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<h2>A member of parliament (MP) from Penang has expressed concern over the low birth rate among Chinese Malaysians in recent years, deeming the trend alarming</h2>
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                    <a href="https://images.says.com/uploads/story_source/source_image/1218970/52b8.jpg" target="" class="imgwrap colorbox-image cboxElement" title="Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin." rel="segment-810 noopener"><br />
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<p class="img-caption">Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin.</p>
<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=864466338378819&#038;set=pb.100044463818351.-2207520000&#038;type=3" rel="noopener">Sim Tze Tzin 沈志勤 (Facebook)</a></small>
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<p><p>In a <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/SimTzeTzin.MP/posts/pfbid06FM8FgZ1xqQbGivGTwrPRGkSctMq19AAFwrDatevdtEMFZYLcjZyJt6ec5on3hZ4l">Facebook post</a> on 14 February, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin <b>expressed his concern over the latest birth rate and marriage statistics released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).</b></p>
<p>&#8220;I got curious, why are so few Chinese babies born? So, I used my Chinese New Year spare time to dig a little deeper,&#8221; he wrote.</p>
<p>The MP found that&nbsp;<b>only 40,000 Chinese Malaysian babies were born</b>&nbsp;compared to the total of 423,124 live births in the country in 2022.</p>
<p>&#8220;That&#8217;s less than 10% of total live births!&#8221; he said.</p>
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<h2>Sim added that the DOSM statistics show a stark difference in General Marriage Rates (GMR) between Muslims and non-Muslims</h2>
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<p><p>&#8220;When I looked at DOSM&#8217;s latest statistics, I found out Chinese Malaysian not only have less babies, they have less marriages too! Double shock!&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>He stated that according to DOSM, approximately 61 marriages occurred per 1,000 Muslim Malaysians, whereas&nbsp;only 22 marriages occurred per 1,000 non-Muslims in 2021.</p>
<p>He concluded that<b> Muslims are 2.7 times more likely to get married compared to non-Muslims.</b></p>
<p>&#8220;So, we can summarise that <b>more and more Chinese or non-Muslim populations are staying single or not getting married.</b></p>
<p>&#8220;This will directly impact the birth rates of Chinese or non-Muslims. Less marriages, less babies,&#8221; he said.</p>
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<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/side-view-groom-bride-embraced-outdoors_11031918.htm" rel="noopener">Freepik</a></small>
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<h2>In light of the worrying numbers, Sim urged Chinese Malaysians to get married and bear more children to curb the declining birth rate</h2>
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<p><p>&#8220;I call out to those singles out there, go out and seek your love and life partners.</p>
<p>&#8220;Please get married in this auspicious dragon year. It&#8217;s a journey worth taking. Remember to have more babies too,&#8221; he wrote.﻿</p>
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<p>                <small class="img-credit">Image via <a target="_blank" href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/male-hands-holding-screaming-newborn_1280834.htm" rel="noopener">yanalya/Freepik</a></small>
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<h2>His plea was quickly shut down by netizens, who chided him for not considering factors such as the rising cost of living, the financial burden of having a child, and shifting societal values</h2>
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<p><p>&#8220;But YB, it&#8217;s easier said than done to ask Chinese Malaysian to get married and have babies. High costs of living, the depreciating ringgit value, runaway inflation — these need to be fixed. </p>
<p>&#8220;The Chinese are a pragmatic lot, we won&#8217;t jump straight away to marriage and kids, which are of lower priority in life if [those economic factors] aren&#8217;t addressed first,&#8221; said a Facebook user.</p>
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<p>&#8220;I never expected YB to speak in this manner. We must understand the society we live in is like living in a pressure cooker.</p>
<p>&#8220;Cost of living could be the main reason. Plus, societal values are changing. Moreover, we have the unaddressed issue of climate change which can screw us,&#8221; said another.</p>
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<p>Meanwhile, someone else commented, &#8220;My Chinese cousin said she&#8217;d rather be a rich unmarried aunty.&#8221;</p>
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<p>A netizen said, &#8220;It&#8217;s more to do with financial pressure. Screaming and begging won&#8217;t work if the financial pressure is not alleviated. Same thing is also affecting other races.&#8221;</p>
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<h2>Here are other reasons why young Malaysians are choosing not to have children:</h2>
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Penang MP Urges Chinese Malaysians To Get Married & Have More Babies