00:00The government has been urged to address basic issues such as living costs, healthcare, education
00:08and access to infant nurseries as it deals with a declining fertility rate.
00:14Dr. Chung Sim Pui of the Reproductive Rights Advocacy Alliance Malaysia said focusing solely
00:20on boosting population figures will be unproductive if these underlying causes are not tackled.
00:26He said decisions about family size are influenced by access to healthcare,
00:31education and the financial burden of raising children.
00:35Meanwhile, Nik Norliati Fitrinor, researcher in demography and ageing population at University
00:41Science Malaysia, highlighted the need for improved healthcare infrastructure
00:45and pension reform to support both the elderly and future generations.
00:51She also suggested that financial incentives such as child care subsidies
00:55and better work-life balance could encourage more people to have children.
01:00Creating a conducive environment for raising children
01:03is key to addressing Malaysia's ageing population challenge, she said.
