He said the findings also showed that about 19% of them had diabetes, while 17.45% suffered from high blood pressure.

He said the analysis further revealed that about 59.24% of those screened had high cholesterol levels, with the risk profile mainly involving workers aged between 40 and 59.

“We need to realise that the pre-retirement phase is a productive period, but at the same time, it is also a critical period for the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“In fact, the health ministry has also disclosed that only 14.7% of senior citizens in Malaysia are currently able to achieve healthy ageing,” he said when launching the Perkeso Run and Ride 2026 programme in conjunction with Workers’ Day 2026 here today.

Khairul also voiced concern over cancer, which remains the third leading cause of death among Malaysians and is now increasingly affecting younger people.

He urged greater awareness of the dangers of NCDs and advised workers not to take the risks lightly, while encouraging them to adopt a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet.

On the Perkeso Run and Ride 2026, Khairul Firdaus said the programme had shown positive momentum, with today’s participation rate indicating that participants in their 40s and 50s made up nearly 30% of the total turnout.

“This is a very encouraging development and I hope all workers, regardless of age, will continue to embrace a healthy lifestyle.

“This is because workers’ health is a key determinant of our productivity and indirectly influences socio-economic sustainability,” he said.