During the Budget 2025 debates in Parliament, Datuk Rosol Wahid (PN-Hulu Terengganu) suggested that polygamy could help address Malaysia’s declining birth rate.
He proposed that the government should offer incentives to encourage marriage and childbearing, highlighting that an increasing number of young people are choosing not to marry or have children, contributing to an unhealthy trend in the country’s demographic growth.
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“Maybe the government can encourage polygamy”
Rosol raised concerns about what the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry is doing to encourage marriage and childbirth, which he believes are key to boosting the country’s population.
He pointed out that countries like China, India, and Indonesia have large populations and that, to achieve greatness and success, Malaysia should aim for a similar population size.
“Malaysia could end up an ageing population”
Rosol pointed out that back in 1982, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had set a target for Malaysia’s population to reach 70 million. However, the country’s birth rate has been dropping steadily, from 2.1 children per woman in 2010 to just 1.6 in 2020.
He voiced his concerns about this trend, stressing that by 2043, Malaysia could face an ageing population, with 15% of the people aged 65 and older. This could lead to a decrease in productivity, which would affect the country’s social and economic development in the long run.
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Also read: PAS MP Tells Parliament That Polygamy is the Solution for Māsian Women Over 30yo But Still Single
