Elderly Care For Low-income Households (B40) In Malaysia: Intergenerational Relations In Reference To Sunnah Nabawiyyah

The negligence cases of senior citizen are estimated at about 675,000 cases or equivalent to almost 30% of senior citizens in Malaysia. They seemed to be stemming from the attitudes of society who are too career-driven and focused on luxurious lives at the expense of their elderly, considering them to be burdens due to high cost of living and cost of medical care i.e. medicine. Hence, the writing of this paper aims to discuss the issues, challenges and realities of elderly care, primarily for the lower income group (B40) in Malaysia as well as intergenerational relationships from the perspective of sunnah nabawiyyah, since the mistreatment and negligence of senior citizens is contrary to the Islamic law that has bestowed responsibility for the care of elderly parents on their children. Not only that efforts of all parties such as the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), the National Social Institute, the Human Rights Commission (SUHAKAM) and the Social Welfare Department (JKM) need to be enhanced for the senior citizens in Malaysia, but also the studies related to it need to be intensified so as to avoid this group from being neglected. This is in conformity with the main policy of the Malaysian government through the National Social Policy (DSN), the National Policy for the Elderly (DWEN) and the National Senior Citizens Action Plan (PTWEN), besides demonstrating commitment towards the elderly contained in the PH PRU-14 manifesto as the core of our new Malaysian government and parallel with the Industrial Revolution 5.0 targeting the "Super Smart Society" as a result of increased value to society