Latest news with #post-WorldWarII
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Trump Approval Rating Down 1 Point From Last Week
July 29 -15 net approval rating: Trump's rating remained mostly unchanged in The Economist/YouGov's weekly survey out Tuesday compared to last week's poll, with 40% approving of his job performance and 55% disapproving, according to the poll of 1,577 U.S. adults conducted July 25-28 (margin of error 3)—a one-point decline in his approval rating from last week, though his disapproval rating remained stagnant. July 28 -3: The president's approval rating increased two points, to 47%, and his disapproval rating declined two points, to 50% in Morning Consult's weekly survey of 2,202 registered U.S. voters conducted July 25-27 (margin of error 2) compared to last week's poll. The last time Trump had a net positive approval rating in Morning Consult's poll was in March. July 24 -21: Trump's 37% approval rating is down from 47% in January, while 58% disapprove of his job performance, compared to 48% in January, according to a July 7-21 Gallup poll of 1,002 adults (margin of error 4). Trump's average approval rating for the second quarter of his second term, April 20-July 19, is 40% in Gallup polling, compared to a 39% average in the second quarter of his first term but below second-term averages for every post-World War II president. July 22 -14: Trump's approval rating is unchanged from last week in the latest Economist/YouGov survey of 1,729 U.S. adults taken July 18-21 (margin of error 3.4), with 41% approving of his job performance and 55% disapproving, compared to a 49% approval rating and 43% disapproval rating at the start of his term, according to Economist/YouGov polling. An overwhelming majority, 81% of respondents, said the government should release all documents related to its probe into Jeffrey Epstein, while 69% said they believe the government is covering up evidence about Epstein, and 56% disapprove of Trump's handling of the Epstein investigation. July 16 -16: A total of 42% approve of Trump's job performance, while 58% disapprove in a new CNN/SSRS poll of 1,057 respondents conducted July 10-13 (margin of error 3.5), representing a one-point improvement in Trump's approval rating since April and a one-point drop in his disapproval rating. The majority, 61%, of Americans said they oppose Trump's signature policy bill that would pay for tax breaks and additional border security, among other measures, in part, by cutting Medicaid, while 39% said they approve of the so-called megabill. July 15 -14: Trump's net approval rating dipped to its lowest point of his second term in Economist/YouGov polling, with 41% approving and 55% disapproving, according to the survey of 1,506 registered voters (margin of error 3.1)—consistent with his lowest approval rating of his first term, according to Economist/YouGov polling. July 14 -3: Trump's approval rating improved two points, to 47%, while his disapproval rating also improved two points, to 50%, in Morning Consult's weekly survey of 2,201 registered voters with a two-point margin of error. July 2 -16: Trump's approval rating stands at 40% in a Yahoo/YouGov poll of 1,597 U.S. adults conducted June 26-30 (margin of error 3.2), a four-point decrease from the groups' March poll, while 56% disapprove. Trump's -16 net approval rating is three points worse than it was at this point during his first term, according to YouGov data, while former President Barack Obama had a +14 net approval rating and former President Joe Biden had a +7 approval rating halfway through their first years in office. June 30 -3: Trump's disapproval rating improved from 53% to 50% in Morning Consult's weekly poll compared to its survey last week, while his approval rating increased from 45% to 47% (the survey of 2,202 registered voters was conducted June 27-29 and has a two-point margin of error). The rating was Trump's best since May and coincides with an uptick in respondents' approval of his handling of national security issues since last week, following a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Iran. June 23 -16: Trump's approval rating dipped one point, to 41%, in a Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,139 U.S. adults taken June 21-23 from its June 11-16 survey, with 57% disapproving (the latest poll has a 3-point margin of error). The poll also found a plurality, 45%, of U.S. adults surveyed do not support the airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, while 36% support them and 19% said they were unsure. June 17 -13: An Economist/YouGov poll found 54% of voters disapprove of Trump's job performance, while 41% approve (the survey of 1,512 U.S. adults was conducted June 13-16 and has a 3.3-point margin of error). The survey also found Trump's approval rating is underwater when it comes to his handling of Iran, with 37% approving and 41% disapproving, while 60% of respondents, including 53% of 2024 Trump voters, say the U.S. should not get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, as Trump has repeatedly threatened U.S. military intervention. June 17 -17: Trump's net approval rating improved two points in the latest Pew Research survey taken June 2-8, compared to the group's last poll in April, with the latest survey showing 41% approve and 58% disapprove (the survey of 5,044 U.S. adults has a 1.6-point margin of error). June 16 -6: Trump's net approval rating dipped two points in Morning Consult's latest weekly survey of 2,207 registered U.S. voters (margin of error 2), with 46% approving and 52% disapproving of his job performance, numbers the pollster notes are on par with his ratings in April and early May, during a downward spiral that coincided with his shock tariffs. June 16 -12: Trump's approval rating remained stagnant at 42% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken June 11-16, compared to the groups' May poll, but his disapproval rating increased two points, to 54%, in the latest survey of 4,258 U.S. adults (margin of error 2). June 16 -4: Trump's approval rating declined one point, from 47% to 46%, in the latest Harvard CAPS/Harris survey, compared to the groups' poll taken last month, while 50% of respondents said they disapprove of his job performance (the online survey of 2,097 registered voters was conducted June 11-12 and has a 2.2-point margin of error). Trump's approval rating in the Harvard CAPS/Harris poll has dropped every month since February, when he had a 52% approval rating. Trump's approval rating for nine separate issues also declined from May to June, with less than half of voters saying they approve of each of them, with tariffs and trade policy receiving the lowest marks (41%) and immigration receiving the highest (49%). June 15 -10 net approval rating: More than half, 55%, of voters said they disapprove of Trump's job performance and 45% said they approve in an NBC survey of 19,410 U.S. adults conducted May 30-June 10 (margin of error 2.1). June 11 -16: Trump's approval rating dipped three points, to 38%, in Quinnipiac University's latest poll conducted June 5-9 among 1,265 registered voters (margin of error 2.8), compared to its previous poll in April, when he had a 41% approval rating, while his disapproval rating dropped one point, to 54%. The survey also found more voters, 57%, have an unfavorable opinion of Elon Musk, while 53% have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, though more than half, 53%, oppose Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' that was the source of Musk's rant against Trump last week. June 9 -10: A CBS/YouGov poll conducted June 4-6 found 45% approve of Trump's job performance, while 55% disapprove (the poll of 2,428 U.S. adults has a, 2.4-point margin of error). In a separate, one-day YouGov survey conducted June 5, amid Trump's feud with Musk, the majority of 3,812 U.S. adults (52%) said they side with neither Musk nor Trump, while 28% said they side with Trump, 8% said they side with Musk and 11% said they aren't sure. June 9 -4 net approval rating: Trump's approval rating improved one point, to 47%, in Morning Consult's weekly poll, while 51% disapprove of his job performance for the third week in a row (the survey of 1,867 registered U.S. voters has a 2-point margin of error). Trump's feud with Musk doesn't appear to have dented his approval ratings in the first two polls that overlapped with their public spat—though it's unclear how Americans perceive his response to protests in Los Angeles over his aggressive deportation push, as no reliable polling has been released since the protests began over the weekend. June 4 -4: For the first time in two months, less than half (49%) of U.S. adults surveyed by the Economist/YouGov disapprove of Trump's job performance, compared to 45% who strongly or somewhat approve, representing a significant improvement from the groups' April 19-22 poll, when Trump had a net -13 approval rating (the latest poll of 1,610 U.S. adults conducted May 30-June 2 has a 3-point margin of error). June 2 -5: Trump's approval rating dropped from 48% to 46% in this week's Morning Consult poll compared to its previous survey, while his disapproval rating was stagnant at 51% (the May 30-June 2 poll of 2,205 registered voters has a 2-point margin of error). The share of registered voters who say they identify with Trump's Make America Great Again movement has increased sharply during Trump's second term, according to NBC polling. A total of 36% of 1,000 registered voters polled March 7-11 said they consider themselves part of the MAGA coalition, compared to a 23% average in NBC's March polling and 27% in the network's 2024 polls (the most recent poll has a 3.1-point margin of error). 42%. That's Trump's average approval rating so far during his second term, higher than his 41% average approval rating throughout the duration of his first term, according to Gallup. Just after marking his sixth month in office, Trump is facing arguably the biggest public relations crisis of his second term as his base has broken with him over the Justice Department's refusal to release documents detailing its investigation into Epstein. Among other major moments of his second term: Trump launched a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, leading to a cease-fire agreement during Iran and Israel. Congress also approved his signature policy legislation that will enact some of his most significant campaign promises, including an extension of his 2017 tax cuts and tighter border control. Trump's approval rating has declined since the start of his term, with a notable plunge coinciding with his wide-ranging 'Liberation Day' tariffs he announced on April 2 against nearly all U.S. trading partners, though he has largely backed off most of the levies. Prior to the Epstein controversy, the leak of U.S. military attack plans to Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was widely considered the first big crisis of Trump's second term. His efforts to slash the federal workforce with the help of the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency and his mass deportation push are two other controversial hallmarks of his second term that have prompted numerous legal actions.
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Trump Approval Rating Increases 2 Points From Last Week
July 28 -3 net approval rating: The president's approval rating increased two points, to 47%, and his disapproval rating declined two points, to 50% in Morning Consult's weekly survey compared to last week's poll. The last time Trump had a net positive approval rating in Morning Consult's poll was in March. July 24 -21: Trump's 37% approval rating is down from 47% in January, while 58% disapprove of his job performance, compared to 48% in January, according to a July 7-21 Gallup poll of 1,002 adults (margin of error 4). Trump's average approval rating for the second quarter of his second term, April 20-July 19, is 40% in Gallup polling, compared to a 39% average in the second quarter of his first term but below second-term averages for every post-World War II president. July 22 -14: Trump's approval rating is unchanged from last week in the latest Economist/YouGov survey of 1,729 U.S. adults taken July 18-21 (margin of error 3.4), with 41% approving of his job performance and 55% disapproving, compared to a 49% approval rating and 43% disapproval rating at the start of his term, according to Economist/YouGov polling. An overwhelming majority, 81% of respondents, said the government should release all documents related to its probe into Jeffrey Epstein, while 69% said they believe the government is covering up evidence about Epstein, and 56% disapprove of Trump's handling of the Epstein investigation. July 16 -16: A total of 42% approve of Trump's job performance, while 58% disapprove in a new CNN/SSRS poll of 1,057 respondents conducted July 10-13 (margin of error 3.5), representing a one-point improvement in Trump's approval rating since April and a one-point drop in his disapproval rating. The majority, 61%, of Americans said they oppose Trump's signature policy bill that would pay for tax breaks and additional border security, among other measures, in part, by cutting Medicaid, while 39% said they approve of the so-called megabill. July 15 -14: Trump's net approval rating dipped to its lowest point of his second term in Economist/YouGov polling, with 41% approving and 55% disapproving, according to the survey of 1,506 registered voters (margin of error 3.1)—consistent with his lowest approval rating of his first term, according to Economist/YouGov polling. July 14 -3: Trump's approval rating improved two points, to 47%, while his disapproval rating also improved two points, to 50%, in Morning Consult's weekly survey of 2,201 registered voters with a two-point margin of error. July 2 -16: Trump's approval rating stands at 40% in a Yahoo/YouGov poll of 1,597 U.S. adults conducted June 26-30 (margin of error 3.2), a four-point decrease from the groups' March poll, while 56% disapprove. Trump's -16 net approval rating is three points worse than it was at this point during his first term, according to YouGov data, while former President Barack Obama had a +14 net approval rating and former President Joe Biden had a +7 approval rating halfway through their first years in office. June 30 -3: Trump's disapproval rating improved from 53% to 50% in Morning Consult's weekly poll compared to its survey last week, while his approval rating increased from 45% to 47% (the survey of 2,202 registered voters was conducted June 27-29 and has a two-point margin of error). The rating was Trump's best since May and coincides with an uptick in respondents' approval of his handling of national security issues since last week, following a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Iran. June 23 -16: Trump's approval rating dipped one point, to 41%, in a Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,139 U.S. adults taken June 21-23 from its June 11-16 survey, with 57% disapproving (the latest poll has a 3-point margin of error). The poll also found a plurality, 45%, of U.S. adults surveyed do not support the airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend, while 36% support them and 19% said they were unsure. June 17 -13: An Economist/YouGov poll found 54% of voters disapprove of Trump's job performance, while 41% approve (the survey of 1,512 U.S. adults was conducted June 13-16 and has a 3.3-point margin of error). The survey also found Trump's approval rating is underwater when it comes to his handling of Iran, with 37% approving and 41% disapproving, while 60% of respondents, including 53% of 2024 Trump voters, say the U.S. should not get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, as Trump has repeatedly threatened U.S. military intervention. June 17 -17: Trump's net approval rating improved two points in the latest Pew Research survey taken June 2-8, compared to the group's last poll in April, with the latest survey showing 41% approve and 58% disapprove (the survey of 5,044 U.S. adults has a 1.6-point margin of error). June 16 -6: Trump's net approval rating dipped two points in Morning Consult's latest weekly survey of 2,207 registered U.S. voters (margin of error 2), with 46% approving and 52% disapproving of his job performance, numbers the pollster notes are on par with his ratings in April and early May, during a downward spiral that coincided with his shock tariffs. June 16 -12: Trump's approval rating remained stagnant at 42% in a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken June 11-16, compared to the groups' May poll, but his disapproval rating increased two points, to 54%, in the latest survey of 4,258 U.S. adults (margin of error 2). June 16 -4: Trump's approval rating declined one point, from 47% to 46%, in the latest Harvard CAPS/Harris survey, compared to the groups' poll taken last month, while 50% of respondents said they disapprove of his job performance (the online survey of 2,097 registered voters was conducted June 11-12 and has a 2.2-point margin of error). Trump's approval rating in the Harvard CAPS/Harris poll has dropped every month since February, when he had a 52% approval rating. Trump's approval rating for nine separate issues also declined from May to June, with less than half of voters saying they approve of each of them, with tariffs and trade policy receiving the lowest marks (41%) and immigration receiving the highest (49%). June 15 -10 net approval rating: More than half, 55%, of voters said they disapprove of Trump's job performance and 45% said they approve in an NBC survey of 19,410 U.S. adults conducted May 30-June 10 (margin of error 2.1). June 11 -16: Trump's approval rating dipped three points, to 38%, in Quinnipiac University's latest poll conducted June 5-9 among 1,265 registered voters (margin of error 2.8), compared to its previous poll in April, when he had a 41% approval rating, while his disapproval rating dropped one point, to 54%. The survey also found more voters, 57%, have an unfavorable opinion of Elon Musk, while 53% have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, though more than half, 53%, oppose Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' that was the source of Musk's rant against Trump last week. June 9 -10: A CBS/YouGov poll conducted June 4-6 found 45% approve of Trump's job performance, while 55% disapprove (the poll of 2,428 U.S. adults has a, 2.4-point margin of error). In a separate, one-day YouGov survey conducted June 5, amid Trump's feud with Musk, the majority of 3,812 U.S. adults (52%) said they side with neither Musk nor Trump, while 28% said they side with Trump, 8% said they side with Musk and 11% said they aren't sure. June 9 -4 net approval rating: Trump's approval rating improved one point, to 47%, in Morning Consult's weekly poll, while 51% disapprove of his job performance for the third week in a row (the survey of 1,867 registered U.S. voters has a 2-point margin of error). Trump's feud with Musk doesn't appear to have dented his approval ratings in the first two polls that overlapped with their public spat—though it's unclear how Americans perceive his response to protests in Los Angeles over his aggressive deportation push, as no reliable polling has been released since the protests began over the weekend. June 4 -4: For the first time in two months, less than half (49%) of U.S. adults surveyed by the Economist/YouGov disapprove of Trump's job performance, compared to 45% who strongly or somewhat approve, representing a significant improvement from the groups' April 19-22 poll, when Trump had a net -13 approval rating (the latest poll of 1,610 U.S. adults conducted May 30-June 2 has a 3-point margin of error). June 2 -5: Trump's approval rating dropped from 48% to 46% in this week's Morning Consult poll compared to its previous survey, while his disapproval rating was stagnant at 51% (the May 30-June 2 poll of 2,205 registered voters has a 2-point margin of error). The share of registered voters who say they identify with Trump's Make America Great Again movement has increased sharply during Trump's second term, according to NBC polling. A total of 36% of 1,000 registered voters polled March 7-11 said they consider themselves part of the MAGA coalition, compared to a 23% average in NBC's March polling and 27% in the network's 2024 polls (the most recent poll has a 3.1-point margin of error). 42%. That's Trump's average approval rating so far during his second term, higher than his 41% average approval rating throughout the duration of his first term, according to Gallup. Just after marking his sixth month in office, Trump is facing arguably the biggest public relations crisis of his second term as his base has broken with him over the Justice Department's refusal to release documents detailing its investigation into Epstein. Among other major moments of his second term: Trump launched a military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, leading to a cease-fire agreement during Iran and Israel. Congress also approved his signature policy legislation that will enact some of his most significant campaign promises, including an extension of his 2017 tax cuts and tighter border control. Trump's approval rating has declined since the start of his term, with a notable plunge coinciding with his wide-ranging 'Liberation Day' tariffs he announced on April 2 against nearly all U.S. trading partners, though he has largely backed off most of the levies. Prior to the Epstein controversy, the leak of U.S. military attack plans to Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was widely considered the first big crisis of Trump's second term. His efforts to slash the federal workforce with the help of the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency and his mass deportation push are two other controversial hallmarks of his second term that have prompted numerous legal actions.
Al Etihad
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Etihad
Time for international organisations to adapt and change
29 July 2025 01:16 By: OBAID FAISAL ALKAABIThe international organisations and their role in today's world have become a subject of debate, not only in the Global South but also in the western corridors of power. Over the past decade, some western countries have taken the lead in criticising international organisations and blocs with some even opting to withdraw from them, claiming that these bodies no longer serve their interests or align with their policies, with the United States at the forefront during the first and second administrations of President Donald the most recent US decisions in this regard was its withdrawal from UNESCO; it has already left the World Health Organization, the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Human Rights Council. Trump's return to the White House has renewed this trend, as his administration once again reviews America's membership in various United Nations-affiliated bodies. Official justifications for these decisions often centre around claims of bias, lack of independence, poor crisis management, and failure to achieve US interests. The United States contributes significantly more funding to these organisations than many other, more populous countries. The change has gone to the point that a Republican senator introduced a bill in the Senate urging the US to quit the United moves significantly weakened the activity of some organisations and perhaps paralysed others, whether due to funding cuts or by banning their operations in certain from official reasons, Trump is not convinced by the post-World War II global order, which was established by the US and led to the creation of international political and economic institutions, chief among them the United Nations and its agencies. While the multiple US withdrawals from international organisations and treaties may diminish its global role to some extent, Washington views this as a principled rejection of multilateral mechanisms, even as international law is largely dependent on such Trump, the United States adopts a transactional attitude towards global engagement. As such, membership in international organisations is evaluated through a cost-benefit lens, especially in terms of economic cutting costs may be one factor, the more decisive motive remains the 'America First' policy. Accordingly, Washington places little value on organisations that do not align with its inward-focused policies and its preference for domestic over international before Trump came to power, there was another example from the western part of the world. In 2016, the United Kingdom chose to leave the European Union for reasons connected to immigration, economics, and sovereignty. This marked a return of protectionist measures to the global economic scene, culminating in today's widespread tariff hikes, although many believed such practices had been dismantled in the post-World War II transformations take time, there seems to be a shift toward alternative mechanisms that may marginalise international organisations, especially if this western vision is not merely a passing phase tied to certain political figures. Yet, we must also acknowledge the shortcomings of international organisations in the face of global conflicts. Some international organisations' handling of wars and crises has often exposed institutional bias, either embedded within their structures or forced upon them by dominant global powers seeking to legitimise their geopolitical end of World War II ushered in a new era of global governance, where sovereign equality among nations would be enshrined through the United Nations. But it seems that the current US administration wants to reshape the world in a way that advances its own interests and reinforces its dominance and values. It seeks to rewrite the rules on global issues like trade, cyberspace, and emerging technologies. Meanwhile, many countries in the Global South remain disillusioned by the current global system that has yet to fulfill their aspirations. They now call for a multi-polar world order that respects sovereignty and ensures economic and social these diverging global visions, international organisations find themselves at a critical juncture: Will they remain entrenched in the current world order, or will they evolve to become foundational institutions in the coming era as well? The columnist is a staffer at the think-tank firm TRENDS Research & Advisory
Axios
a day ago
- Business
- Axios
The Trump trade order comes into focus
We now have some semblance of clarity about what the Trump-era global trade system will look like. What we don't know is how durable this reset of global commerce will turn out to be. The big picture: After deals with Japan and the European Union in recent days — and likely more before a key deadline on Friday — the global trade playbook is reasonably clear. U.S. imports from major trade partners will face a 15% minimum tariff going forward, with carve-outs and surcharges for some specific goods. Allies will just live with it, rather than retaliate — even if that causes pain to their domestic industries. They'll throw in some showy promises of new investment dollars and/or future purchases of energy, aircraft, or other American products. It's unknown how real those commitments will turn out to be, given the absence of formal written agreements. State of play: It's worth taking a pause to reflect on how thoroughly this new framework amounts to a repudiation of the entire post-World War II project — led by the United States — of knitting together the planet's most important economies through trade. That project spanned multiple generations, with thousands of interested parties convening in places like Geneva, Doha, and Uruguay to try to hammer out deals, with varying success. The results of these trade deals were then debated at length in parliaments and Congress, generally passing with bipartisan majorities. Zoom out: President Trump has ripped that order apart in just a few months, with agreements sketched out after comparatively short, high-level meetings with little paperwork and endless ambiguity about how details will be resolved. He is enacting the highest tariffs seen in decades, using an emergency legal authority that the courts have still not blessed (a key appeals court hearing is scheduled for Thursday), and without congressional involvement. Zoom in: On the one hand, a 15% tax on imports from Europe and Japan — and likely other countries as dealmaking continues before Friday's deadline — is the highest seen in most Americans' lifetimes. It sets up a period of jockeying over what share of the cost is borne by foreign exporters, U.S. importers, and U.S. consumers. At the same time, markets have broadly rallied in the last week as investors take solace in the idea that this new trade regime is at least coming into focus. Yes, but: It remains to be seen how durable a trade landscape handed down by fiat by the U.S. president will turn out to be. The old trade regime may have been slow-moving and bureaucratic, but that meant it had broad buy-in — from countries around the world, from varying business interests and political parties and force of law. Moreover, it's hard to know how long national leaders abroad can resist the domestic political pressure for retaliation. What they're saying: "The global economy is being redrawn in real time," wrote Nigel Green, CEO of financial advisory firm deVere Group, in a note. "It's a new era of trade-by-force and the old assumptions no longer apply."
Borneo Post
4 days ago
- General
- Borneo Post
Declining birth rate: Where are all our children?
Children from the Sunday school seen during the 'Parents Day' celebration at the Tabuan Jaya Anglican Church. ALARM bells are ringing as recent statistics have shown that Sarawak's fertility rate and population growth are on a steep and rapid downward trend. This has been happening without pause since 1970 when the number of babies born numbered about 40,000 per year. Now, it's only half – at 20,000! On July 15, Sarawak's Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said that our fertility rate had declined drastically from a high of 4.9 per cent to only 1.6 per cent in 2023. We need a fertility rate of a minimum of two per cent to just re-populate ourselves! Our birth rate, in actual numbers, is now only 12.5 per 1,000 people, versus the national average of 12.9. There are many reasons attributable to these statistics, some of which may not appear to be obvious or are widely known. According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM), the average age of Malaysians getting married rose from 24.7 years in 1990 to 28.9 in 2022. In the average family, women today have one or two children as compared to five in 1970. From a personal perspective, this has certainly been the classic case in my family too. My grandfather, born in 1896 and died in 1982, had 14 children: 10 boys and four girls. My father, born in 1926 and died in 2023, had five: three boys and two girls. Me, born in 1950, have a boy and two girls; of my three children, they have just two – both boys. This has been the story of how our typical Sarawakian families have not replaced themselves insofar as head count is concerned. I am sure that it has happened along the same trajectory with most other families, regardless of race, religion or creed. Back in the 1970s, the man in the family would virtually be the sole breadwinner, leaving the wife at home with domestic chores and raising children. The trend then was living with parents or there were elders in the house with them as well. After getting married, the expectation was to immediately start a family, and with traditional and conservative lifestyles, there would be little said about 'family planning' or birth control. Prior to the 1980s, one would still need a doctor's prescription for birth control pills and contraceptives like condoms were not as freely available on sale, only at pharmacies and the odd 'specialist stores'. Compare that situation then to that after the 2000s when you can buy all these easily online, sight unseen and delivered to your very doorstep. In the 1950s, that 'Silent Generation' (those born between 1928 and 1945) of the time had married young, usually between ages of 18 and 23, and they came of age during the post-World War II boom. Without the mass availability of birth control and coupled with the added security of the presence of other family members, usually parents, living under the same roof, that generation had felt secure with bringing children into this world. This trend was to continue for the next two generations: the 'Baby Boomers' (those born between 1946 and 1964), and even up till Gen X (those born between 1965 and 1979). It is my belief that things had started going downhill from the 'Millennials' – also known as 'Gen Y' (those born between 1981 and 1996) and continued into Gen Z (1997-2012) – also known as 'iGen' or 'Centennials'. The present Gen Alpha (2013-2025) will only reach the age of maturity of 21 in 2034, so they are completely out of our discussion in this matter of re-producing the future generation. Starting with the Baby Boomers, the trend was for both the mother and the father going to work, leaving behind their children either to some elders' care or in a kindergarten or playschool. Domestic help was still commonly available, and their wages were reasonable. By late 1990s, there was a seismic shift in the demand for such domestics as more and more young married couples took up employment in many diverse industries and professions. This had created a situation where the supply could not meet the high demand. By this time too, domestics from homes in and around Sarawak as well as those from a neighbouring country had also discovered more attractive employment outside of the state, as they looked towards Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, and even further afield to the Middle East and the Far East, enticed with double or even triple of whatever they could earn back home. At the same time, the cost of educating pre-schoolers had also gone up in line with rising costs of living, inflation and the weak ringgit vis-a-vis other foreign currencies. This double-whammy had caused what had initially appeared to be an attractive and comfortable double-income family earnings to be eroded; thereby leaving not much savings after all these expenses. Most families had taken the decision to either stop at just one child, or at most two, so that they could plan their future educational needs within their budgets. A few more young families took other decisions: some to curtail one income and stop working; some to relocate and seek new horizons; many had either downsized or gone back to live with a parent. There is a dire and serious social implication if this downward trend continues. We are on track to become an aged nation (no longer are we in that 'ageing stage') by 2030 – that's just five years away! Our life expectancy has continued to increase. A baby born in 2023 is now expected to live on average up to 74.8 years – an increase of 13.2 years to one born in 1970, whose expectancy was only 61.6 years then. In less than a decade, as an aged nation, we face a shrinking working-age population and a growing elderly population. There will be fewer people around to support the elderly folks, to care for them and financially fend for their welfare and health needs. It is not uncommon these days to read news reports in some ageing countries like Japan and Korea, and even in Europe, where many elderly people lived on their own, had died alone, and had gone unnoticed for days or even weeks. Sarawak's population stands at 2,907,500, of which senior citizens aged 60 and above had already made up 15 per cent (436,125) in 2020. It is estimated that by 2028, this would double to 30 per cent (872,250), which in reality, means that every third person you meet will be a senior. In a press report on Aug 6 last year, Dato Seri Fatimah Abdullah had assured us: 'My ministry is carrying out a statewide survey to look into these issues facing Sarawak society.' She had also said that the ministry would work out 'detailed planning to care for more elderly people every year', and 'would study the measures being taken by governments of developed countries to care for the elderly'. 'Sarawak needs to introduce such measures into its community development planning without delay,' she was quoted as having said. It would have been exactly one year by August next month, dear minister. I hope there's been some positive development from the ministry regarding these matters – did you say 'without delay'? In the meantime, all we can do is to urge our married couples here to be more 'productive', so as to ensure that at least we can replace ourselves in our Sarawak population. Genesis 1:28: 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the seas and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.' Amen. * The opinions expressed in this article are the columnist's own and do not reflect the view of the newspaper. ageing population declining birthrate
