MalayMail/BorneoPost-Apr 24
Malaysia is seeing a sharp increase in its ageing population, where currently 11.1 per cent of the total population are older persons, said Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) Malaysia chairman Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. “The United Nations projected Malaysia to become an ageing nation by the year 2030, when 15 per cent of its population will comprise of those aged 60 and above. This potentially affects the country’s development, as a huge portion of the population goes into retirement and requires more care,” he said. Nanta was speaking at the 96th Executive Committee Meeting of AFPPD and AFPPD Standing Committee on Active Ageing Parliamentarians Meeting of International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Tokyo, Japan today. Adding on, he said that as a country’s population ages, there is no doubt that artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies play a critical role in empowering older persons and supporting healthy ageing, including in Malaysia. He said in this context, AI and digital technologies emerge as invaluable tools in revolutionizing the way ageing and healthcare is approached. “Malaysia views AI as one of the crucial emerging technologies, with a need to focus on balanced development for economic benefits while managing associated risks because as much as we welcome the opportunities of digital transformation, we must also recognize the risks they bring,” he said. He pointed out the current wave of digital transformation has imposed additional challenges for older persons to keep pace with emerging technologies, which has created additional gaps between those who can own these technologies and harness them for self-development and those who are at risk of being left out. Read more at: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/04/23/malaysia-seeing-sharp-increase-in-ageing-population-says-nanta/130408
