Ilyana Mukhriz

Despite the declining fertility rate seen worldwide and in Malaysia, the issue of childcare still remains, particularly since family structures are becoming more independent units. With many parents chasing economic opportunities and lacking community support to raise children, childcare services are in demand. This article will briefly explore how countries such as Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam are moving to improving the quality and accessibility of childcare services to allow for comparison with Malaysia’s own initiatives and provide lessons on the way forward.

The burden of care is a rising issue faced not just by Malaysia but also across the globe. The increase in dependant populations in tandem with a shrinking working age group has led countries to rethink how the former population is taken care of while still balancing economic growth. This article will briefly explore how countries such as Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam are moving to tackling the needs of their ageing nation in order to provide lessons for the establishment of Malaysia’s own Care Framework.

This Views article briefly discusses the key factors contributing to the rise and some potential interventions that could be implemented to protect the larger Malaysian population.