Sarawak, Penang to get greater focus in Malaysia fertility push, says women’s minister

KUCHING, Sept 19 — Sarawak and Penang will be the focus of Malaysia’s fertility initiatives in the coming year, announced Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. The government aims to boost the country's low birth rate by concentrating efforts on fertility-related programs. Nancy highlighted that increasing the population was a key priority for Malaysia, explaining the proposed fertility programs.

The minister specifically mentioned Sarawak and Penang as states that require special attention due to their lower birth rates. At the launch of the Program Perantisan Kepimpinan Wanita (Perantis) — Program Pembinaan Kepimpinan dan Keusahawanan Wanita Dayak (Pendaya) 2.0 initiative, Nancy detailed the ministry’s plans to support couples facing challenges in conceiving.

The initiatives would encompass measures like in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) under the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN). While these programs are already underway, the ministry intends to prioritize them in 2023 to incentivize young people to start families. Nancy confirmed that fertility-related programs were part of the ministry’s budget proposal, with final allocations contingent on approval.

She emphasized that the government is in the process of studying fertility rates to develop effective strategies for boosting birth rates in Malaysia, though the detailed findings will be revealed at a later stage.