Sabah’s fertility rate plummets to 1.4, well below replacement level
By The Borneo Post on May 23, 2025, Friday at 8:28 PM

LAHAD DATU (May 23): Sabah’s fertility rate has declined dramatically over the past four decades, prompting renewed government efforts to support couples facing fertility challenges, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said.

Nancy said that according to the Malaysia Vital Statistics 2023 released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Sabah’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) dropped from 5.5 children per woman in 1980 to just 1.4 in 2022, well below the replacement level of 2.1. While Terengganu registered the highest TFR at 2.9, Penang and Kuala Lumpur recorded the lowest at 1.2.

Speaking at the launching of the Program Kesejahteraan Lelaki held in conjunction with the Program Kembara KASIH KPWKM 2025 here yesterday, Nancy said this downward trend, mirrored nationwide, raises serious demographic and social implications.

“This shows a clear pattern of declining fertility not only in Sabah but across Malaysia, with significant variation across ethnic groups. Nationally, Malays have the highest TFR at 2.2, followed by other Bumiputera at 1.8, while the Chinese community has the lowest at 0.9,” she said in her speech that was delivered by the ministry’s Deputy Secretary-General (Operations), Farah Adura Hamidi.

Nancy disclosed that in efforts to address the growing concern over infertility, the government has allocated RM6 million under Budget 2025 for the implementation of the Fertility Treatment Assistance and Infertility Advocacy Programme (BuAI), to be managed by the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN).

The programme, she said, aims to benefit 30,000 individuals and couples struggling with fertility issues adding that another RM1.3 million is set aside for men’s health and wellness initiatives reaching 8,000 beneficiaries.

“Under the BuAI programme, 1,300 eligible couples will receive funding for up to two cycles of intrauterine insemination (IUI), and nationwide advocacy campaigns will be launched under the tagline ‘The Earlier, The Better’,” she explained.

She added that the programme also includes counselling, consultations, screenings and medical treatment for both fertility and male wellness issues.

Since 2022, LPPKN has offered Men’s Wellness Services through its Subfertility Clinic in Kuala Lumpur, focusing on psychosexual conditions such as erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, factors often overlooked in discussions around infertility.

“These services are not just about treatment, but also education. We promote smoking cessation, weight control and healthy eating. Lifestyle choices have a significant impact on fertility,” Nancy said.

Due to strong public response, LPPKN has expanded the clinics to Johor Bahru, Penang, Melaka, Terengganu and Sarawak since September 2023. This year marks the first time the BuAI and Men’s Wellness programmes are being implemented in Sabah.

Nancy also said that the programmes are also stepping stones toward the establishment of the National Subfertility Centre in Shah Alam, expected to be completed by 2029.

“The centre will offer affordable fertility services, serve as a hub for research and advanced reproductive technologies, and train fertility specialists,” she said.

Addressing the broader role of men in family life, Nancy highlighted findings from the National Father’s Day 2024 Survey, which found that nine out of 10 fathers believe that being a father today is significantly more challenging than in the past.

“They face tremendous pressure from the rising cost of living and financial strain to maintaining work-life balance and dealing with emotional health. Many fathers wake up early, come home late, and often neglect their own well-being for the sake of their families,” she said.

The 2022 Family Well-being Index also revealed that while Malaysian families are adapting to the digital era, challenges such as gadget addiction among children are affecting quality family time. One in three parents struggle to control their children’s screen use, most of them aged between 30 and 49.

Nancy also warned that subfertility, defined as the inability to conceive after a year of unprotected sex, is now a shared issue among couples. Malaysia’s TFR stood at 1.7 in 2023, a modest rise from 1.6 the previous year, but still below the replacement level.

“International studies now estimate that male factors contribute to nearly 50% of infertility cases. In Malaysia, the percentage of abnormal sperm in samples tested rose from 39% in 2010 to 60% in 2019,” she disclosed.

The rise in psychosexual disorders is also evident. LPPKN clinics saw male wellness cases increase from 432 in 2023 to 760 in 2024. Among young men aged 18 to 29, 36.9% reported experiencing erectile dysfunction, according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022.

In a heartfelt appeal, Nancy urged men to step forward and “take charge” of their reproductive health.

“Do not be ashamed. Fertility issues are not just a woman’s problem, they affect both partners. Start early, seek help together. The earlier, the better,” she said.

Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2025/05/23/sa...lacement-level/

It's ok, Peninsular east coast folks will export to Sabah.

Really? My experience with few of them suggest that they have a really strong sex drive. Mau beramput ja

video hiasan

undocumented foreigners how many

Soon every developed state will need to depend on East Coast state to replenish their population. PuAS dominance is inevitable.

betui keh? the flipino berlambak je

Salahan Malaya Juga?
SMJ

Young Sabahan migrate to peninsular. Give birth there.

strong sex drive and willing to breed is 2 very different thing

sabah is such an expensive state that almost nobody can afford to breed
the property price there is absolutely insane...even state gov loan also cannot help

Project ic kan ada

pagpag lovers can replace them

If we see vote counts increase down the road despite lower birth rates

Then we know why

PATI kan melambak.

very soon or already happening, even PATI is going back to their home country

they can't survive here....every time i go servay, i always see a lot of people buy instant noodle by the boxes

What instant noodle is nice? Indomie?

basically whichever is cheaper or on promo
they don't care because it's not a choice for them

even sabahan social media influencer also eat instant noodle at least once a week

this is the trend globally.

Where can they go? Here have free accomodation, just goods get elsewhere la if here since say here expensive.

They can simply come and go with minimum bribe to pay.

noticed a lot of filipino and indon last time super love to come sabah

now everybody is going back phillipines or indon because there are better opportunities and living cost is lower there...not to mention, felt more like home

by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Sabah’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) dropped from 5.5 children per woman in 1980 to just 1.4 in 2022, well below the replacement level of 2.1.




Jeng jeng jeng,
Magic