THE National Ageing Action Plan (NAB 2045) is targeted to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat during the current Parliament sitting, as Malaysia faces a rapid transition towards an aged society and a narrowing window to prepare for its economic and social impact.
Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that the action plan, together with the White Paper on Preparing for an Ageing Nation, was undergoing consideration by the Government and would be tabled after obtaining Cabinet approval.
“The target is for it to be tabled during this Parliament sitting,” the ministry said in its response to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa (PH-Sekijang).
Malaysia entered ageing-nation status in 2021, when people aged 65 and above accounted for seven per cent of the population.
Based on current projections, the country is expected to become an aged nation by 2048, when the proportion reaches 14 per cent, and a super-aged nation by around 2060, when it reaches 20 per cent.
The transition from an ageing to an aged nation is expected to take about 27 years, from 2021 to 2048.
Akmal said the same transition took 115 years in France, 73 years in Australia and 69 years in the United States, leaving Malaysia with a considerably shorter period to strengthen its preparedness.
Malaysia is also ageing at a lower income level than developed economies when they underwent a similar demographic transition, it said.
“This situation provides a more limited window of time to strengthen the country’s preparedness,” he said.
The demographic shift is expected to bring challenges including slower labour-force growth, inadequate retirement savings and rising healthcare and care needs.
Changes in family structures are also affecting traditional support systems for older people, while policymakers must address the challenges without undermining productivity or fiscal sustainability.
The NAB 2045 is being developed as a long-term framework covering economic development, employment, education and skills, social protection and other areas needed to prepare Malaysia for an ageing population.
The question from Zaliha also sought clarification on whether the action plan would establish specific indicators to measure the contribution of the Silver Economy to Malaysia’s gross domestic product. - October 5, 2026
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