A minister recently said the government seeks to encourage young Malaysians to get married and have babies, as women have been having fewer children, leading to an ageing society.
Dr Choong Sim Poey of the Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia said obsessing over boosting population figures will be unproductive if its underlying causes are not addressed.
Choong said decisions about family sizes are made based on factors such as accessibility to healthcare, education and infant nurseries. “These should clearly be addressed first,” he said.
“Parents (also) have to consider the cost of having more children, while the government should be concerned about the quality of future generations,” he said.
Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy CEO Azrul Kahlib said adequate resources, funding and social services are required to sustain an ageing population.
“Having children does not solve today’s challenges of supporting an ageing nation. It helps increase the manpower in the future, but does not solve the lack of preparedness in supporting older people,” he said.
Nik Norliati Fitri Nor, a researcher in demography and ageing population at Universiti Sains Malaysia, said it is crucial to focus on improving healthcare infrastructure and reforming pension systems to ensure financial security for all Malaysians.
She said the government needs to prioritise these areas to create a more sustainable and supportive environment for both the elderly and future generations.
Nik Norliati said the government should tackle the financial and social barriers that prevent people from having children.
This includes introducing better financial incentives such as childcare subsidies, improved maternity and paternity leave, and better access to healthcare.
She also said that having better work-life balance and flexible working hours will help couples feel more confident about having children.
“The government can create a more conducive environment (for deciding to have children). This will not only help increase the birthrate but also ensure the well-being of future generations and address the ageing population challenge in Malaysia,” she said.