Maybe that's why Malaysians are not reproducing enough that year?

Most states recorded a decline

According to a Vital Statistics, Malaysia, 2021 Report released recently, Malaysia recorded the lowest fertility rate in four decades in the year 2020.

This was revealed by chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin in a statement quoted by Bernama.

He said that the data from the report revealed that the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of women of reproductive age in Malaysia has declined to 1.7 babies in 2020 as compared to 1.8 babies in 2019, based on the Vital Statistics.

“The 2020 fertility rate was the lowest in four decades with 4.9 children per woman in 1970. Malaysia’s fertility rate was below the replacement level of 2.1 babies since 2013,” Mohd Uzir said in response to the report.

Image credit: The Malaysian Reserve

Based on the Principles and Recommendations for A Vital Statistics (Revision 3), United Nations Statistics Division (2014) manual, the replacement level of 2.1 babies is the average number of children a woman would need to give birth by bearing a daughter who survives to childbearing age.

Mohd Uzir added that most states in Malaysia recorded a TFR below the replacement level, except for Terengganu (2.9 babies), Putrajaya (2.8 babies) and Kelantan (2.7 babies).

As such, Malaysia also experienced the lowest live births in over a decade with 470,195 recorded in 2020, a decrease of 3.6 per cent compared to 487,957 in 2019.

This also led to the decline in the Crude Birth Rate (CBR) from 15.0 births in 2019 to 14.4 per thousand population in 2020.

Image credit: Free Malaysia Today

Terengganu recorded the highest rate at 21.6 births per thousand population in 2020 while Penang recorded the lowest rate at 11.1 births, Mohd Uzir revealed.

The highest CBR in 2020 was recorded in Terengganu particularly in Kuala Terengganu, with 26.9 births per thousand population, while Kinabatangan, Sabah recorded the lowest rate of 3.7 births.

A worldwide trend?

However, the latest stats show that it's not just a Malaysia thing.

Mohd Uzir said the declining trend is also observed in other parts of the world such as Australia (1.7 babies), the United Kingdom (1.7 babies), the United States (1.7 babies), New Zealand (1.6 babies), Japan (1.4 babies) and the South Korea (0.9 babies).

“This declining trend in births was contributed by the increase in women’s level of education and the increase in women’s participation in the labour force,” Mohd Uzir said.

Other factors include the increase in the average age of first marriage, urbanisation, lifestyle changes, economic status and increased use of family planning methods.