FOREWORD
Before the first light, she is already awake. Quietly, she moves through the house like clockwork. She prepares breakfast, getting her two young children ready for school and helps her ageing mother get out of bed, offering assistance with daily tasks. Then, her attention shifts to her husband, who is recovering from a minor injury, ensuring that he has everything he needs before he heads out the door for work.
Only once her family are taken care of does she begin her paid shift. But by then, she has already put in half a day of work. Her own tasks are woven around the needs of those she cares for – children, husband and elderly parents who rely on her for support with daily activities.
Her story is not unique. It is the lived reality of millions, including Ma- laysians – mostly women – who shoulder the hidden architecture of our society: unpaid care.
To truly grasp the impact of caregiving, consider this: in 2022, if care con- straints that prevent participation in the labour force were removed, it would en- able Malaysia to gain 3.2 million workers in paid employment and 4.9 percentage points in gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the year alone. Such constraints include the limitations faced because of caregiving and domestic responsibilities that are usually unpaid and expected to be done without compensation. These obligations often prevent people, particularly women, from participating fully in the formal labour market. The numbers are clear. The care economy is not a footnote to growth – it is a foundation.
This stark reality, as highlighted in the Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia’s previous policy report, “Building a cradle-to-grave care economy for Malaysia”, underscores the urgency and transformative potential of investing in the care economy, particularly given the country’s rapidly ageing demographics.
This latest publication affirms the care economy’s untapped potential as a new driver of economic growth and lays out four transformative lessons to realise this vision: professionalising the care sector, foster inter-ministerial collaboration to dismantle siloed approaches, adopting a contextualised care framework suited to Malaysia’s diverse needs and building a robust care ecosystem that supports all generations.
As part of our ongoing commitment to deepen the national discourse on the care economy, ISIS Malaysia, alongside senior visiting fellow Denison Jayasooria, convened a series of public engagement events over the past year. These include a roundtable entitled “Conversations on the care economy in Malaysia” (26-27 June 2024) and “Growing the economy and meeting the care needs of the Malaysian society” conference (24-25 September 2024).
The discussions brought together subject-matter experts from various fields that illuminated the care economy’s challenges and aspirations. They underscored the importance of a comprehensive, inclusive and sustainable approach to care provision that acknowledges the interdependence of different care sectors and the individuals they serve.
The outcome of these public engagements is a comprehensive publication that encapsulates a broad range of issues within the care economy. This book stands as both a reflection of collective expertise and a call to action for a society that values care as a fundamental pillar of economic and social wellbeing. It covers the current care economy landscape, needs of various groups that require care and the shared structural solutions for future directions in Malaysia.
As the philosopher Nancy Fraser once wrote: “In the era of the family wage, care work was treated as the private responsibility of individual women. Today, however, it can no longer be treated in that way.”
Indeed, care is a public good. It is in this spirit, that we hope this book can drive evidence-based policymaking and offer actionable avenues towards a more inclusive care economy in Malaysia. Let this be the beginning of a shift – towards a society where no one must choose between dignity, decent work and caring for the ones they love. A future where care is not a silent sacrifice, but a shared responsibility, supported by systems that honour its worth.
Mohd Faiz Abdullah
ISIS Malaysia Chairman
