Tax incentives for family-friendly firms could boost birth rates, says MEF
Its president, Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman, said career reintegration programmes for women returning from maternity leave could help retain talent and reduce the rate of women leaving the workforce.
The MEF is against mandating rigid flexible work arrangements.
Syed Hussain said while family-friendly policies should include voluntary and mutually agreed-upon arrangements like hybrid models and staggered hours, productivity and competitiveness must remain key considerations.
MEF, he said, encouraged performance-based evaluations to ensure flexibility did not compromise productivity and sustainability.
However, he said employers alone could not reverse the trend of falling fertility rates.
The country needs a comprehensive, whole-of-nation approach to develop long-term demographic policies integrating housing, healthcare, education, and labour reforms.
"The private sector needs to encourage environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives that support family welfare and health programmes.
"The lack of affordable, high-quality childcare and elderly care services forces many couples to limit their family size or women to leave the workforce."
Syed Hussain said the government should explore public-private partnerships to create affordable and reliable childcare facilities nationwide.
"Public awareness campaigns promoting family planning and tax benefits for newlyweds could shift perceptions tied to marriage and family life."
International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) Assistant Professor in Sociology Dr Fatimah Alzahrah Syed Hussien Al-Attas said work-life imbalance and policies around parental leave and unpaid care work were also barriers affecting fertility rates.
"Today, we see parents taking on a more intensive role, meaning they invest financial resources on their child's education and quality of life.
"There is more emphasis on the emotional or mental health needs of children.
"This has resulted in couples generally wanting to focus on the quality of children rather than the more-the-merrier concept."
Syed Hussain said the shifting mindset of the younger generation towards family and societal responsibilities was also an underlying cause of the declining birth rate.
"Today's youth are increasingly prioritising personal aspirations, career development and self-fulfilment over traditional family roles.
"Unlike previous generations, where family formation was viewed as a natural progression in life, many young Malaysians now see marriage and parenthood as optional rather than essential milestones," he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Malaysians use AI in shopping at rate that outpaces global average: Adyen
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian consumers are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) in their shopping habits at a rate far higher than the global average, positioning the country as one of the fastest-growing AI-driven retail markets in the world, according to the Adyen Retail Report 2025. The study, released recently by global financial technology platform Adyen, revealed that 58% of Malaysian shoppers now use AI to enhance their shopping experience, compared with 37% globally. The findings are based on surveys of 41,000 consumers and 14,000 merchants across 28 markets, including 1,000 consumers and 500 merchants in Malaysia. AI tools, ranging from chatbots such as ChatGPT to intelligent search engines, are becoming integral to how Malaysians discover and purchase products. The report found 71%d of local consumers use AI for inspiration on meals, outfits and purchases, while 69% credited AI for introducing them to brands they would not have encountered otherwise. Nearly one in five (18%) said their best product ideas came from AI, and 60% indicated openness to making purchases directly through AI platforms in future. 'We're seeing a shift from digital convenience to digital intelligence,' said Adyen Malaysia country manager Soon Yean Lee. 'AI is increasingly acting as a personal stylist or shopping assistant, curating outfits, surfacing new brands and tailoring suggestions to each individual.' Despite Malaysia's strong embrace of AI and e-commerce, physical retail remains resilient. More than half of consumers prefer in-store shopping because they value sensory experiences: 57% want to see and feel products before buying, 49% like to try items beforehand and 53% enjoy the instant gratification of walking away with their purchases. However, shoppers expect more than just product interaction. The report found 55% of Malaysians want brick-and-mortar stores to offer more engaging experiences, such as augmented reality or virtual reality features, in-store cafés or exclusive events, to keep pace with evolving expectations. Online platforms, meanwhile, appeal for different reasons: speed (62%), convenience (54%) and better deals (53%). Half of respondents also value the broader selection available online, particularly products not found in local stores. Social commerce is gaining traction too, with 57% of Malaysians shopping directly via social media platforms an average of six times per month. With shoppers demanding convenience, personalisation and seamless experiences, retailers are re-evaluating how they operate. The report noted that 57% of Malaysian businesses plan to invest in technology to enhance customer experience, including self-service kiosks and new payment options, while 58% are focusing on streamlining checkout with features like one-click purchases. A further 34% intend to ramp up investments in social commerce this year. AI is central to these efforts, extending beyond marketing to fraud prevention, payment optimisation and operational efficiency. 'Retailers generate large volumes of payments data daily, and AI helps unlock this value to drive conversions at scale,' Lee said, referencing Adyen's recently launched AI-powered payment suite designed to reduce fraud and improve transaction success rates with minimal friction. As retailers diversify their channels, integrating them effectively is becoming crucial. The report highlighted that only 52% of Malaysian businesses currently offer unified commerce, which merges online, in-store and social channels into a single system, though another 26% plan to adopt it within the next year. Unified commerce enables consistent pricing, real-time inventory management and seamless customer journeys, such as browsing online, buying in-store and returning via an app. For businesses, it offers deeper insights into consumer behaviour and operational efficiencies that reduce costs and complexity.
The Star
11 hours ago
- The Star
Malaysians embrace cashless payments for seamless travel experience
PETALING JAYA: When Adam Leong, 34, ran out of cash while purchasing at a convenience store in Jakarta, he began to panic. He then tried his luck and asked if it was possible to make a payment through his e-wallet account. 'I scanned the code, and the payment went through. Since then, I've never looked back. 'I only carry minimum amounts of cash during my overseas travels and rely heavily on e-wallet and bank cards for transactions,' he said. Leong is just one of the many Malaysians who have shifted away from physical currency and adopted digital transactions as their preferred mode of payment abroad. 'We foresee this trend continuing to strengthen over the next few years. 'Malaysians are increasingly digital-first in their payment behaviour, especially among younger and urban travellers,' said RHB Banking Group's Jeffrey Ng Eow Oo. The managing director of Group Community Banking anticipates that this trend will continue to accelerate among Malaysian travellers. 'Destinations like Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia have become especially popular, and their local payment infrastructure supports this trend,' he said, adding that as of mid-2025, more than 100,000 of their cards supporting this purpose have been issued locally. 'The top currencies used include the Euro, Pound Sterling, Australian Dollar, Japanese Yen, and US Dollar,' he said, adding that spending on this card was 2.4 times higher last year compared to 2022. 'As a bank, we see this not just as a product trend but as part of a broader shift in cross-border financial behaviour,' he said. Previously, Wise senior product manager Yee Won Nyon stated that Malaysia was now the company's fastest-growing market in the Asia Pacific region, with active users increasing by 80% year-over-year in the financial year ending March 31, 2025. She said Wise card usage continued to grow, with the number of cards issued in Malaysia rising by nearly 30% over the past financial year. She said Japan currently tops the list of travel destinations among Malaysian users, with yen balances rising 35% year-on-year, followed by significant spending in the United States, Indonesia, China, Australia and various European countries. TNG digital chief executive officer Alan Ni said the shift from cash to cashless payments was evident in both domestic and international travel. He added that cross-border payments were the company's fastest-growing business segment. Ni said partnerships with PayNet's national QR network, Alipay+ network, as well as Touch 'n Go eWallet Visa card, led to a 360% increase in users' average monthly overseas spending between 2023 and 2025. 'Today, we handle over RM300mil in cross-border payments every month,' he said, adding that the shift from cash to cashless was still at its early stages. 'This means there's still significant room for cashless growth,' he said previously.
The Star
20 hours ago
- The Star
Loke: Jalur Gemilang a symbol of unity
Proud Malaysians: Loke (centre) posing for a photo after handing over the Jalur Gemilang to 100 representatives of haulier drivers at the Jalur Gemilang raising programme in Port Klang. — Bernama PORT KLANG: The Jalur Gemilang serves as a symbol of unity for all Malaysians, a fact that must not be overlooked despite recent controversies, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke. Speaking during the 'Kibarkan Jalur Gemilang Komuniti Pelabuhan Klang' programme, Loke reminded Malaysians that the national flag transcends race, religion and politics. 'Although there have been several recent incidents involving the Jalur Gemilang, we must not forget that it is our common flag. 'National Day should unite Malaysians and remind us that love for the country must be part of our character and daily lives,' he said at the event held at the Port Klang Authority Social and Recreational Club yesterday. His remarks followed two incidents in which the national flag was displayed upside down – initially at a primary school in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan, and subsequently at a shop in Kepala Batas, Penang. On another matter, Loke stressed the importance of the logistics sector as the backbone of Malaysia's economy. 'Without logistics, trade cannot take place, and the economy would be crippled,' he said. Loke said it is the mission of the industry to ensure that Port Klang, already ranked among the world's 10 busiest ports, continues to grow and drive national prosperity. He added that development plans for Carey Island, designated as the country's third port, are underway and are expected to bring additional benefits to the Port Klang community. At the event, Loke also presented the Jalur Gemilang to representatives of logistics and transportation companies in conjunction with the upcoming National Day celebrations.
