INTERACTIVE: Young fathers on the rise in Malaysia

The Star

11 hours ago

PETALING JAYA: They're in their early twenties — some fresh out of school — but more young men in Malaysia are becoming fathers, with the data showing an 8% spike in dads aged 24 and below.
The number of newborn babies with fathers in such a young age group kept increasing - from 25,707 in 2021 to 27,798 in 2023, based on data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
Unplanned pregnancies aside, experts say other reasons for this trend are youths having a change in mindset on family life and financial stability, influence from social media, as well as religious and cultural factors.
'While some pregnancies are unplanned, others are intentional.
'Many couples now choose to complete their families early to enjoy greater freedom and improved quality of life during their 40s and retirement years,' said Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of Malaysia (OGSM) honorary secretary Dr Loh Huey Wen.
Below is a view of the trend which has kept growing since 2021:
Calling it a significant shift, Dr Loh said social media has played a powerful role in reshaping perceptions of youths.
"Social media often features young parents sharing glimpses into family life, portraying parenthood as rewarding.
'Another contributing factor could be the evolving concept of financial stability.
'Unlike previous generations, many young men today may receive substantial support from their families — whether in the form of housing, childcare or direct financial aid.
'This results in a greater sense of security,' she said when contacted ahead of Father's Day today (June 15).
As a result, owning a home or reaching a certain income level, may no longer be prerequisites for starting a family, said Dr Loh, who is a consultant obstetrician, gynaecologist and fertility specialist.
Better Dads Malaysia (BDM) co-founder and advisor Jason Leong said a study in 2023 showed that some early marriages correlated with traditional expectations around starting a family young.
'Religious or cultural motivations or family child raising arrangements can influence family planning.
'We know of young couples who believe that it is easier for them to have children early, especially when they can let their own parents or in-laws who are still fairly strong and healthy to help look after their children,' said Leong.
As such, early fatherhood is not necessarily accidental but a conscious life choice rooted in values involving family, convenience and legacy.
Where are Malaysia's young dads?
Most states and territories in Malaysia, or 10 out of 16, showed an uptick in fresh faced dads from 2021 to 2023.
Selangor recorded the highest number of babies born to fathers aged 24 and below in 2023 with 3,974 newborns.
This is followed by Sabah with 3,683 and Johor with 3,302.
Only six states showed either a decline or unclear trends from 2021 to 2023.
The six states are Perak, Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu, Labuan and Putrajaya.
You can view the trend in your state by clicking on the dropbox in the graph below:
However, Sarawak was the state with the highest proportion of babies born to young dads out of the total number of newborns there.
About 8.7% of the babies in the state had fathers aged 24 and below in 2023, followed by Sabah with 7.9%, and Perlis with 7.7%.
Here's a closer look at the percentages for each state and territory:
At BDM, Leong said the non-profit organisation received a 'modest but clear increase' in younger fathers reaching out through its digital platforms and attendance in its awareness talks in schools.
'There are young fathers and even young, single men participating in our fathering workshops.
'To us, this is a good development as their interest shows that they want to learn and prepare early for fatherhood,' he added.
Across ethnic groups, young fathers were most prevalent among the non-Malay Bumiputras.
Men aged 24 and below made up 10% of the fathers to newborn babies within the community in 2023.
Among the Malay community, such young fathers comprised 6%, followed by Indians at 5% and Chinese at 3%.
While men aged 24 and below made up 6.1% of the total Malaysian fathers in 2023, the majority of dads in the country were in their early 30s.
Of the total 455,761 newborn babies in 2023, some 30.6% had fathers aged between 30 and 34.
This is followed by youths aged 25 to 29 who comprised 24.4% of the total.
Below is an age breakdown of fathers in 2023:
The good and bad of young fatherhood
The rise of young fathers in Malaysia comes with both its benefits and challenges.
Aside from financial constraints, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Datuk Dr NKS Tharmaseelan said another challenge young fathers may face is the lack of quality time with their family.
'If both parents are working, quality time with children is at a premium.
'Looking into children's wants may also be a stress factor to an already stressed household.
"Maturity, wisdom, and adaptation come with age,' he said.
Nevertheless, being a young fathers has its perks too.
For one, Dr Tharmaseelan said the narrower age gap allows for much easier bonding.
'Young parents will generally be able to relate to their kids more fruitfully.
'They sync better both physically, mentally and with their needs and wants, creating the possibility of a much closer relationship,' he said.
Leong said young fathers also benefit from having higher energy and adaptability.
'Young fathers often engage more physically and actively with their children, and adapt faster to new parenting knowledge or digital tools,' he said.
From a public health aspect, Dr Loh said fatherhood at a younger age can help to address the national decline in fertility rates.
'A man's age plays a significant role—research shows that men over 40 are more likely to have reduced sperm quality.
'There's also an increased risk of passing on genetic mutations and certain rare genetic disorders,' she said.
Reduced fertility among males is also on the rise, with growing evidence pointing to declines in sperm quality due to factors like lifestyle, stress, and environmental exposures, Dr Loh added.
However, younger men are not immune to fertility issues either.
'Poor lifestyle habits such as smoking, heavy drinking, poor diet, drug use, and lack of exercise can harm sperm quality even in men in their 20s and 30s,' she said.
Conditions like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, as well as exposure to heat or harmful chemicals, can also affect sperm health and increase the risk of miscarriage or complications during pregnancy.
'It is essential that men of all ages take responsibility for their health before trying to conceive.
'Simple steps like maintaining a healthy weight, eating well, avoiding harmful substances, and managing stress and chronic illness can make a significant difference - not just for fertility, but for the long-term health of their children,' she added.
Dr Tharmaseelan said studies show that men over 45 face a 14% decrease in fertility rates each year, making it progressively difficult to conceive naturally.
He said although there were occasional sensational reported cases of celebrities having fathered children like actor Al Pacino in his 80s, this was not the norm.
'Men should know the challenges of delaying fatherhood.
'You may not live long enough to see your child reach adulthood or even be able to spend quality time with them.
'Supporting them too becomes difficult as you may be unemployed by the time they reach school-going age,' Dr Tharmaseelan added.
Helping young dads cope
To better support young fathers and families in general, more measures could be taken to help them.
Leong said BDM suggests that Malaysia's current paternity leave of seven days be extended to at least 14 days.
'There should also be corporate tax deductions or incentives for companies that promote father-friendly or family-friendly policies.
'This can include companies that conduct fathering workshops for their employees,' he said, adding that child support allowances could also be extended to lower-income young fathers.
Concurring, Dr Loh said measures like extended, paid paternity leave can encourage early bonding and shared parenting.
'Guidance and support can be provided by the formation of father-focused workshops and support groups.
'Flexible work policies can provide opportunities for fathers to be more present at home,' she said, adding that financial incentives such as tax relief and childcare subsidies can ease the pressure of early parenthood.
The increase in young fathers also highlighted the importance of equipping these young men with specific fathering skills for nurturing and leading, said Leong.
'Fathers must know that they can be physically present but yet emotionally absent in their children's lives,' he said.
Leong said young fathers should be supported through policy, education and mentoring so that there will be healthier families and by extension, a more resilient nation.