PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is expected to experience population shrinkage by 2072 if the fertility rate continues to fall from 1.9 in 2016 to 1.7 in 2050 as projected by the United Nations.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Hannah Yeoh said despite the increasing population, the annual population growth rate is expected to keep falling to 0.7 percent in 2050, the effect of falling fertility rate from 4.0 children in 1980 to 1.9 children in 2016.
“The drastic drop in the population fertility rate will also expedite the process of ageing population in which Malaysia is expected to become an ageing nation by 2030 when 15 percent of the people are aged 60 and above.
“The matter will cause the country to face serious shortage of manpower which could affect the development of the country,” she said when opening a Seminar on Population Challenges in Malaysia and the launch of a book “Situation Analysis on Population and Family in Malaysia” here yesterday.
Yeoh said to ensure the shortage of manpower is overcome, the labour participation rate should be improved
especially among women.
“The perception of Technical and Vocational Training and Education (TVET) as a second class education should be rectified as it is capable of contributing to better manpower participation,” she said. – Bernama
