Why Malaysia should have national long-term care insurance and how it can be funded

Malaysia should consider implementing a nationwide long-term care insurance system to provide financial support for the increasing number of older individuals who require care and assistance. Current social protection schemes like the Perkeso invalidity pension only cover those who become unable to work before the age of 60, leaving older individuals without adequate protection once they reach retirement age.

The Deputy CEO of the Social Security Organisation, Edmund Cheong, suggested that a mandatory contribution model would make the long-term care insurance scheme more affordable and sustainable. He argued that such a mandatory scheme, akin to Singapore's CareShield Life program, would be more cost-effective than a voluntary insurance model, where premiums would be prohibitively high due to a smaller pool of contributors.

Nor Azman Zainal, CEO of Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Berhad, expressed concern that Malaysians are generally unwilling to pay for retirement-related insurance products if they are not mandatory. He cited previous failed attempts at introducing long-term care insurance in Malaysia due to this lack of willingness, suggesting that a mandatory nationwide scheme with government involvement would be necessary for success.