00:00It's not big enough. A big round of applause again.
00:05The theme Experience Care reminds us that care is not just a matter of policy document.
00:13Care is an experience that every one of us will go through and feel sooner or later.
00:24Ladies and gentlemen, let me begin with a simple but profound proposition.
00:30Care is not a cost to be contained.
00:35It is an investment to be cultivated and nurtured.
00:39And the care economy is not merely about caring for people.
00:44It is about finally building an economy that enables people to live healthier,
00:52longer, more productive, and a more dignified life.
00:57For far too long, we have viewed care through a narrow lens as a social obligation,
01:05a private family responsibility, or an expense to be borne by governments and households.
01:11We have measured economic success by what we produce, what we consume, and how fast our GDP numbers grow,
01:20while often overlooking the very people whose health, well-being, and capabilities make that growth possible.
01:31It is time that we change this paradigm.
01:35The care economy places human well-being at the heart of economic development.
01:41It recognizes that every nurse, every doctor, every caregiver, rehabilitation professionals,
01:49child care workers, and community health workers contributes not only to individual well-being,
01:57but also to the productivity, resilience, and prosperity of our nation.
02:02It recognizes, too, the immense yet often invisible contributions of millions of family members,
02:12the caregivers, particularly women, whose unpaid care sustained households
02:19enables others to participate in the workforce and holds the fabric of our society together.
02:28And as Malaysia confronts an ageing and transitioning into an ageing society,
02:35a rising burden of non-communicable diseases, the pressures of chronic illnesses,
02:41and the changing structures of our families,
02:44the question before us is no longer whether we can afford to invest in care.
02:49The real question is whether we can afford not to invest.
02:57We must move beyond an illness-driven model that waits for people to become sick before we intervene.
03:06We must build an integrated continuum of care from prevention and early intervention
03:13to treatment, rehabilitation, long-term care, and palliative supports,
03:17bringing care closer to where people live, work, and age.
03:24This is an economic opportunity.
03:27With the right policies, financing, skills, technology, and public and private partnership,
03:36the care economy can generate decent jobs, unlock innovations,
03:41strengthen workforce participation, and create new engines of sustainable growth.
03:47It can transform ageing from a perceived demographic burden
03:52into an opportunity for productive participation,
03:58intergenerational solidarity, and a thriving silver economy.
04:03Ultimately, the measure of a nation's progress is not simply of how much wealth it accumulates,
04:11but how well it enables its people to live, contribute, flourish, and thrive.
04:19Our task, therefore, is not merely to expand the provision of care.
04:25It is also to deliberately design a care economy.
04:30One that values care as productive work, recognizes care as a shared responsibility,
04:39and places human dignity at the center of national development.
04:43Because when we invest in care, we are not simply spending on today's needs.
04:50We are indeed investing in our people's capabilities,
04:55our economy's resilience, and the future of generations yet to come.
05:02Have a great day.
05:03Mundo you.
05:05Listen, let's talk Steve Colomye.
05:07You're конц� of the faith in the country.
05:10Let's talk Steve Colomye.
