Retirement Villages Among Melaka’s Plans For Aged State Challenge

ALOR GAJAH, Aug 27 (Bernama) — Melaka is bracing itself to become an aged state by 2040, with projections showing that 15 per cent of its population will be aged 60 and above, raising the urgency for long-term planning in health, social and economic sectors.

State Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Datuk Kalsom Noordin said one of the state’s preparations includes the development of retirement villages, aimed at bringing together senior citizens, particularly retired professionals so they can continue contributing to the state’s progress.

“Many of our seniors remain at home after retirement, but with this initiative, we can create a supportive community where programmes for active ageing can be carried out.

“It is also a way to ensure they are not left isolated from society,” she told reporters after officiating the state-level Population Seminar 2025 at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) today.

Also present were Melaka LPPKN director Suszma Khairitszi Mamat and UTeM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Massila Kamalrudin.

LPPKN director-general Datuk Abdul Shukur Abdullah, in his speech read out by Suszma Khairitszi earlier, said that Melaka is already experiencing early signs of demographic transition.

He said in 2024, about 111,000 residents or 11 per cent of the population were aged 60 and above, a figure expected to rise to 15 per cent within less than two decades.

“This is not just a statistic. It carries profound implications. We are looking at shrinking youth labour, increased demand for elderly care, and the need for more inclusive social policies. It affects the economy, workforce and healthcare planning in a very real way,” he said.

He said Melaka’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has dropped to 1.7, far below the replacement level of 2.1, while live births fell from 14,568 in 2014 to 13,583 in 2023, signalling a sustained decline in fertility.

Abdul Shukur said several factors have contributed to this trend, including rising cost of living, delayed marriages, changing family aspirations and greater female participation in higher education and the workforce, adding that health issues such as infertility also play a part.

He said data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia showed marriages in Melaka decreased from 7,023 in 2016 to 6,119 in 2023. The average age for first marriage also rose — from 29.9 to 30.6 years for men and 27.6 to 28.6 years for women over the same period.

“These delays in marriage shorten the reproductive window, which directly impacts future births,” Abdul Shukur said.

He said the Fifth Malaysian Population and Family Survey (MPFS-5) found financial constraints, lack of suitable partners and career priorities as the main reasons young adults postpone marriage.

To address this, he said the government is rolling out initiatives such as the IUI Assistance and Infertility Advocacy Programme (BuAl) throughout 2025 to raise awareness on fertility factors and encourage family formation.

— BERNAMA