By Amanda L
KUCHING, Aug 9: The cost of raising a family could influence whether young Sarawakians choose to have children, with affordability emerging as a key factor in the State’s population growth, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
Speaking to reporters after officiating the 18th Triennial General Assembly of Saberkas Sarawak in Sibu today, he said the financial commitment involved in raising children could weigh on young couples when deciding whether to start a family.
“It’s up to the people, whether they can afford it or not.
“The cost of raising children, including basic necessities such as milk, can add up,” he said.
For families already facing such expenses, the State has introduced measures including the Sarawak Basic Needs Assistance (SKAS) to help ease the cost of essential needs.
Education costs are another area being addressed, with Abang Johari pointing out that schooling in Sarawak was free while tertiary education was increasingly being offered at little or no cost to eligible Sarawakians.
“These may seem like small costs, but they can add up,” he said.
He said reducing such financial pressures was part of a broader effort to make Sarawak a more attractive place for people to live and raise families.
At the same time, he stressed that population growth could not be viewed separately from the State’s economic prospects, as stronger economic opportunities would be needed to support a larger population.
He said Sarawak therefore needed to look beyond its domestic market and expand its economy to create more opportunities for its people.
This included encouraging Sarawakians who had moved elsewhere, particularly professionals, to return by creating better prospects at home.
He cited Sibu as an example of how development could help attract people back, saying the town needed more sophisticated development to address challenges including flooding.
“We want to transform Sibu quickly. If Sibu town transforms, professionals will return.
“For Sibu, we need to pursue more sophisticated development, particularly because parts of the town are below the river water level and face flooding. This requires experience and more advanced solutions,” he said.
Abang Johari also pointed to differing population figures for Sarawak, noting that the State’s estimate of about 2.8 million people was higher than the 2.5 million figure released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
He said the discrepancy was significant as population size also affected the scale of Sarawak’s domestic market. — DayakDaily
