aged 18 and above to drive intergenerational membership. 'The younger generation needs to socialise and realise that they will be senior citizens too one day, so they must be prepared to cope in the environment,' she said. Managing a PAWE is hard work, Rosita said, as it involves a lot of collaborations and networking with NGOs, universities and private entities to equip the centre with facilities. She said Universiti Malaya (UM) and EPF offered support like conducting workshops and useful skills courses. Rosita said more needed to be done to make PAWE more accessible and senior citizen-friendly. 'Lembah Pantai has six zones and many seniors cannot drive, so there is a lack of transport. 'Railings and wheelchair ramps need to be installed at the bus stops. 'The infrastructure for seniors needs to be improved,' she stressed.
Sinar Daily
09-07-2025
- General
- Sinar Daily
Single mother turns to daughter's PTPTN loan to survive financial hardship
"Most of the time, we just eat rice with soy sauce because we can't afford anything else.' 09 Jul 2025 07:46pm Zailawati (right) with her daughter, Nur Alia Batrisya, who was involved in an incident during a training session at school. DUNGUN - A single mother, struggling to make ends meet, has resorted to using her daughter's National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan to buy essential food supplies and cover basic living expenses. Zailawati Ismail, 41, from Felda Jerangau, said her family's life took a turn for the worse after her husband, Ramli Mat Rahim, died two years ago when he was struck by a tree branch while carrying out felling work. The woman, who suffers from chronic endometriosis, said she had no choice but to rely on the PTPTN loan of her eldest daughter, Nur Aina Najiha Ramli, 19, a student at a private college in Kuantan, Pahang, to buy daily necessities and pay for transport to the hospital. "I haven't been able to do any heavy work since I was diagnosed with chronic endometriosis six years ago. It really limits my movement and physical ability. "Our family is used to living on a tight budget… most of the time, we just eat rice with soy sauce because we can't afford anything else,' she said when contacted today. The mother of three children, aged between 12 and 19, said her family is currently surviving on RM400 in monthly assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM). The mother of three children, aged between 12 and 19, said her family is currently surviving on RM400 in monthly assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM). According to Zailawati, the amount is not enough to cover their daily expenses, especially with two of her children still in school. "My 16-year-old son, Mohd Aiman Haikal, takes on jobs like mowing lawns and collecting oil palm fruit after school to help with our expenses. "Recently, my youngest child, Nur Alia Batrisya, 12, broke her left leg after falling while playing netball at school,' she said. Those who wish to extend assistance may contact Zailawati at 013-9332122.- BERNAMA More Like This
Borneo Post
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Welfare Dept SOP gives baby hatch users one-month window to reclaim children, says Fatimah
Fatimah speaks to reporters during the press conference. – Photo by Mohd Faisal Ahmad KUCHING (July 8): The Welfare Department offers mothers who use baby hatch facilities in the state a period of one month to reclaim their children, said Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah. The Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister clarified that this was part of the department's standard operating procedure (SOP) and not an attempt to expose or punish mothers. 'There have been cases where mothers returned after reconsidering. 'We want to give them that opportunity, while also ensuring the baby's legal and welfare matters are in order,' she told a press conference here today. Fatimah was addressing public concern following a recent case involving a baby boy left at Borneo Medical Centre's (BMC) baby hatch, where the Welfare Department had issued a call for the biological mother to come forward. She pledged that confidentiality is guaranteed and the department's future announcements would include clear wording to reassure mothers of this. 'If the mother comes forward, we can arrange a private meeting — just her and me, no JKM staff. 'If she agrees, we will then bring in JKM and the adoptive family to proceed. Everything can be done in one day, discreetly,' Fatimah said. She explained that if no one claims the child after one month, the department would take custody of the baby, register the birth under unknown parents, and apply for Malaysian citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution. In these cases, the baby's birth certificate will state 'no information' for the biological parents, and the nationality field will initially be 'not determined'. However, if the mother steps forward voluntarily, the citizenship process is much faster and the child can immediately be registered as a Malaysian citizen. Fatimah also confirmed that, under a policy approved by the State Cabinet, a baby adopted through this process can be granted the 'K' status in their MyKad – identifying them as a Sarawakian – if one or both adoptive parents are Sarawak-born. 'Even when the biological parents are unknown, we want the child to belong. If raised by Sarawakians, the child should rightfully be recognised as part of our society,' she said. She urged the public to be more understanding and trust in the confidentiality and humanity behind the baby hatch concept. She said the facilities are not intended to encourage out-of-wedlock pregnancies but to provide a safe, anonymous option for mothers in crisis to surrender their newborns. 'Baby hatch is not a tool to promote irresponsible behaviour. It is a lifesaving option born out of compassion and necessity,' she stressed. 'Our duty is not to punish, but to save lives – the life of the child and the life of the mother.' Fatimah explained that baby hatch facilities ensure babies are not abandoned in unsafe places such as rubbish bins or toilets, which pose serious risks to their survival. 'When a baby is placed in a baby hatch, an alarm is triggered and trained personnel will immediately attend to the baby, ensuring the child's safety and medical needs,' she said. She noted that the first baby hatch in Sarawak was set up by KPJ Kuching Specialist Hospital in 2017, saving five babies to date. After KPJ relocated in 2020, operations were temporarily halted pending identification of a suitable new site. A new baby hatch was established at BMC here in October 2023 as part of its corporate social responsibility. So far, two babies have been safely surrendered – one in March 2024 and another in June this year. baby hatch fatimah abdullah lead Welfare Department
The Sun
07-07-2025
- The Sun
Woman arrested for alleged abuse of adopted son with ADHD in Jelebu
SEREMBAN: Police have detained a woman suspected of abusing her 13-year-old adopted son in Kuala Klawang, Jelebu. The case came to light after a Social Welfare Department (JKM) officer filed a report via Talian Kasih. Jelebu district police chief Supt Azizan Said confirmed the arrest of the 35-year-old suspect on June 16. The woman, who has two biological children aged five and seven months, had been caring for the victim since he was six. Initial investigations revealed the boy suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is classified as a person with a disability. The victim reported being beaten, shouted at, and cursed at for minor mistakes. He also claimed to have been hit with objects such as clothes hangers. The abuse escalated on June 14 when the boy was allegedly beaten with the metal extension tube of a vacuum cleaner, leaving bruises on his elbow, wrist, and back. The incident occurred as he prepared for his school sports day. The JKM intervened after receiving an email tip-off about the abuse. The victim was taken to Jelebu Hospital, where a medical report confirmed his injuries were caused by a blunt rod-shaped object and likely occurred within three days before the examination. Police are awaiting the full medical report to determine if the injuries resulted from abuse or the victim's hyperactive behaviour. The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Children's Act 2001. – Bernama
New Straits Times
07-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Woman arrested over alleged abuse of adopted son in Jelebu
SEREMBAN: Police have arrested a woman to assist in investigations into the alleged abuse of her 13-year-old adopted child in Kuala Klawang, Jelebu. Jelebu district police chief Supt Azizan Said said a Social Welfare Department (JKM) officer lodged a report on the incident involving the Form One student via Talian Kasih. He said the 35-year-old suspect, who has two biological children aged five years and seven months, respectively, was arrested on June 16. "Initial investigations revealed that the victim has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is categorised as a person with a disability, and has been under the suspect's care since he was six. "The boy said he would be beaten if he was late or failed to follow instructions. The victim also complained that he was frequently shouted at, cursed at, and hit with objects like clothes hangers," he said in a statement. Azizan said the victim also claimed he was beaten with the metal extension tube of a vacuum cleaner, resulting in bruises on several parts of his body, including the elbow, wrist and back, while getting ready for his school sports day on June 14. He said the boy was later rescued by the JKM after it received an email from a woman reporting a case of child abuse at the house. According to him, the victim was taken to Jelebu Hospital for examination, and a medical report confirmed that the injuries were caused by a blunt rod-shaped object and were believed to have been sustained within three days prior to the check-up. Azizan said police were still waiting for the full medical report and that further investigations were ongoing to determine whether the injuries were due to abuse or resulted from the victim's hyperactive behaviour. The case is being investigated under Section 31(1)(a) of the Children's Act 2001.–BERNAMA
