One-stop Centre For Ageing Society To Be Established Under 13MP

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- A one-stop centre to provide technology-based solutions for an ageing society will be established under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), said Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal.

He said the initiative, which brings together industry expertise and local research, is expected to drive the development of medical devices, assistive tools and nutritious supplements for senior citizens.

“This is also to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a global hub for advanced support systems that directly benefit the ageing population,” he said in a speech delivered by the ministry’s deputy secretary general (Planning and Science Enculturation) Ruziah Shafei, at the Dr Ranjeet Bhagwan Singh (RBS) Annual Memorial Forum and Announcement of the 2025 RBS Medical Research Grant Recipients, organised by Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) here today.

The event was also attended by ASM president Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen and its chief executive officer, Hazami Habib.

Mohammad Yusof said that under the 13MP, which outlines the goal of “Enhancing People’s Well-being and Environmental Sustainability”, Malaysia will prioritise inclusive and sustainable socio-economic growth guided by the MADANI Economy framework, with preparing for an ageing society identified as a key priority.

“Malaysia became an ageing nation in 2021 when the population aged 65 and above reached seven per cent of the total population. By 2043, Malaysia is expected to become an aged nation. In this context, comprehensive preparedness to address ageing and the broader longevity economy is vital,” he said.

Mohammad Yusof also urged stronger collaboration among government agencies, research institutions and industry players to harness Malaysia’s biodiversity for healthy ageing and preventive healthcare.

He said Malaysia’s position as the 12th most biodiverse country in the world offers vast opportunities to discover natural compounds that could lead to new treatments, support healthy ageing and strengthen the country’s preparedness for future pandemics.

“Collaboration with state or regional biodiversity centres, such as the Sabah Biodiversity Centre, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre or Pahang Biodiversity Centre, is key to maximising the value of our natural resources and protecting Malaysia’s ownership and stewardship of them,” he said.

On the RBS forum, themed “Harnessing Bioactive Natural Product for Healthy Ageing”, he said MOSTI (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation) looks forward to receiving concrete recommendations and innovative research directions to ensure Malaysia is well prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of an ageing society.

Meanwhile, the 2025 RBS Medical Research Grant, worth RM50,000, was awarded to Dr Chong Lor Huai, a lecturer at the School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, for her research titled “Development of an Immunoassay-on-a-Chip for Evaluating T-Cell and NK-Cell Infiltration in Cancer Immunotherapy”.

Established in 1997 in honour of the late Dr Ranjeet Bhagwan Singh, the RBS medical research fund has since supported 28 research projects and 11 technical workshops.

-- BERNAMA