KUCHING – The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is looking at ways to encourage greater social interaction and marriage as the nation’s fertility rate declines.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said Malaysia might become an ageing nation earlier than predicted if no measures are taken to counter the impact.
Citing the Statistics Department, she said the total fertility rate in the nation reached its lowest in five decades with 1.6 children per woman between the ages of 15 and 49.
“Over the past five decades, the fertility rate of the country’s population has dropped sharply – from 6.7 children per woman in 1957 to 4.0 children in 1980; 3.0 children in 2000; 2.1 children in 2010; and the latest being 1.6 children in 2022, the lowest rate ever recorded by our country.
“This decrease in fertility rate simultaneously accelerates the ageing process of the population, with Malaysia expected to become an ageing country in 2044, whereby 15% of the population are 60 and above.
“If the fertility rate continues to decrease at the current rate and no intervention is done, the country’s population may reach a maximum of 46 million in total population by 2071 before experiencing population shrinkage in the following year,” she said.
She said this when met after attending the marriage solemnisation ceremony for 30 Muslim couples at the Akad Semarak Ummah programme at Masjid Darul Hana here today.
Nancy also said declining birth rates are not just an issue in Malaysia, but also in neighbouring countries like Singapore.
When asked about the reason behind the declining trend, she said it was partially due to delayed marriage and the education level of women.
“Women nowadays are more educated and most of them view their career as their priority, not marriage,” she said.
She said one of the major efforts the ministry is undertaking to address the problem is setting up the first national sub-fertility centre in Shah Alam.
“The centre will provide comprehensive fertility treatments and family well-being services, and will also function as a coordination centre for research, latest treatment technologies and expertise training.
“At the same time, more marriage encouragement programmes will be organised throughout the country,” she said, adding these programmes will be organised similarly to today’s Akad Semarak Ummah.
She said this is the first programme the ministry organised in tandem with the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department and the mosque’s committee.
“We organise this programme for them (couples) so they feel motivated. It is an encouragement to build strong family values, especially for the young couples,” she said. – December 9, 2023