Latest news with #NancyShukri
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
A better way to prepare for ageing society
It looks like Malaysian men are no longer rising to the occasion, but the government thinks a little incentive can help. Women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri says the drive to raise fertility rate among Malaysians will now focus on men. According to Nancy, men should realise that women are not entirely to blame for the drop in the number of new babies, so a 'celebrity' doctor would be brought in to help raise awareness. She also wants to offer in-vitro fertilisation and fertility services through the National Population and Family Development Board to both men and women. Nancy's concerns are valid. If the decline in birthrate and extension in life expectancy continue at the current rate, Malaysia will become an ageing society by 2030. That puts the burden of supporting a higher number of elderly family members on a lower number of children. Healthcare costs for elderly people amounted to RM3.8 billion, or 0.34% of the GDP in 2014, or 8% of the total health expenditure. This is projected to rise to RM21 billion, or 1.08% of GDP, by 2040. If the trend continues, it will lead to burnout or financial stress on the younger people. There are ways to overcome this. The government could provide greater incentives for people to have more children, encourage older people to stay longer in the workforce, or both. It is unclear what Nancy's 'celebrity' doctor will do, but inducing desire would be a start. This means getting young people to not only tie the knot and start a family at an earlier age, but to have more children, too. Ideally, the birthrate should rise to 2.1, which is the replacement level, from 1.7 currently. But this is unachievable when people are marrying and starting families at an increasingly older age. The average age at which a woman has her first child has risen from 25.6 years in 1980 to 27.9 years in 2022 and expected to hit 30 by 2030. Many women have even opted not to have children in pursuit of other priorities, such as career advancement. Rapid urbanisation also seems to be a factor, going by the fact that Penang and Kuala Lumpur, the country's biggest urban centres, also have the lowest fertility rate at 1.2, compared with largely rural Terengganu, where the rate is 2.9, well above the replacement level. Raising a child is getting more challenging. The extended family environment is a thing of the past, so depending on grandparents, uncles and aunts to watch over the children is no longer an option. To keep the replacement rate up, a change in mindset is essential. There must be a new support system to help young families meet the challenges of juggling between professional pursuits and the domestic responsibility of childcare. Offering childcare facilities at the workplace is a good start, but few companies in Malaysia are prepared to invest in this despite the fact that it helps to retain employees. Extending maternity leave is also a step forward. Norway is way ahead of the rest of the world here. In this Nordic country, new mothers get 54 weeks off at 96% pay. Perhaps our Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) can offer a similar benefit. At the other end of the spectrum, raising the retirement age can help people stay financially independent for longer, and for those who are already out of the workforce, an improved retirement plan can ease the burden on their children. As former Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt said at the Employees Provident Fund's (EPF) International Social Wellbeing conference this week, keeping people in the workforce until they reach the age of 75 would align with the longer life expectancy. At the same conference, the retirement fund's CEO Ahmad Zulqarnain Onn acknowledged that the retirement system must evolve to match the reality that life expectancy has increased. At best, offering free in-vitro fertilisation and fertility services to men and women is only part of the solution.
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Nancy outlines four core principles for civil service excellence at KPWKM
BANGI: Leadership and governance, performance and talent development, technology and digitalisation, as well as staff well-being and engagement, are the four key principles that must be embraced by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) personnel. Speaking at the ministry's 2025 Excellent Service Awards (APC) ceremony today, Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri emphasised that leadership is not merely about holding positions, but about carrying trust and responsibility. 'Every civil servant must be given space to learn and grow. 'Technology is essential to ensure our services are efficient and people-friendly, while fostering staff well-being and engagement will create a team that supports one another to deliver high-quality work,' she said. Nancy noted that KPWKM plays a pivotal role in driving the Public Service Reform Agenda (ARPA), which goes beyond system improvement to include values and work ethics that can bring meaningful transformation to public service. She also expressed confidence that the ministry can internalise the HEMAT values - Hijrah Tatakelola (Governance Transformation), Empati Rakyat (Empathy for the People), Minda Pekin (Progressive Mindset), Apresiasi Inovasi (Appreciation of Innovation), and Tadbir Urus Telus (Transparent Governance) - in its daily operations. 'Even a small gesture, like answering a call politely, can have a significant impact on the ministry's image,' she said. Nancy also urged KPWKM staff to uphold the '3Is' concept - Integrity, Sincerity (Ikhlas), and Reform (Islah) - as a foundation for sustaining excellence, in line with the government's aspiration to strengthen holistic public service delivery. At the event, a total of 646 ministry personnel were honoured with the Excellent Service Award for their outstanding performance in 2024. The Social Welfare Department recorded the highest number of recipients with 525 awardees, including eight persons with disabilities. Nancy said the APC is more than just a recognition of outstanding work, as it also serves as a morale booster for the staff to continue serving the public with commitment and passion. Also present at the event were Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad and secretary-general Datuk Dr Maziah Che Yusoff.
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Nancy: Embrace 4 key values to elevate public service delivery
BANGI: Leadership and governance, performance and talent development, technology and digitalisation, as well as staff well-being and engagement, are the four key principles that must be embraced by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) personnel. Speaking at the ministry's 2025 Excellent Service Awards (APC) ceremony today, Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri emphasised that leadership is not merely about holding positions, but about carrying trust and responsibility. 'Every civil servant must be given space to learn and grow. 'Technology is essential to ensure our services are efficient and people-friendly, while fostering staff well-being and engagement will create a team that supports one another to deliver high-quality work,' she said. Nancy noted that KPWKM plays a pivotal role in driving the Public Service Reform Agenda (ARPA), which goes beyond system improvement to include values and work ethics that can bring meaningful transformation to public service. She also expressed confidence that the ministry can internalise the HEMAT values - Hijrah Tatakelola (Governance Transformation), Empati Rakyat (Empathy for the People), Minda Pekin (Progressive Mindset), Apresiasi Inovasi (Appreciation of Innovation), and Tadbir Urus Telus (Transparent Governance) - in its daily operations. 'Even a small gesture, like answering a call politely, can have a significant impact on the ministry's image,' she said. Nancy also urged KPWKM staff to uphold the '3Is' concept - Integrity, Sincerity (Ikhlas), and Reform (Islah) - as a foundation for sustaining excellence, in line with the government's aspiration to strengthen holistic public service delivery. At the event, a total of 646 ministry personnel were honoured with the Excellent Service Award for their outstanding performance in 2024. The Social Welfare Department recorded the highest number of recipients with 525 awardees, including eight persons with disabilities. Nancy said the APC is more than just a recognition of outstanding work, as it also serves as a morale booster for the staff to continue serving the public with commitment and passion. Also present at the event were Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad and secretary-general Datuk Dr Maziah Che Yusoff.
The Star
4 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Urgent push to improve fertility rate
Inspiring change: Nancy (centre) officiating the Women's Inspiration Programme: Womenpreneurs – Shaping the Future Economy in Butterworth. — Bernama BUTTERWORTH: The government is ramping up efforts to increase Malaysia's total fertility rate (TFR), which has been declining over the past 15 years, by promoting inclusive solutions involving men, says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. The Women, Family, and Community Development Minister said the country's TFR is at 1.7 this year – a slight improvement from 1.6 last year, but still below the replacement level of 2.1. 'This is still not enough, which is why we are expanding awareness through more programmes and roadshows. 'Sometimes, women are not the problem. Men could also be the cause of the low fertility,' she told reporters yesterday after officiating the Women's Inspiration Programme: Womenpreneurs – Shaping the Future Economy, organised by the Department of Women's Development in collaboration with the Penang Women's Development Corporation. She said the national roadshow began in Sabah and will soon continue across other states. 'There are several other programmes under the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) that address fertility issues, with solutions catering to both genders,' she said as reported by Bernama. On yesterday's event, Nancy said the programme provided an avenue for women entrepreneurs to learn, share strategies and build support networks. She reaffirmed the government's commitment to enhancing women's leadership across multiple sectors, noting that it is a key objective of the National Women's Policy and the Women's Development Action Plan 2025-2030, launched on International Women's Day in March. She said women make up 49% of Malaysia's population, but out of a total of 222 MPs, only 13.36% are women, which is still a huge gap. 'However, there has been encouraging progress as 38.9% of top positions in the public sector are now held by women. 'Women also account for 32.2% of board members in publicly- listed companies,' she added. At the ministerial level, Nancy said her ministry is nurturing female leaders through initiatives like the Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Programme launched last year, which has mentored over 1,200 women through guidance from 25 prominent figures across 10 major sectors. She said the programme will be expanded this year with RM5mil in funding, involving 100 mentors and 5,000 participants, underscoring the government's continued investment in developing women's leadership.
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘It's not just women': Govt to boost fertility rate with inclusive solutions, says minister
BUTTERWORTH, June 16 — The government is ramping up efforts to increase Malaysia's total fertility rate (TFR), which has been declining over the past 15 years, by promoting inclusive solutions to include men. Minister of Women, Family, and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the country's TFR is at 1.7 this year, a slight improvement from 1.6 last year, but remains below the replacement level of 2.1. 'This is still not enough, which is why we are expanding awareness through more programmes and roadshows. Sometimes, women are not the problem - men could also be the cause of the low fertility.' Nancy said this to reporters here today after officiating the Women's Inspiration Programme: Womenpreneurs - Shaping The Future Economy, organised by the Department of Women's Development in collaboration with the Penang Women's Development Corporation. She said the national roadshow began in Sabah and will soon continue across other states. 'There are several other programmes under the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) that address fertility issues, with solutions catering to both genders,' she said. On today's event, Nancy said the programme provided an avenue for women entrepreneurs to learn, share strategies, and build support networks. She reaffirmed the government's commitment to enhancing women's leadership across multiple sectors, noting this is a key objective of the National Women's Policy and the Women's Development Action Plan 2025–2030, launched on International Women's Day in March. Today, women make up 49 per cent of Malaysia's population, but out of a total of 222 Members of Parliament, only 13.36 per cent are women, which is still a huge gap, she said. 'However, there has been encouraging progress as 38.9 per cent of top positions in the public sector are now held by women, and women also account for 32.2 per cent of board members in publicly listed companies,' she remarked. At the ministerial level, Nancy said her ministry is nurturing future female leaders through initiatives like the Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Programme (Perantis), launched last year, which has mentored over 1,200 women through guidance from 25 prominent figures across 10 major sectors. She said, this year, the programme will be expanded with RM5 million in funding, involving 100 mentors and 5,000 participants — underscoring the government's continued investment in developing women leadership. — Bernama
