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

KUCHING, September 19 — Sarawak and Penang will become focal points of Malaysia's fertility improvement initiatives, as announced by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. The government aims to boost the country's low birth rate by emphasizing fertility programs next year, with a focus on assisting couples experiencing difficulties in conceiving.

"Fertility programs are vital as our population remains low, and we seek to increase it," Nancy stated. Sarawak and Penang have been identified as states requiring special attention due to their contribution to maintaining Malaysia's population growth. During the launch of the Program Perantisan Kepimpinan Wanita (Perantis) — Program Pembinaan Kepimpinan dan Keusahawanan Wanita Dayak (Pendaya) 2.0 initiative, Nancy highlighted that the ministry's strategy would encompass programs to support couples facing childbearing challenges, including initiatives from the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Although these programs are already ongoing, the ministry intends to prioritize them further in the coming year to motivate young people to have children, as the nation's population needs to grow. The minister affirmed that fertility-related programs were incorporated into the ministry's budget submission, with the final allocation contingent on approval.

Additionally, studies on fertility rates were conducted to aid in formulating measures to raise birth rates in Malaysia. However, Nancy indicated that the study results would be disclosed at a later time.