RISING TREND OF LATE MARRIAGE AMONG WOMEN A SERIOUS ISSUE

KUCHING (Sarawak, Malaysia), May 23 (Bernama) -- The government is viewing seriously the issue concerning the rising trend of late marriage, especially among highly-educated women.

National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) deputy
director-general (Policy) Dr Anjli Doshi Gandhi said this was because the trend could bring about negative implications to the marriage institution.

She said the current statistics showed that 30 per cent of unmarried women aged between 25 and 29, while 25 per cent of unmarried men aged between 30 and 34.

"We view seriously the trend of late marriage, especially among women, who often say that they haven't met their soulmate as an excuse for not getting married," she said in a state-level briefing on the National Family Policy here Monday.

She said one of the factors for men in early 30s to stay single was
financial instability, she said.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Chief Minister's Office Fatimah Abdullah, when opening the ceremony, said one third of Malaysia's 27.5 million population comprised those aged below 15, who would reach the suitable age for marriage by 2020.

Hence, she said a comprehensive policy was needed to face the challenges of family development, as the group would give a tremendous increase to the number of households from the current 6.3 million.