The article highlights that Malaysia has a limited window to prepare for the challenges of an ageing population. Using National Transfer Accounts (NTA) data, the authors show that Malaysians generally earn more than they consume between the ages of 29 and 56, with the surplus peaking at around age 44. This surplus supports children and older family members while also contributing to workers’ own retirement needs.
As Malaysia’s population ages, fewer working-age people will be available to support each older person. Many older Malaysians already depend on financial assistance and care from their adult children, placing increasing pressure on the “sandwich generation” and potentially reducing its ability to save adequately for retirement.
The authors call for earlier action through better wages, stronger retirement savings, sustainable healthcare and long-term care financing, greater employment opportunities for older people and women, and better measurement of the support provided by families.
The central message is that while family care remains an important part of Malaysia’s social support system, stronger public systems will be needed to help families manage the growing economic and care-related costs of population ageing.