Malaysia is undergoing rapid proportion aging with the proportion of population aged 60 years and older projected to increase from 11.1% in 2020 to 23.1% by 2050. Based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with nearly 5,000 people aged over 40, the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey Wave 2 (MARS Wave 2) report offers detailed information on older persons’ living arrangements, daily activities, economic security, and their evolving needs and challenges. The report explains how a basic pension, rolling out health campaigns, and devising community incentive programs could help Malaysia support and protect its aging population.

The webinar presented insights and findings on the MARS Wave 2 report focusing on the health status of older persons and their needs for social assistance and long-term care, while also shedding light on the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A panel of experts from the University of Michigan and ADB offered insights on the report and how surveys can better contribute to ongoing policy discussions in the region and what can be done to feed the data and analysis into policy.