A news portal recently reported that a developer plans to turn Butterworth into a retirees’ haven.

The report’s subtitle read: “Jayamas Property Group to create niche location, as Malaysia heads towards an ageing population by 2030.” The report said Butterworth is already being targeted as a private housing development hub for the elderly, with medical and healthcare services.

Unfortunately, only wealthy senior citizens will be able to afford such services.

The Department of Statistics has predicted that the country may soon become an ageing nation, with 15% of the adult population above 60 by 2030.

So, many more developers may take advantage of the growing need for retirement homes and services.

However, instead of these private developers, it is the government that should come up with a masterplan soon.

Leaving such care services for the elderly to market forces and businesses will worsen social problems: it will widen the gulf between the wealthy and the poor. The financial burden of having to provide for the care and safety of the elderly will also fall on their adult children.

If the needs of the elderly are left entirely to private housing developers and healthcare providers, the task of monitoring them for compliance with healthcare standards will fall on the government. This could get increasingly messy, given the questionable track record of property developers in the country.

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