Penang to seek details on proposed elderly care centre
The state has offered federal cooperation on the Budget 2027 initiative, which includes facilities in Penang and Sarawak.
Penang will approach federal ministries for information about a proposed elderly care facility, with Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow saying on Oct 10 that the state would support its establishment. Details of the Penang location and how the project would be implemented remained unavailable, he said.
Chow said he would ask the State Economic Planning Division (BPEN) to make those enquiries. The facility is part of the National Integrated Care Centres of Excellence (Nice) initiative announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Budget 2027.
Anwar said the proposal covered two facilities, with Penang and Sarawak each hosting one. Their functions would include elderly care alongside research and training.
Chow expects Penang to reach ageing-state status within a few years. He said policies and programmes must address senior citizens’ needs, with businesses and communities participating alongside government. He also cited infrastructure, care homes, welfare assistance and awareness programmes as necessary measures.
Penang will also seek details about NCT InnoSphere, Chow said. The proposed 122-acre development involves Penang and Kulim, Kedah. According to Anwar, it would support industries in both locations through a hub covering logistics, maintenance, engineering and heavy vehicles, as part of efforts to strengthen the Special Border Economic Zone (SBEZ).
