Nancy: The National Care Standards for Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities is expected to be launched in October this year as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Malaysia's care economy framework. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the standards are currently under development, following continuous discussions to establish clear benchmarks for quality care services, including expectations for providers within the care sector.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the standards are still in the discussion stage and are anticipated to be launched in October. Minister Nancy Shukri expressed her satisfaction with the input from industry players, acknowledging the challenges they face and the suggestions for improvement they have offered. She highlighted the importance of ongoing discussions in generating new ideas, reflecting the evolving nature of the care sector, which requires continuous refinement and policy enhancement.
In her keynote address at the ABAC Malaysia Care Economy Roundtable 2026, Nancy emphasized that the standards would serve as a key governance instrument to strengthen the quality, safety, and accountability of care services nationwide. The standards are intended to establish minimum standards of care, safeguard the dignity and rights of care recipients, and promote greater consistency in service delivery across institutional, community-based, and home-based care settings.
Minister Nancy Shukri also remarked that investment in the care economy is no longer merely a social welfare issue but a critical economic imperative to ensure Malaysia's future productivity and resilience. She pointed out that addressing caregiving gaps and enabling greater labor force participation could contribute about RM77 billion annually to the national economy, equivalent to around five percent of the gross domestic product.
Citing research by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia, Nancy noted that unpaid care and domestic work are estimated to be worth RM379 billion annually. Additionally, about 3.2 million Malaysians face constraints in full labor force participation due to caregiving responsibilities. Nancy also observed that Malaysia is undergoing significant demographic changes, with the total fertility rate declining from 6.0 births per woman in 1960 to around 1.6 currently, below the replacement level of 2.1.
To address these challenges, she stated that the Malaysia Care Strategic Framework and Action Plan 2026-2030 represents an important step towards establishing a more structured and coordinated national direction for the care ecosystem.