STATEMENT BY
MR. AZRIL BIN ABD AZIZ
DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA
PERMANENT MISSION OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AT THE INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE SESSION WITH
MS. CLAUDIA MAHLER, INDEPENDENT EXPERT
ON THE ENJOYMENT OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS BY OLDER PERSONS,
6 OCTOBER 2021, NEW YORK
Thank you Mr Chair,
I would like to thank Ms Claudia Mahler for her report and recommendations. Her focus on older women is indeed important given their contributions to society.
2. Malaysia, like many other countries is experiencing rapid population aging. Undeniably, the COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected older persons, particularly their physical and mental wellbeing as well as multi-faceted spheres including social protection areas during the pandemic.
3. Malaysia through a multi-stakeholder and whole of society approach, has undertaken several initiatives focused on addressing the needs of older persons during the pandemic, inter-alia:
3.1 Firstly, to increase the awareness of prevention and control of COVID-19 in elderly care centers and communities, with the dissemination of information relating to the pandemic, through media outlets as well as social media platforms;
3.2 Secondly, the prioritising of older persons in the National COVID-19 Immunization Programme. To date, 80% of Malaysia’s older person’s population have completed the COVID-19 vaccination.
3.3 The government also provides financial subsidy for the cost of transportation for older persons during their vaccination appointment day as well as easy access to medical needs by financing the delivery of medicines right to the doorstep.
3.4 Support in ensuring all residents and workers in registered elderly care centres and nursing homes are regularly screened for COVID-19. This facilitated by government financial assistance. Allocation is also provided to NGOs involved with older persons.
3.5 Lastly, the Government has also allocated USD210 million under the Senior Citizens Assistance Scheme, whereby monthly cash aid is given to senior citizens who are living alone and unable to work for a living.
Mr Chair,
4. Malaysia will continue to improve the quality of care, protection and support to enable older persons to be a healthy, active and productive part of society. We are looking into the introduction of national laws to protect the rights of older persons and create a comprehensive long-term framework to improve the quality of life for older persons.
5. While member states review the recommendations in the report closely, our question to Ms Mahler; moving forward, how do you intend to pursue this agenda on older women further within the UN system and other stakeholders to ensure that the mainstreaming of this important rights based approach remain on the radars of the international community?
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