What youths want: Respondents of the survey believe singlehood gives them more freedom in life and marriage increases one’s financial commitment. PETALING JAYA: Youths are shunning marriage and big families amid a decline in the country s birthrate that s projected to turn Malaysia into an ageing nation by 2030.
A nationwide survey published by Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) on July 1 revealed that less than half (41.8%) of youths aged between 18 and 35 plan on getting married and most would rather have smaller families.
From a total of 485 respondents aged between 18 and 35 surveyed, only 41.8% said they plan to marry.
Titled “More Malaysian Youths Likely to Shun Marriage, Bigger Families”, respondents of the survey conducted by the varsity’s Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies, believe singlehood gives them more freedom in life and marriage increases one’s financial commitment.
PETALING JAYA: The employment disparity between young men and women in the country is alarming.
More young Malaysian women are eager to join the workforce, have clearer career goals, and are more academically qualified, but they face higher unemployment rates.
This worrying trend was identified in a study by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute titled “Unemployment among Malaysia’s Youth: Structural Trends and Current Challenges”, authored by its senior fellow and Malaysia Studies Programme co-coordinator Lee Hwok Aun.
The paper, which was published on June 18,2020, addresses several factors affecting youth unemployment, and substantial gender disparity was one of them.
While diverse reasons affect employment opportunities among young Malaysian women, various bodies and non-governmental organisations say marriage-related reasons and cultural aspects play a vital role.