BY: DESMOND JUDE

Those of us seniors who have already entered the golden years ask for nothing more than for Malaysians to understand and know what it is like to be in the twilight zone and do what is necessary that can be done for us.

No. We seniors are not asking for tea and sympathy. Instead all that is being asked for by us is that Malaysians be thoughtful and considerate as we age, which usually happens to most people who are blessed with longevity.

But taking the lead should be the government of the day, or the Madani government, who should recognise the tireless work and sacrifices of seniors in nation building, and even now there are elderly people working as mature age workers.

The government should care and put in place provisions to look after seniors as they are a community who are expectedly proud and seek to live independently free of encumbrances and do not wish to be obligated to anybody including their families.

It is therefore the responsibility of the government, the onus or thrust, to ensure seniors are treated in this country with respect, care and love. Their dignity and pride must at all times be assured and guaranteed until they go into the afterlife.

How the Madani government proposes to do this should be left up to them? But from present ground realities, seniors in this country lack the quality of life commensurate with their elderly status, though they have made invaluable contributions to the lives of many others.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher