Comparative Analysis of Filial Responsibility, Elder Neglect, and State Intervention in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore
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Abstract
This article investigates the emerging phenomenon of elder neglect by adult children in Southeast Asia, with a comparative focus on Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. Amid rapid urbanization, shifting family structures, and evolving cultural norms, filial responsibility, a once-sacred moral imperative, is increasingly challenged by socio-economic constraints and policy gaps. Drawing on a qualitative comparative case study approach, this research analyzes state regulations, intergenerational narratives, and lived experiences of elderly abandonment. Data were collected through policy analysis and in-depth interviews with 99 participants across the three countries, including elderly individuals, adult children, social workers, and scholars. The findings reveal distinct national responses shaped by dominant moral frameworks, legal instruments, and welfare infrastructure. While Singapore institutionalizes filial piety through legislation such as the Maintenance of Parents Act, Malaysia relies on a hybrid model of religious norms and community support, and Indonesia depends heavily on informal caregiving rooted in traditional solidarity. Despite these differences, a common pattern emerges: the erosion of intergenerational care norms under the pressures of modern life. The study argues that elder neglect is not merely a private moral failure but a reflection of structural dislocation between traditional values and the contemporary welfare state. It concludes by recommending culturally sensitive, legally grounded, and socially inclusive policy interventions to safeguard the dignity and rights of the elderly in an aging Southeast Asia.
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