Young delay starting families as rising costs bite
PETALING JAYA : The pressure of the rising cost of living is mainly why many youths choose to delay marriage and start a family, says deputy women, family and community development minister Noraini Ahmad.
She cited a report by the United Nations Population Fund, which said nearly one in five adults across 14 countries acknowledged they may not be able to have the number of children they desire.
'Of this group, 39% cited financial constraints as the main barrier, including the cost of living, childcare, housing and job insecurity. This is where our responsibility lies: to listen, understand, and act,' Bernama reported her as saying at the 2025 World Population Day celebration today.
She said the government has implemented various initiatives to help young couples build families in a more stable and structured environment.
These include providing maternity and paternity leave, childcare subsidies, financial assistance for low-income families, and awareness programmes on reproductive and family health.
On Malaysia's declining fertility rate, currently at 1.7 children per woman, below the population replacement level of 2.1, Noraini said the government is implementing a fertility treatment aid and infertility advocacy programme, targeting 30,000 couples this year.
'In the first quarter of 2025, only 93,500 births were recorded, a drop of more than 11% compared with the previous year.
'These numbers represent a growing urgency for effective policies, support systems and public awareness,' she said.
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