KUALA LUMPUR: The government can encourage polygamy to address the issue of declining birth rates, suggests an Opposition MP.
Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terrengganu) said the government should provide incentives to encourage marriage and childbearing.
"There is an unhealthy trend among young individuals who choose not to marry or have children," he said during the debates for Budget 2025 in Parliament on Thursday (Nov 28).
"What is the Women, Family and Community Develop Ministry doing to encourage marriage and childbirth, so we can increase the country's population?
"Maybe the government can encourage polygamy," he said.
His suggestion was met with both laughter and disdain from other MPs in the House.
He also said that "powerful" countries like China, India and Indonesia have a large population.
"To be great and excellent, we should also have a large population," he said.
He said that in 1982, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad set a population target of 70 million
However, Malaysia's birth rate has been in decline with 2.1 children per woman in 2010, reducing to 1.6 children per woman in 2020.
"This is a worrying trend because it is estimated that by 2043, Malaysia will become an ageing nation with 15% of the population 65 years old and above.
"This can cause a shortage of productivity that will indirectly affect the social and economic development of a country," he said.
