Selangor Journal
State executive councillor for women empowerment and welfare Anfaal Saari speaks at the Selangor Population Seminar at Hotel de Palma, Shah Alam, on July 30, 2024. — Picture by MOHD KHAIRUL HELMY MOHD DIN/MEDIA SELANGOR

Family aid schemes will also boost fertility, reduce fiscal burdens — Exco

By Norrasyidah Arshad

SHAH ALAM, July 30 — The state government has introduced several assistance schemes to increase the Total Fertility Rate (TFR), as Malaysia has recorded a downward trend since 2010.

State executive councillor for women empowerment and social welfare Anfaal Saari said that via the Selangor assistance programme for kindergartens (Tunas) and the Asuh Pintar childcare assistance scheme, the initiative can ease the financial burden on families.

“We provide access to child care as well as support subsidies like Asuh Pintar and Tunas. These schemes have been in place for years to lighten the financial burden of families.

“We are also looking at other aspects besides providing these subsidies, like the implementation of flexible working hours, and we are now asking all (state) agencies to examine this based on data and research,” she said.

Speaking to the press after officiating the 2024 Selangor State Population Seminar, Anfaal said that married couples must have more than two children as the country is expected to face a population contraction by 2072.

Selangor’s TFR has also continued to decline to 1.6 in 2022, compared to 2.1 recorded in 2010.

“According to the 2023 Vital Statistics Report by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Selangor is listed as one of four states recording the lowest average birth rate at 1.4, while the national average is 1.6.

“It also recorded a 7.2 per cent decrease in the number of live births in 2022 compared to the previous year. Both of these demographic indicators show that the fertility level in Selangor is at a worrying level,” she said.

Meanwhile, she urged that youths refrain from indulging in the concept of being childfree, describing it as a trend among young couples which could negatively impact the country’s development.

“When getting married, one must want offspring, and this is also emphasised in Islam’s Maqasid Shariah, which is about preserving lineage.

“The issue (of being childfree) needs to be terminated and replaced with a campaign to promote family life,” she said.

 

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