FOR generations, getting married and raising a family have been regarded as important milestones in life. They represent not only personal happiness, but also stability, continuity and hope for the future.
Contrary to the perception held by some, many young Malaysians have not abandoned these aspirations. The majority still hope to find a life partner, build a home and raise children of their own.
What has changed is not their desire, but the circumstances in which they are expected to make these life-changing decisions.
Economic uncertainty, rising living costs, expensive housing, job insecurity and the increasing cost of raising a family have become significant barriers, prompting many young adults to postpone – or even reconsider – marriage and parenthood.
This reality is reflected in the findings of the National Population and Family Development Board’s (LPPKN) Online Public Perception Survey conducted in conjunction with World Population Day 2025.
The survey, involving 3,625 Malaysians aged 18 and above, found that 90.9 per cent of single respondents intended to get married, while 91.1 per cent hoped to have children in the future.
Among married respondents, 33.8 per cent expressed their intention to have more children, with the average desired family size being 2.8 children.
However, aspirations alone do not always translate into reality.
Speaking at the national-level World Population Day 2026 celebration at the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, LPPKN chairman Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim revealed that 17.6 per cent of respondents said they were unable to achieve their desired family size.
The reasons were telling – insufficient household income, rising living costs, demanding work schedules, fertility challenges and health-related issues.
The trend is by no means unique to Malaysia.
The findings closely mirror those of the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) State of World Population 2026 report, which surveyed more than 100,000 adults aged between 18 and 39 across 73 countries. More than two-thirds of respondents said they hoped to marry or live with a partner, while nearly 90 per cent wanted to have at least one child.
The findings tell us something far more significant than population trends. They challenge us to consider whether Malaysia’s declining birth rate is not merely a demographic issue, but increasingly an economic one.
For many years, discussions about falling fertility rates have focused largely on numbers – fewer babies being born, an ageing population and a shrinking workforce. While these concerns are valid, they address only the consequences rather than the root causes.
When young adults delay marriage because wages have failed to keep pace with living costs, when owning a home seems increasingly beyond reach, when stable employment is difficult to secure, and when raising a child is perceived as a financial burden rather than a joyful milestone, the issue extends far beyond demographics. It becomes an economic challenge that directly influences population trends.
The question is no longer simply how to encourage people to have more children. It is how to create an environment where they feel confident enough to begin that journey in the first place.
This should also prompt us to rethink what it truly means to become a developed nation.
Malaysia’s aspiration to become a developed nation cannot be measured solely by GDP, impressive infrastructure or technological progress.
It should also be measured by whether ordinary Malaysians can afford life’s most fundamental milestones — owning a home, getting married and raising children.
If these aspirations become luxuries, then development remains incomplete.
Without a steady and sustainable younger generation, every nation will eventually face growing pressures on its labour force, healthcare system, pension schemes and long-term economic competitiveness.
This is why policies that support young families should no longer be regarded merely as social welfare initiatives. They are investments in Malaysia’s future.
Affordable housing for first-time buyers, accessible childcare, flexible working arrangements, stronger parental leave policies, quality healthcare, meaningful wage growth and greater job security are not simply benefits for young couples. They are strategic investments that strengthen the country’s long-term demographic and economic resilience.
Creating a family-friendly Malaysia cannot rest solely with the government. Employers must provide workplaces that allow employees to balance careers and family life, while financial institutions, educational institutions, community organisations and families themselves all have a role in helping young Malaysians build secure and stable futures.
Encouragingly, according to Rohani, the government has already recognised many of these challenges through the KASIH Keluarga Negara (KKN) initiative and the National Family Action Plan (NFAP) 2026–2030.
Measures include programmes such as SMARTSTART, marriage and family counselling, reproductive and social health education, fertility treatment assistance, longer maternity and paternity leave, flexible working arrangements, as well as improved access to childcare, healthcare, housing and quality employment.
These are positive and necessary measures. They demonstrate that policymakers understand the importance of strengthening families as the foundation of a resilient society.
Yet the survey findings also suggest that more needs to be done. The greater challenge is ensuring that economic realities do not stand in the way of those aspirations.
Policies alone cannot fully address the anxieties facing many young Malaysians if wages continue to lag behind the rising cost of living, housing remains beyond the reach of first-time buyers, or stable employment becomes increasingly difficult to secure.
If we truly believe that families are the foundation of the nation, then investing in them should not be viewed as an expense. It should be recognised as one of the country’s most important long-term investments.
Creating a family-friendly Malaysia requires a whole-of-society approach. Government policies provide the framework, but employers, financial institutions, educational institutions, communities and families all have a role in creating an environment where young Malaysians feel confident enough to marry and raise children.
After all, every developed nation depends on more than strong infrastructure, technological advancement or healthy economic indicators. It depends on people who believe they have a future worth investing in.
If young people continue to delay marriage and parenthood because life has become increasingly unaffordable, the consequences will eventually extend far beyond individual households. They will be felt in our schools, labour market, healthcare system, economy and, ultimately, our national development.
The survey has already answered one important question: young Malaysians have not lost faith in marriage or parenthood. Most still dream of building families of their own.
The real question is whether Malaysia is creating an environment that allows those dreams to become reality.
That requires more than financial incentives. It demands affordable housing, quality jobs, fair wages, flexible workplaces, accessible childcare and a society that genuinely supports young families.
Because a nation’s future is shaped not only by the number of children it welcomes into the world, but by whether the next generation believes that building a family remains a dream worth pursuing – and one they can realistically afford to fulfil.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at drnagrace@gmail.com.
