4-9-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Recent data from Malaysia’s Statistics Department has highlighted a dramatic decline in the country’s fertility rates, with only three states – Terengganu, Kelantan, and Pahang – maintaining levels sufficient to replenish their populations.
Chief Statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin announced that 13 states and federal territories have seen their Total Fertility Rates (TFRs) drop below the crucial replacement level of 2.1 babies per woman aged 15 to 49. This replacement level is vital for a population to sustain itself from one generation to the next.
“Terengganu leads with the highest fertility rate at 2.9, followed by Kelantan at 2.7, and Pahang just scraping by at 2.1,” Datuk Seri Uzir explained in a video presentation on Malaysia’s population trends. In stark contrast, Penang and Kuala Lumpur are grappling with alarmingly low rates of 1.2, while Sabah has witnessed the most precipitous decline, plummeting from 5.5 children per woman in 1980 to a mere 1.4 in 2022.
The nationwide trend has been on a downward trajectory since 2013 when Malaysia’s overall TFR first dipped below the replacement threshold. This decline is evident across all ethnic groups, with the Malay community recording the highest TFR at 2.1 in 2022, while the Chinese ethnic group bottomed out at a mere 0.8 children per woman.
This fertility decline has had a profound impact on family structures. The average Malaysian household has shrunk from 5.5 members in 1970 to just 3.7 today. Perlis now boasts the smallest average household size at 3.1, while Kelantan maintains the largest at 4.8.
Senior research officer Chai Sen Tyng from the Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing at Universiti Putra Malaysia attributes this decline primarily to delayed marriages rather than couples choosing to remain childless. The average marriage age has risen significantly, with men now typically marrying at 31 and women at 29, compared to 22 and 26 respectively in 1970.
Contrary to popular belief, Chai argues that the high cost of living is not the main deterrent to having children. “It’s more about changing values and beliefs,” he stated. “Modern parents often fall into the trap of buying expensive items for their children when what kids truly need is attention and time.”
The researcher also highlighted the influence of women’s education levels on fertility rates. “Educated women have more options and may be less inclined to be bound by childbearing or child-rearing responsibilities,” Chai explained. He suggests that to stabilise fertility rates, the government could consider implementing cash incentives, improving parental leave policies, and increasing access to childcare services.
Currently, Malaysia’s TFR of 1.6 places it as the third-lowest in ASEAN, trailing behind Singapore (0.9) and Thailand (1.2). As the nation grapples with this demographic shift, policymakers face the challenge of addressing the long-term implications of a shrinking, ageing population while respecting individual choices and evolving societal norms.
