A recent suggestion by Tumpat MP Mumtaz Nawi from PAS has sparked discussion after she proposed that the government should consider awarding women who contribute to increasing Malaysia's birth rate by giving birth. The proposal was made during a parliamentary query on October 15, as reported by Malaysiakini.
Mumtaz argued that such an award could enhance the status of women who play a pivotal role in boosting the fertility rate of the nations. She pointed to international examples, citing Mongolia's "Order of Maternal Glory" as a model. This award, which began in the 1950s, was designed to incentivize higher birth rates in Mongolia. According to PRXs The World, over 129,000 Mongolian mothers have received this honor.
The "Order of Maternal Glory" is divided into two categories: mothers with six or more children receive the "First Order of Glorious Motherhood" medal along with an annual cash reward of 200,000 tugriks (approximately RM253). Meanwhile, mothers with four children are awarded the "Second Order of Glorious Motherhood" and 100,000 tugriks (around RM126) yearly.
Mumtaz's suggestion comes at a time when Malaysia's total fertility rate (TFR) is on the decline. According to The Star, the TFR stood at 1.6 children per woman in 2022, a significant drop from 2.1 children per woman in 2010.
However, the proposal was met with a response from Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri, who pointed out that the government had already begun recognizing mothers through the "Ibu Inspirasi" Award. This award was introduced during the national Mother's Day celebrations this year to honor mothers for their sacrifices in raising children.
Nancy also emphasized that her ministry is exploring multiple strategies to address declining fertility rates. These include advocating for fertility-related issues, offering tax exemptions for fertility treatments, and opening male fertility clinics. Additionally, she highlighted that a National Subfertility Center is being established in Shah Alam to provide affordable fertility treatments for Malaysians.
The proposal has sparked conversations around the role of government initiatives in encouraging population growth and the importance of addressing broader factors that may contribute to declining fertility rates in the country.
Source: Malaysiakini
