Retirement villages will be developed on land belonging to Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia (PR1MA), said Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She said PR1MA would come up with the model concept and collaborate with strategic partners to develop several retirement villages on its land.

She explained that PR1MA was currently drafting a policy focusing on the needs of, and addressing all the fundamental elements that are needed for senior citizens to live in a harmonious environment with adequate health facilities.

Zuraida said the establishment of retirement villages was a new business model adopted by PR1MA so as to provide a well-facilitated, well-equipped and sophisticated infrastructure for senior citizens.

“We have a few parties who are interested and they will come up with proposals. We will see what is their business model and concept, and work with them,“ she said when addressing the Malaysian Population Aging Forum held virtually today.

Zuraida said the proposed retirement villages, which are likely to be ready in 2023, would focus on landed and low-rise concept.

For now, she said a few strategic locations had been identified, namely in Penang and Malacca due to their suitable surroundings and peaceful environment.

“It is important to have retirement villages because when individuals grow older, they will be looking for a different concept of living as they want to be with their peer group to share ideas, knowledge and socialise.

“They have to come together in one community so that they can be productive. A healthy old age means giving them the opportunity to interact with their peer group and doing activities at their own pace.”

On the cost of staying in the retirement villages, Zuraida said it would be affordable, ranging between RM400 and RM600 per month depending on the facilities and cares they would need.

Zuraida said there are currently two million senior citizens aged 60 and above in Malaysia.

She pointed out that a long-term plan was needed to assist the ageing population so that the government could spend less in terms of healthcare, hospitalisation and medication.

Source: Bernama