Home / Regular Issue / JTAS Vol. 30 (4) Dec. 2022 / JSSH-8480-2021

 

Supporting the Elderly: The Kenang Budi Concept Within the Malay Society in Malaysia

Nik Norliati Fitri Md Nor and Suriati Ghazali

Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, Volume 30, Issue 4, December 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.30.4.21

Keywords: Elderly, Kenang Budi, Malay society, Malaysia, support

Published on: 15 December 2022

The rising number of elderlies has brought several issues forward, particularly pertaining to care and support. Children are expected to be the primary source of support for the elderly and provide them with physical, social, and financial support to show that they are indebted to their parents. This concept is called Kenang Budi. The concept is prevalent in the Malay Muslim culture in Malaysia. This study examines the types of support given by the children in the practice of the Kenang Budi concept by analyzing the data gathered from 327 elderly in Pahang, Malaysia, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The results demonstrate that the concept is practiced by several acts of service, such as providing health support and care, aiding them financially, preparing daily necessities, maintaining good contact, and taking them to places such as mosques and festival shows. Since children’s support is pertinent for the well-being of the elderly, the concept of Kenang Budi is appropriate in ensuring the children’s continuous support and providing a chance for the children to care for and be responsible for the elderly. This article highlights the element of Kenang Budi (literally, in English, grateful) in the Malay community, especially in the context of doing a good or responsible attitude towards elderly parents, similar to the concept of filial piety practiced in Chinese society in Southeast Asia.

  • Alavi, K., & Sail, R. M. (2010). Roles of Malay women in the process of caring for elderly parents: Dilemma and challenges in the era of globalisation. Kajian Malaysia: Journal of Malaysian Studies, 28(2), 71-105.

  • Ananta, A., & Arifin, E. N. (2009). Older persons in Southeast Asia: From liability to asset. In E. N. Arifin & A. Ananta (Eds.), Older Person in Southeast Asia: An Emerging Asset (pp. 3-46). Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. https://doi.org/10.1355/9789812309457-007

  • Andrews, G. R., & Hennink, M. M. (1992). The circumstances and contributions of older persons in three Asian countries: Preliminary results of a cross-national study. Asia-Pacific Population Journal, 7(3), 27-146. https://doi.org/10.18356/a432a9c2-en

  • Bedford, O., & Kuang, H. Y. (2019). The history and the future of the psychology of filial piety: Chinese norms to contextualized personality construct. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00100

  • Cleary, M., & Maricar, H. A. (2000). 17 Ageing, Islam and care for older persons in Brunei Darussalam. In D. R. Phillips (Ed.), Ageing in the Asia-Pacific region: Issues, policies and future trend (pp. 322-333). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

  • DaVanzo, J., & Angelique, C. (1994). Living arrangements of older Malaysians: Who coresides with their adult children? Demography, 31(1), 95-113. https://doi.org/10.2307/2061910

  • Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2019). World Population Ageing 2019: Highlights (Report no. ST/ESA/SER.A/444). United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/ageing/WorldPopulationAgeing2019-Report.pdf

  • Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2011). Population distribution by local authority areas and mukims.

  • Domingo, L. J., & Casterline, J. B. (1992). Living arrangements of the Filipino elderly. Asia-Pacific Population Journal, 7(3), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.18356/31351151-en

  • Du, P., & Guo, Z. G. (2000). Population ageing in China. In D. R. Phillips (Ed.), Ageing in the Asia-Pacific region: Issues, policies and future trend (pp. 194-209). Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

  • European Union. (2019). Ageing Europe: Looking at the lives of older people in the EU. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3217494/10166544/KS-02-19%E2%80%91681-EN-N.pdf/c701972f-6b4e-b432-57d2-91898ca94893

  • Fan, Y., Fang, S., & Yang, Z. (2018). Living arrangements of the elderly: A new perspective from choice constraints in China. China Economic Review. 50, 101-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chieco.2018.04.001

  • Hassan, A. R. (Ed.). (2015). Al-Quran Al-Karim Terjemahan [Al-Quran Al-Karim Translations]. Telaga Biru Sdn. Bhd.

  • Jernigan, H. L., & Jernigan, M. B. (1992). Aging in Chinese society: A holistic approach to the experience of aging in Taiwan and Singapore. The Haworth Pastoral Press.

  • Ling, H. K. (2009). Urbanization and the ageing community in Sarawak, Malaysia. In E. N. Arifin & A. Ananta (Eds.), Older persons in Southeast Asia: An emerging asset (pp. 335-360). Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. https://doi.org/10.1355/9789812309457-019

  • Loichinger, E., & Pothisiri, W. (2018). Research project on care for older persons in ASEAN+3: The role of families and local and national support systems. Department of Older Persons and College of Population Studies. https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/docs/librariesprovider3/research-policy-brief-docs/care-for-older-persons-in-asean-3---the-role-of-families-and-local-and-national-support-systems.pdf?sfvrsn=5830f2be_4

  • Makhtar, A., & Samsudin, N. H. (2020). Filial piety expectations and loneliness among older people in Kuantan, Pahang. Makara Journal of Health Research, 23(3), 203-207.

  • Manning, W. D., & Brown, S. L. (2011). The demography of unions among older Americans, 1980-present: A family change approach. In R. A. Settersten & J. L. Angel (Eds.), Handbook of sociology of aging (pp. 193-203). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7374-0_13

  • Martin, L. G. (1990). Changing intergenerational family relations in East Asia. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 510(1), 102-114. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716290510001008

  • Mehta, K. K., & Ko, H. (2004). Filial piety revisited in the context of modernizing Asian societies. Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 4, S77-S78. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0594.2004.00157.x

  • Men caring for aging parents not doing too well. (2014, March 14). Japan Today. https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/men-caring-for-aging-parents-struggle

  • Mohd Zain, R., & Shaffie, F. (2005). Housing issues and Dasar Warga Tua Negara Planning. In A. H. Hillaluddin, F. Z. Ahmad Ramli, R. Sayuti, & Y. Yusof (Eds.), Legal policies and social work practices (pp. 23-34). Universiti Utara Malaysia.

  • Mufti of Federal Territory’s Office. (2019). Irsyad al-hadith siri ke-356: Tanggungjawab anak terhadap ibu bapa [Irsyad al-hadith series -356th: Children’s responsibilities to their parents]. https://muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/irsyad-al-hadith/3212-irsyad-al-hadith-siri-ke-356-tanggungjawab-anak-terhadap-ibubapa

  • Ogawa, N., Retherford, R. D., & Saito, Y. (2003). Caring for the elderly and holding down a job: How are women coping in Japan. In S. B. Westley, (Ed.). Asia-Pacific population and policy (pp. 1-4). Population and Health Studies.

  • Ostbye, T., Angelique, C., Rahul, M., & Kothalawala, J. (2010). Adult children caring for their elderly parents. Asian Population Studies, 6(1), 83-97. https://doi.org/10.1080/17441731003603504

  • Phillips, D. (1992). East and South-east Asia: Issues of Ageing in the Region. In D. R. Phillips (Ed.), Ageing in East and South-East Asia (pp.1-21). Edward Arnold.

  • Rolls, L., Seymour, J. E., Froggatt, K., & Hanratty, B., (2010). Older people living alone at the end of life in the UK: Research and policy challenges. Palliative Medicine, 25(6), 650-657. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216310373165

  • Schmillen, A. D., Wang, D., Yap, W. A., Bandaogo, M. A. S. S., Simler, K., Ali Ahmad, Z., & Abdur Rahman, A. (2020.) A silver lining - Productive and inclusive aging for Malaysia (English, Report No. 154520). The Malaysia Development Experience Series. World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/287981606116408851/A-Silver-Lining-Productive-and-Inclusive-Aging-for-Malaysia

  • Takagi, E., & Saito, Y. (2020). Japanese older adults’ loneliness, family relationships and mortality: Does one’s living arrangement make a difference? Geriatrics and Gerontology International, 20(2), 156-160. https://doi.org/10.1111/ggi.13837

  • Teerawichitchainan, B., Pothisiri, W., & Long, G. T. (2015). How do living arrangements and intergenerational support matter for psychological health of elderly parents? Evidence from Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. Social Science & Medicine, 106-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.05.019

  • The Qur’an (M. T. Usmani, Trans.). (1997). The meanings of the Noble Quran with explanatory notes. Quranic Studies Publishers.

  • Wan Ahmad, W. A. (1999). Hubungan sosial, sokongan dan kesejahteraan warga tua: Satu kajian di pedesaan Kelantan [Social relations, support and well-being of the elderly: A study in rural area in Kelantan, Unpublished doctoral thesis]. Universiti Putra Malaysia.

  • Wan Ahmad, W. A., & Ismail, Z. (2014a). The availability of family support of rural elderly in Malaysia. World Applied Sciences Journal, 30(7), 899-902.

  • Wan Ahmad, W. A., & Ismail, Z. (2014b). Reasons behind the availability of family support of older persons in Malaysia. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 20(11), 1457-1460.

  • Wan Ahmad, W. A., & Ismail, Z. (2014c). Satisfaction of family support of older rural Malaysian. World Applied Sciences Journal, 30(7), 919-922.

  • Wan Ahmad, W. A., Ismail, Z., & Redzuan, M. (2012). Living arrangement of older population in rural Malaysia. Advances in Natural and Applied Sciences, 6(3), 383-387.

  • Wenyi, L. (2019). The relationship between formal and informal care among Chinese older adults: Based on the 2014 CLHLS dataset. BMC Health Services Research, 19, 323. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4160-8

  • Zhang, X., Clarke, C. L., & Rhynas, S. J. (2019). What is the meaning of filial piety for people with dementia and their family caregivers in China under the current social transitions? An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Dementia, 18(7-8), 2620-2634. https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301217753775

  • Zimmer, Z., & Kwong, J. (2003). Family size and support of older adults in urban and rural China: Current effects and future implications. Demography, 40(1), 23-44. https://doi.org/10.2307/3180810

ISSN 1511-3701

e-ISSN 2231-8542

Article ID

JSSH-8480-2021

Download Full Article PDF

Share this article

Related Articles