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KUALA LUMPUR: Family-related policies must be anchored in an ecosystem that supports the needs of the younger generation, rather than merely urging them to marry and start families, says Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said many young people wish to marry and raise families, but are hindered by factors such as cost of living, unstable employment, limited access to childcare and uncertainties about the future.
"The solution lies in creating a supportive ecosystem - not in simply encouraging them to start families immediately," she said in a statement in conjunction with World Population Day 2025 on Friday (July 11).
Nancy said population issues must be viewed as a present-day crisis that requires inclusive and progressive policy action, in line with demographic shifts and the expectations of the younger generation.
Malaysia's current total fertility rate stands at 1.7 children - well below the replacement level of 2.1 - while birth rates dropped by more than 11% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
This year's World Population Day, themed "Empowering Young People to Create the Families They Want in a Fair and Hopeful World," underscores the importance of listening to and addressing the needs of the younger generation.
The ministry, through the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), remains committed to raising public awareness on population-related issues, including reproductive health rights, demographic shifts, family wellbeing and sustainable development.
To this end, the ministry is focusing on implementing comprehensive strategies to support family planning among youth, including subsidies under the Infertility Treatment Assistance and Advocacy (BuAI) programme for 1,300 eligible couples, improved childcare facilities and more flexible parental leave.
The highlight of the national-level celebration for World Population Day 2025 will take place on July 21 at Lanai Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia, in collaboration with the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Universiti Malaya and the United Nations Population Fund.
In addition, state-level celebrations will be held throughout July and August via seminars on population and family-related topics, organised by LPPKN state offices in collaboration with strategic partners nationwide.
Further information on World Population Day 2025 is available at LPPKN's official website, www.lppkn.gov.my and the Population and Family Research Hub at https://mprh.lppkn.gov.my. - Bernama
