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MALAYSIA must create a supportive ecosystem that meets the needs of younger generations if it is serious about encouraging family formation, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
In a statement marking World Population Day 2025, the minister said young people’s voices must be recognised, noting that many still wish to marry and raise families but face major obstacles such as the high cost of living, precarious employment, lack of childcare access and growing anxieties about the future.
"The solution needed is a supportive ecosystem, not merely calls for young people to start families immediately," she said.
Nancy described Malaysia’s current population trends as a national crisis that requires inclusive and progressive policy responses, aligned with demographic shifts and the expectations of today’s youth.
Malaysia’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) now stands at 1.7 children per woman, well below the replacement level of 2.1. Births also fell by more than 11 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
This year’s World Population Day, observed annually on 11 July, carries the theme: *"Empowering young people to build the families they want in a just and hopeful world"*. The theme highlights the need to listen to and support young people in their choices regarding family life.
Through the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), the Ministry is committed to raising awareness of key demographic issues, including reproductive health rights, family wellbeing, sustainable development and the challenges of demographic change.
Among the initiatives being prioritised are subsidies under the Fertility Treatment Assistance and Infertility Advocacy (BuAI) programme for 1,300 eligible couples, improved childcare access and more flexible parental leave.
The main celebration of World Population Day 2025 will take place on Monday, 21 July, at Lanai Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. The event is organised in collaboration with the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Universiti Malaya (UM) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
State-level programmes will also run throughout July and August, featuring seminars on population and family issues led by LPPKN state offices and strategic partners nationwide. - July 11, 2025
