Dip in Sabah's fertility rate raises alarm

Daily Express

3 days ago

Published on: Saturday, August 02, 2025
Published on: Sat, Aug 02, 2025
By: Sisca Humphrey Text Size: Flovia poses for a group photo with invited guests and participants of the seminar. Kota Kinabalu: Sabah's fertility rate has declined to 1.5 children per woman, far below the national replacement level of 2.1, raising alarm over the State's demographic sustainability and its long-term social and economic implications. State Assistant Minister of Community Development and People's Well-being, Datuk Flovia Ng, said early marriage and unplanned teenage pregnancies continue to disrupt family structures and impact the potential of the younger generation, especially in rural and underserved areas. She said these trends, if left unchecked, would contribute to a cycle of poverty, educational dropout and emotional distress, affecting not only individuals but society as a whole. 'These are no longer future issues. They are present realities that require urgent and coordinated action,' she said when officiating the Sabah State Population Seminar 2025 at the Federal Government Administration Complex Auditorium, here. The seminar, organised in conjunction with World Population Day, themed Early Marriage Trends in Sabah – Its Impact on Marriage Institutions, aimed at addressing growing concerns over demographic shifts and their social effects. Flovia said the State Government, through the Sabah Women's Affairs Department (Jhewa), has been conducting targeted awareness and education programmes to address the issue of early marriage since 2023. Among them is the Child Marriage Issue Programme (Mipa), which has reached more than 1,000 participants across several districts, including Tongod, Tenom, Nabawan, Ranau, Telupid and Kota Belud. 'These programmes are designed to raise awareness among children, families and communities on the risks and long-term consequences of child marriage, while promoting access to reproductive health education and family resilience,' she said. Flovia also emphasised that the widening gap between urban and rural communities, pointing out that many families in the interior continue to face limited access to basic amenities, healthcare, stable employment and quality education. She warned that the combination of a shrinking young population and an increasingly ageing society poses a major challenge for future policy-making in areas such as healthcare, social welfare and workforce readiness. Despite these challenges, she said the increase in life expectancy is a positive development. 'But it must be supported by systems that cater to senior citizens' wellbeing, including age-friendly healthcare and sustainable family support structures,' she said. She also emphasised that the seminar serves as a timely platform for data-driven discussion and policy recommendations involving key stakeholders, including youths, educators, healthcare professionals and local leaders. Also present were Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Henry Idol, heads of Federal and State departments and other students from various educational institutions. Flovia expressed hope that the forum and seminar would spark meaningful dialogue and result in more effective policies to support families and respond to Sabah's evolving population trends. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available.
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