Miri City Council and Curtin Malaysia join forces to create age-friendly city and community in Miri

Miri – 30 August 2023 – Miri City Council and Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) have taken decisive steps towards creating an Age-Friendly City and Community (AFCC) in Miri through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The MOU signing ceremony, which took place at the Miri City Hall between Mayor of Miri Adam Yii Siew Sang and Curtin Malaysia’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Professor Simon Leunig, solidifies the commitment of both organisations to collaborate and leverage their expertise and resources to develop initiatives that cater to the specific needs of senior citizens.

Yii said Miri City Council recognises the importance of ensuring that Miri becomes a city where the elderly can thrive in a comfortable and safe environment. By partnering with Curtin Malaysia, a renowned institution with a strong emphasis on research and community development, the city aims to implement age-friendly policies and programmes that address the unique challenges faced by senior citizens.

Under the MOU, which will be for a period of five years, Miri City Council and Curtin Malaysia will work closely together to conduct in-depth research, gather data, and engage with the local elderly community to better understand their needs, preferences, and challenges. The findings from this research will guide the development and implementation of programmes and policies aimed at improving the quality of life for senior citizens in Miri.

The collaboration will also involve creating age-friendly infrastructure, promoting social inclusion, offering support services, and facilitating intergenerational activities. Through these initiatives, Miri is set to become a more accessible and inclusive city for people of all ages, ensuring that seniors can actively participate in and contribute to the community.

According to Yii, 1,333 cities in 47 countries are implementing AFCC under the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Network for AFCC. He also highlighted that in 2022, Miri City Council entered into an MoU with the United Nations International Children’s Fund (Unicef) for the implementation of Child-Friendly Cities Initiatives (CFCI) in Miri City.

“The Age-Friendly City and Community as well as Child-Friendly City Initiatives are now two important programmes being blended into our strategic plan for achieving our goal of ‘Good Health and Wellbeing’ for Miri,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prof. Leunig remarked that as part of a world-renowned university, Curtin Malaysia takes pride in its mission to provide quality education and contribute to the development of the local community.

“This includes helping to create an environment where people of all ages, especially our senior citizens, can feel safe, supported, and empowered to live fulfilling lives. We believe that an age-friendly city and community is not just a concept, but a tangible reality that can be achieved through collaborative efforts,” he said.

Also present at the signing were Curtin Malaysia Pro-Chancellor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam, Deputy Mayor Ariffin Mohamad, Miri City Council Secretary Abdul Rahman Taupek, city councillors, as well as Curtin Malaysia’s Professor of Marketing and Director of Agency Studies, Prof. Ong Fon Sim.

The signing was followed by a talk by Prof. Ong on creating age-friendly cities and communities, in which she highlighted that the world’s population is rapidly aging, and Malaysia and Sarawak, too, will be aged societies by 2030.

She said that according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Malaysia’s ageing population is growing at a faster-than-expected rate (faster than the global average) where more than 15 per cent of its population will be above the age of 65 by 2050. This demographic shift will have significant impacts on society, the economy and institutions, bringing significant challenges in health, social care, housing, and retirement planning.

“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every individual, regardless of age, can thrive and live a fulfilling life, and thus, it is pertinent for Miri to be ready to provide the infrastructure and environment for its aging population in the coming years,” said Prof. Ong.

This recent MOU signing follows earlier partnerships between Curtin Malaysia and the Sibu Municipal Council as well as the City Council of Kuching South.

This groundbreaking partnership between Miri City Council and Curtin Malaysia highlights the collective commitment of both organisations to enhance the lives of senior citizens in Miri. By creating an age-friendly city and community, Miri aims to set an exemplary standard for other cities in the region, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring the well-being of its elderly population.

Information on Curtin Malaysia can be found on its website at www.curtin.edu.my, or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or TikTok.

Mayor Adam Yii and Prof Simon Leunig exchange MoU documents while (L-R) Abdul Rahman Taupek, Ariffin Mohamad, Dr George Chan and Prof Ong Fon Sim look on.