Introduction

Penang is the second state that is experiencing aging in Malaysia after the state of Perak. By 2040, Penang will have the largest proportion of elderly people in Malaysia. Therefore, Penang is now in an effort to become an Age Friendly City (AFC).

https://extranet.who.int/agefriendlyworld/network/penang-island/  

Definition

• Age-Friendly City (AFC) is a framework developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) by considering and prioritising the needs of elderly adults. It is a place where people of all age groups can live, work, and participate in social, economic and cultural activities with dignity, autonomy and respect. MBPP has already started with specific planning through the Age-Friendly City Action Plan in the City Council of Penang Island’s Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025. 

The 8 Area of Age Friendly City

	Outdoor Spaces and Buildings Optimize usability of outdoor spaces and buildings for older adults.
	Transportation Increase access to and awareness of affordable, safe, and equitable mobility options for older adults in all parts of Penang Island.
	Housing Improve choice, quality, affordability, and housing stability for older adults.
	Social Participation Promote diverse and accessible opportunities for participation and engagement of older adults age 60.
	Respect and Social Inclusion Uphold all older adults ages 60 as valuable members and provide equitable resources for the community.
	Civic Participation and Employment Connect older adults with resources that help them achieve their diverse employment and career transition goals.
	Communication and Information Awareness and access to available services and supports for older adults and their families will increase for everyone.
	Community Support and Health Services Ensure the community has accessible and affordable resources to support individual health and well-being goals throughout the ageing process.

Sector 1: Outdoor Spaces and Buildings

• Optimize usability of outdoor spaces and buildings for older adults.
• The design of Neighbourhood Parks meets the criteria of “Universal Design and Accessibility in the Built Environment”, which takes universal design into account and is given a high priority. It provides equal accessibility to groups with various abilities and needs, especially senior citizens. The Neighbourhood Parks have user-friendly spaces and sizes that offer options to users whether to have their leisure activities alone or in groups.

• The Town Hall has an exhibition gallery space, a ballroom and multi-purpose rooms. It is also equipped with a lift, accessible toilets, and a ramp, especially for people with special needs. These facilities make the Town Hall, a place for cultural, arts and other activities, accessible to all.

• Public facilities and a disabled-friendly environment are provided based on the Universal Design for the comfort of all.

• The City Council of Penang Island also includes Universal Design in the Guidelines for the Provision of Public Toilets in All New Public Buildings Developments for the comfort of all.

 Sector 2: Transportation

• Increase access to and awareness of affordable, safe, and equitable mobility options for older adults in all parts of Penang Island.

• Cooperates with Rapid Penang in implementing FREE bus services, such as Central Area Transit (CAT) , Bridge Express Shuttle Transit (BEST) and CAT Bridge, to make public transport affordable for all.
• With a cyclist-friendly concept, the buses provide a platform and allow passengers to bring their bicycles. This concept will enable cyclists to carry out leisure cycling activities around George Town.
• 200 wheelchair-accessible busses.

• Penang Smart Parking (PSP) – As part of the efforts towards a Smart City, a user-friendly Smart Parking system has been developed for all in Penang. Penang Smart Parking is equipped with features such as Find Parking, Parking Payment, Compound Payment, and Purchase of Monthly Pass, among others.

• Penang Bicycle Lane Master Plan, with the goal to create a 200km long cycling route around Penang, was introduced in 2017. The bicycle lanes go through the city through the coast for cyclists to travel around the island without producing carbon. The initiative also encourages more people to cycle. We target to have 45,000 cyclists annually by 2025.

• The City Council of Penang Island launched the Bike Sharing System (Link Bike) on 17 December 2016. Currently, 29 stations, 250 bicycles and 325 bicycle docks are available in George Town and Bayan Baru

• The Rejuvenation of Back Lanes and Side Lanes in George Town, Penang, is a well-designed project to increase walking and cycling activities, which will ultimately improve the economic activities in George Town and reduce the crime rates around the area. This project brings positive impacts to the environment and public health as a whole.
• MBPP has won the premier award of the 7th Edition of the Jean-Paul-L’Allier Prize for Heritage.

 Sector 3: Housing

• Increase access to and awareness of affordable, safe, and equitable mobility options for older adults in all parts of Penang Island.

• The Guidelines for the Development of Age-Friendly Housings in the City Council of Penang Island Administrative Areas was implemented on 15 December 2022. It involves the development of integrated Age-Friendly Housing involving Independent Living Units (ILU) and Assisted Living Units (ALU).
• Supplying public housing schemes is an effort of the government to meet the wishes and needs of the people in Penang. The City Council of Penang Island’s People’s Housing Projects flats tenants are of various races and genders.

Sector 4: Social Participation

• Promote diverse and accessible opportunities for participation and engagement of older adults age 60.
• Promotion of volunteer management system and practices through the implementation of various programmes.
• List of Programmes

• Build a social support network within the community.

The Green School Award is part of the City Council of Penang Island’s efforts to foster a love for the environment among children through collaborations with schools in Penang Island. Green School Award 2022 Prize Presentation Ceremony

• The implementation of the Gender Inclusion Policy ensures inclusive access to programme planning, implementations and the provision of public facilities to achieve gender inclusion.

• Using Gender Responsive and Participatory Budgeting (GRPB) in all aspects of governance, including programme planning, designs, implementations, monitoring and evaluation processes to meet “Different People Different Needs”.

• Digital Library@Makerspace facilities and spaces, Balik Pulau will operate every Monday to Sunday from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. Places are limited to 30 people each day.

 Sector 5: Respect and Social Inclusion

• Promote diverse and accessible opportunities for participation and engagement of older adults age 60.

• 'Bike Box' is a special zone for motorcyclists and cyclists to stop their vehicles at a traffic light intersection.

A disabled-friendly playground for the special-need group in City Park.

• Accessible Pedestrian Footpaths are available to all where footpaths were constructed per MS1184 Universal Design and Accessibility in the Built Environment – Code of Practice.
• The “Pedestrian Is King” initiative was introduced in 2015 in George Town to create awareness among motorists to slow down their vehicles at a zebra crossing to create a safer environment for pedestrians.

Sector 6: Civic Participation and Employment

• Connect older adults with resources that help them achieve their diverse employment and career transition goals.

• Provide job opportunities for retired Council staff to maintain the cleanliness of public toilets and earn some income by collecting toilet entrance fees.

• Community Contract for Cleaners was awarded to the Community Organisation of People’s Housing Project flat in Jalan Sungai, which provides job opportunities to residents in the housing scheme.

Sector 7: Communication and Information

• Awareness and access to available services and supports for older adults and their families will increase for everyone.

PEARL - One Touch Penang is an online one-stop platform for the entire city of Penang. The mobile app aims to facilitate users in Penang to have interaction and easy access to the City Council’s services apart from using the City Council’s official web portal.

Among the functions that have been and are being developed are:

• Online Shopping
• Online Bills Payments
• Attractions in Penang
• City Council’s Calendar of Events
• Lists and Locations of Police Stations, Fire Stations, MBPP Offices, Veterinarians,
  Water Level, Parks, Care Centres and Nursing Homes, Clinics, Hospitals, Ambulance Services, Automated External Defibrillators (AED), etc.

• Monitoring current conditions and situations through the "Eyes In The Sky” and providing information to the public such as natural disasters, traffic conditions and others through public announcement systems.

Sector 8: Community Support and Health Services

• Awareness and access to available services and supports for older adults and their families will increase for everyone.
• Transit Home and Night Shelter for the Homeless

• Installation of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in phases in public places and active areas.
• Guidelines for Provision of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in the City Council of Penang Island Administrative Areas.

• Promote health awareness on food hygiene and dengue fever to the public and school students.