Latest news with #MaintenanceofParentsAct
The Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Malaysia must pass parental maintenance law to protect elderly
IT is deeply troubling that, despite the rising number of senior citizens being abandoned by their children, Malaysia has yet to enact a law for parental maintenance. With over 3.5 million citizens aged 60 and above, a figure expected to reach six million by 2030, thousands of elderly parents are abandoned each year – left destitute, desperate and reliant on an already strained welfare system. Our nearest neighbour, Singapore, enacted its Maintenance of Parents Act in 1995. Taiwan did so in 1980, China in 1996, the Philippines in 2003 and India in 2007. Malaysia, despite drafting a bill in 2003, has yet to pass it into law. This longstanding delay is unacceptable and it must change now. Shameful reality • Rising abandonment: Welfare Department reports show a 40% surge in elderly abandonment cases since 2020. • System collapsing: Welfare aid applications from seniors have doubled between 2020 and 2025, stretching resources to the brink. • Legal void: Without a specific law, desperate parents are forced to pursue justice through outdated legal precedents, such as the Ho You Kong case (1996), a costly and time-consuming process that few can afford. The Parents Maintenance Bill, mirroring successful models in Singapore, India and Taiwan includes key provisions such as: • Tribunal system: A low-cost, fast-track mechanism to deliver justice to elderly parents. • Children's liability: Legally enforceable financial support from children who are financially capable. • Mediation first: A focus on family reconciliation before resorting to litigation. Yet, this crucial bill continues to gather dust – untabled, undebated and ignored. Benefits of a Parents Maintenance Act • Restores dignity: Ensures seniors have a guaranteed right to food, shelter and healthcare – not as charity but as a basic entitlement. • Eases welfare burden: Shifts financial responsibility from taxpayers to capable children, potentially saving millions in public funds. • Faster, affordable justice: Tribunals resolve cases within weeks, unlike lengthy and costly High Court proceedings. Promotes accountability: Establishes legal responsibility for children to support their parents – moving beyond moral obligation to enforceable duty. • Boosts national pride: Demonstrates that Malaysia values and protects its elderly, keeping pace with regional peers. Many of our neighbouring Asian countries already have laws to protect elderly parents. Malaysia has a draft bill but what it lacks is political will. With an ageing population and increasingly fragmented families, such legislation is no longer optional; it is a moral imperative. Parliament must act before another parent dies abandoned. Every day without this law, elderly parents suffer in silence while taxpayers shoulder the cost. Malaysia's seniors helped build this nation. They deserve justice, not abandonment. Yew Kam Keong Chief Mind Unzipper
The Sun
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Urgent need for parental maintenance law
IT is deeply troubling that, despite the rising number of senior citizens being abandoned by their children, Malaysia has yet to enact a law for parental maintenance. With over 3.5 million citizens aged 60 and above, a figure expected to reach six million by 2030, thousands of elderly parents are abandoned each year – left destitute, desperate and reliant on an already strained welfare system. Our nearest neighbour, Singapore, enacted its Maintenance of Parents Act in 1995. Taiwan did so in 1980, China in 1996, the Philippines in 2003 and India in 2007. Malaysia, despite drafting a bill in 2003, has yet to pass it into law. This longstanding delay is unacceptable and it must change now. Shameful reality • Rising abandonment: Welfare Department reports show a 40% surge in elderly abandonment cases since 2020. • System collapsing: Welfare aid applications from seniors have doubled between 2020 and 2025, stretching resources to the brink. • Legal void: Without a specific law, desperate parents are forced to pursue justice through outdated legal precedents, such as the Ho You Kong case (1996), a costly and time-consuming process that few can afford. The Parents Maintenance Bill, mirroring successful models in Singapore, India and Taiwan includes key provisions such as: • Tribunal system: A low-cost, fast-track mechanism to deliver justice to elderly parents. • Children's liability: Legally enforceable financial support from children who are financially capable. • Mediation first: A focus on family reconciliation before resorting to litigation. Yet, this crucial bill continues to gather dust – untabled, undebated and ignored. Benefits of a Parents Maintenance Act • Restores dignity: Ensures seniors have a guaranteed right to food, shelter and healthcare – not as charity but as a basic entitlement. • Eases welfare burden: Shifts financial responsibility from taxpayers to capable children, potentially saving millions in public funds. • Faster, affordable justice: Tribunals resolve cases within weeks, unlike lengthy and costly High Court proceedings. Promotes accountability: Establishes legal responsibility for children to support their parents – moving beyond moral obligation to enforceable duty. • Boosts national pride: Demonstrates that Malaysia values and protects its elderly, keeping pace with regional peers. Many of our neighbouring Asian countries already have laws to protect elderly parents. Malaysia has a draft bill but what it lacks is political will. With an ageing population and increasingly fragmented families, such legislation is no longer optional; it is a moral imperative. Parliament must act before another parent dies abandoned. Every day without this law, elderly parents suffer in silence while taxpayers shoulder the cost. Malaysia's seniors helped build this nation. They deserve justice, not abandonment.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
SG student alleges parents refuse to pay for uni fees
A Singaporean woman's post on Reddit recently sparked a discussion about filial piety and the importance of prioritising one's own well-being, after she alleged that her parents had refused to pay for her university education but still expected her to provide financial support in the future. In the post, the student claimed that her parents had announced their decision not to fund her higher education last year. What frustrated her even more was that, after she had come to terms with the situation, she noticed her parents 'bragging' about her achievements to their friends. 'I feel even more mad at the fact that they are using me as something to show off without contributing,' she wrote. The student also reflected on past experiences related to her education, recalling her father's negative reaction after she was enrolled in a tuition class during secondary school, which cost S$45 (RM149) per hour. She alleged that he verbally abused her nearly every day as a result. As a result, he has decided not to financially support her family in the future, although she expressed concern that her parents might take legal action against her under Singapore's Maintenance of Parents Act. This legislation allows parents aged 60 and above who are unable to support themselves to claim maintenance from their children, either through monthly allowances or a lump-sum payment. 'They may not be willing to put S$100,000 (RM331,654) towards my education, but I know they will be willing to put S$200,000 (RM663,354) towards a lawyer to demand maintenance from me. If you think I'm exaggerating, I really swear I am not,' she added. While she acknowledged feeling stressed about her finances during her university studies, she said she was even more anxious about dealing with her parents over the issue. The anonymous student later provided an update, saying she had got into an argument with her father after informing him of her decision not to support them financially in the future. Given her current circumstances, where she may need to continue living with her parents during her studies, she has decided to provide them with only a minimal monthly allowance — reflecting how poorly they had allegedly treated her for most of her life. Netizens expressed concern over the young woman's situation and advised her to keep her distance from her parents, especially after she has graduated. One user said that while children should appreciate their parents' efforts for raising them, noting the challenges that come with parenthood, the user acknowledged that parents should be self-sufficient with their own savings.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
SG woman's parents allegedly refuse to pay for university but expect financial support in the future
A Singaporean woman's post on Reddit recently sparked a discussion about filial piety and the importance of prioritising one's own well-being, after she alleged that her parents had refused to pay for her university education but still expected her to provide financial support in the future. In the post, the student claimed that her parents had announced their decision not to fund her higher education last year. What frustrated her even more was that, after she had come to terms with the situation, she noticed her parents 'bragging' about her achievements to their friends. 'I feel even more mad at the fact that they are using me as something to show off without contributing,' she wrote. The student also reflected on past experiences related to her education, recalling her father's negative reaction after she was enrolled in a tuition class during secondary school, which cost S$45 (RM149) per hour. She alleged that he verbally abused her nearly every day as a result. As a result, he has decided not to financially support her family in the future, although she expressed concern that her parents might take legal action against her under Singapore's Maintenance of Parents Act. This legislation allows parents aged 60 and above who are unable to support themselves to claim maintenance from their children, either through monthly allowances or a lump-sum payment. 'They may not be willing to put S$100,000 (RM331,654) towards my education, but I know they will be willing to put S$200,000 (RM663,354) towards a lawyer to demand maintenance from me. If you think I'm exaggerating, I really swear I am not,' she added. While she acknowledged feeling stressed about her finances during her university studies, she said she was even more anxious about dealing with her parents over the issue. The anonymous student later provided an update, saying she had got into an argument with her father after informing him of her decision not to support them financially in the future. Given her current circumstances, where she may need to continue living with her parents during her studies, she has decided to provide them with only a minimal monthly allowance — reflecting how poorly they had allegedly treated her for most of her life. Netizens expressed concern over the young woman's situation and advised her to keep her distance from her parents, especially after she has graduated. One user said that while children should appreciate their parents' efforts for raising them, noting the challenges that come with parenthood, the user acknowledged that parents should be self-sufficient with their own savings.
