Perak: State Rural Development, Plantation, Agriculture and Food Industry Committee chairman Datuk Mohd Zolkafly Harun said the attention was important with the increasing elderly population in the state, as well as the migration of young people to urban areas, which resulted in some senior citizens in rural areas, especially those living alone, to face limited access to support facilities. According to BERNAMA News Agency, residents aged 65 and above in Perak accounted for about 10.2 per cent or approximately 267,600 people in 2025. Mohd Zolkafly highlighted that the situation is more challenging for senior citizens who live alone or reside in dilapidated houses with inadequate basic amenities. He also emphasized the urgent need for housing solutions, noting that low-income (B40) groups in rural areas continue to live in homes that are beyond repair. He expressed hope that Budget 2027 would prioritize the construction of new houses and the renovation of dilapidated ones, particularly through the People's P rosperity Housing Programme (PPRS), targeting the rural B40 group. The Lintang assemblyman underscored the importance of creating a rural economic ecosystem to generate employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, especially for the youth. He stated that rural development should encompass more than just basic amenities but should include an economic ecosystem that offers sustainable employment opportunities and income sources to curb the migration of young people to urban areas. Mohd Zolkafly called for robust support from the Federal Government to boost local economic development, agro-entrepreneurship, micro-businesses, food processing industries, and the digital economy. He stressed the need for community entrepreneurs, particularly rural youths, to have skills aligned with industry demands, including the agri-food sector, which increasingly relies on technology, mechanisation, and automation. He suggested strengthening human capital through the Skills and Career Training Programme, which offers the M alaysian Skills Certificate, to better equip the rural workforce. "The focus is particularly on producing skilled human capital in the agri-food, mechanisation, automation and agricultural technology sectors," he said.#