Procreation Blues Malaysia S Declining Birth Rate Sets Off Alarm Bells Among Citizens

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MALAYSIANS are not producing enough babies!
That seems to be the gist of a post on X highlighting statistics showing declining birth rates in the country.

The revelation by Astro Awani carried an alarming information that the national fertility rate had dropped by 11.5%.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), that number fell from 105,613 in 1Q 2024 to 93,500 in the corresponding period this year.
The post by digital creator Irfan_Newboys (@Marchforward) has generated 1M views at time of publication, indicating that the issue has hit a raw nerve.
One netizen asked wondered what is the long-term effect of such a statistic?

The poster replied that first and foremost, there would be less manpower which will impact the nation’s economic productivity. In addition, healthcare and maintenance for the elderly will also affect the welfare of a nation.

But what are the reasons for the decrease in newborns? Many reasons were proffered, starting with parents dread being burdened by the array of hardship/inconvenience that comes with the prospect of bearing children.

In yesteryears, a single income couple could still afford to have a large brood. Now, the cost-of-living crisis has bitten hard with both husband and wife working, hence making having a family even more challenging, claimed a few netizens.

One commenter claimed that smaller housing is also a factor, citing the average size of abodes these days are not conducive to raising a family.

Job security and constant threat of layoffs were also touted as potential reasons for the decline in babies born. Those who start a family at a later stage could fall prey to layoffs while those younger could ill-afford exorbitant family expenses, argued one netizen.

One lady commenter put it down to chauvinistic attitudes. By treating women better, they are more likely to want to bear your children, she counselled future fathers.

Another put it down to the excessive dowries asked for by certain parents, hence making marriage a difficult affair.

Also citing the Department of Statistics, it was surmised that if the current trend continues, Malaysia’s population would soon be dominated by foreigners.

Referring to recent tragic events, one commenter pointed out too many husbands (and wives) were being lost on the roads. Even elephants weren’t safe.
Aligned with the high cost of living, especially in the urban areas, it makes it difficult to have large families. Pointing to his fellow colleagues, he observed that many remained unmarried while those who are, limit their offspring to one or two.

This is indeed an alarming statistic. Whether there is the political will to bring about meaningful change is open to conjecture. It was claimed that this will be a major problem for future administrations.

Summing the mood up, one netizen sarcastically commented that at last Malaysia is comparable to advanced Asian nations like Japan, South Korea and China.

- focus malaysia

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