KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 -- The government is developing Malaysia's first official cost-of-living benchmark for households caring for people with disabilities, home-based patients and elderly dependants, a move aimed at giving policymakers a clearer picture of the real cost of caregiving and helping shape more targeted welfare support.

According to Sinar Harian, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) is developing a Basic Expenditure for Decent Living (PAKW) benchmark tailored to households with special care needs, the first of its kind in the country.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the initiative would measure the actual cost of living borne by these households while serving as an important reference for the gov...