Why Malaysian Chinese are having fewer children

Demographic transition theory suggests that birth rates typically decline as a society transitions from an agrarian to an industrial economy. This change affects the population size and composition. In agrarian societies, birth rates are high but are accompanied by high death rates, resulting in minimal population growth. As societies shift towards industrial economies, better healthcare leads to lower death rates, while birth rates remain relatively unchanged.

However, this trend has evolved due to better healthcare, industrialisation, improved education, modern lifestyles, and changes in values. Individualism has taken root due to industrialisation, leading to a decline in birth rates, particularly among Malaysian Chinese. The decline in childbirth among Chinese women in Malaysia has been apparent since the 1980s, with the total fertility rate (TFR) falling from 3.3 in 1980 to 2.1 two decades later, which is considered the replacement level for a population to maintain its size.

The Chinese community's TFR has continued to decline, with the latest figure at 0.8 in the previous year. Reports show that the number of Malaysian Chinese has been declining since 2021. While migration contributes to this decline, the primary factor is the fall in the Chinese birth rate. This situation places the Chinese population at the "free-fall" stage, referring to a possible fifth stage in Demographic transition theory.

The Chinese have moved into hypermodernity, characterised by hyper-individualism, hyper-consumerism, and hyper-technologisation. In a hypermodern world, values traditionally prioritising family have become less influential, leading to a growing anti-familism subculture among Chinese youth. This subculture is reinforced by hyper-consumerism, where raising children is perceived as financially unaffordable.

To address this issue, measures should go beyond financial incentives and target the broader social ecology. This includes addressing hyper-individualism, hyper-consumerism, and technology's influence, particularly on social media, while creating an environment that encourages starting families and having children.