Society, NGOs Must Work Together To Help Vulnerable Groups – JKM DG

KLANG, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- The responsibility of caring for the welfare of vulnerable groups, including the elderly, children, persons with disabilities (PwD) and bedridden patients, cannot rest solely with one party, but requires the comprehensive involvement of society.

Social Welfare Department (JKM) director-general Datuk Che Murad Sayang Ramjan said the increasing number of people requiring social support each year demonstrated the need to strengthen a collective care approach that also involved non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

He said active registrations of PwD nationwide increased from 814,966 last year to 849,775 as of June 2026, while the number of registered autistic children rose from about 10,000 in 2015 to 89,000 in 2026.

Additionally, he noted that the total number of financial assistance recipients managed by JKM stood at 636,232 throughout 2025, while from January to May this year, the figure was 568,103 recipients.

“Therefore, the responsibility cannot be placed on a single agency or JKM alone. Society is invited to join hands and work together to help those in need,” he said.

He said this in his speech after officiating the Basic Care Seminar for the Elderly and PwD for the Central Zone in conjunction with the RYTHM-Rhythm of Harmonious Life Programme here today, which was also attended by Selangor JKM director Azmir Kassim.

According to Che Murad Sayang, caregiving challenges are also directly felt by families caring for bedridden patients, particularly in terms of physical capacity, skills and finances when carers are required to provide full-time care, leaving them unable to work.

He said the financial assistance provided to carers was also not necessarily sufficient to cover all their needs, as care costs included the purchase of nappies, medicines, equipment and special milk.

Hence, he said the welfare approach must go beyond merely providing financial aid by offering training, skills and opportunities that enable vulnerable groups and their carers to build more resilient lives.

To that end, Che Murad Sayang said the two-day seminar, which began yesterday, focused on enhancing knowledge, basic skills and public awareness regarding holistic care, emotional well-being and community support for the elderly and PwD.

Meanwhile, the RYTHM-Rhythm of Harmonious Life Programme is a strategic initiative by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development through JKM, together with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Higher Education. It aims to empower the involvement of the community, volunteers and the younger generation in strengthening the national social support system.

The programme brought together 500 participants, comprising carers of the elderly and PwD, supervisors of Senior Citizens Activity Centres (PAWE), Community-Based Rehabilitation Centre (PDK) staff, volunteers, youths, students from higher education institutions, NGOs, JKM officers and local communities from Selangor, Perak and Kuala Lumpur.

Among the programme's modules were knowledge sharing on the basics of caring for the elderly and PwD, managing carers' emotional stress, safety and daily care, strengthening the community support system, as well as practical simulations on how to manage patients.

Che Murad said such an approach was crucial in shaping a more caring and compassionate society, besides ensuring that carers also gained the necessary knowledge and skills to manage vulnerable groups.

-- BERNAMA