Bill requiring children to support ageing parents likely next year, says Kulasegaran

IPOH, Sept 17 — Deputy Minister M. Kulasegaran revealed that the proposed filial law, which would legally obligate children to care for their elderly parents, is still under consideration and expected to be introduced early next year. Kulasegaran expressed his optimism that the bill could be tabled as early as October, but acknowledged that the timeframe was too short as the government needed to consult various stakeholders.

The proposed legislation, which does not fall under the Law and Institutional Reform Ministry, would address situations where adult children, including professionals like lawyers and doctors, fail to provide financial or other support to their ageing parents. Malaysia has studied similar laws in countries like Singapore and India, where legislation allows parents to seek court orders when their children do not provide financial support.

Kulasegaran emphasized that the government cannot introduce such legislation arbitrarily, as it first needs to examine related laws and conduct consultations. He noted that the need for such legislation had been raised by elderly parents themselves. Kulasegaran also mentioned that the issue of mandatory caning was currently under consultation, but declined to disclose any details due to the Official Secrets Act.