Population rate expected to drop post 2020

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KUALA LUMPUR: The population growth rate in the country is expected to reduce following the drop in total fertility rate (KKJ) from 2.1 to 1.91 children for the period 2020 to 2035.

Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the drop in fertility rate would also result in Malaysia becoming an aging nation by 2035 when 15 per cent of the population comprised senior citizens, aged 60 years and above.

Replying to a question from Azman Ismail (PKR-Kuala Kedah) at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Rohani said the KKJ in Malaysia in 2012 was 2.1 children which was equal to the replacement rate.

“The replacement rate refers to the number of children which is just sufficient to replace the parents.

“At this rate of replacement, the nation will have zero population growth,” he said when replying to a question from Azman on the fertility rate according to the races in the country and if the ministry had a set KKJ target.

The KKJ refers to the average number of children born to a woman during the reproductive age of between 15 to 49 years.

Rohani said the total fertility rate according to race in 2012 showed the Malays at 2.6 children compared to Chinese (1.6) and India (1.5).

She said so far, there was no target set by the government on the fertility rate according to race in the country.

However, the government was concerned about the drop in KKJ as it resulted in a drop in national population growth, she said.

On the programme to increase awareness about population fertility, Rohani said the government was considering various methods for married couples to increase the number of children, but did not set a quota for each family. — Bernama