JAKARTA. National Development Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil said Indonesia needed a paradigm shift, including a reduction in the birthrate, to support national development. “If we make too many children without producing sufficient resources to support them, we will create a disaster. The roots of the Arab Spring, Islamic State terrorism, and some tragedies in African countries are driven by young people that have aspiration but don't have jobs,” Sofyan said on Thursday. Among ASEAN countries, Indonesia has the fourth-highest fertility rate at 2.34. The three with higher rates are the Philippines (3.04) Laos (3.02) and Cambodia (2.86). The other ASEAN countries have rates below two, such as Malaysia (1.96), Vietnam (1.74) and Singapore (1.19). While India’s rate exceeds that of Indonesia at 2.48, China has successfully reduced its rate to 1.67.
Minister urges lower birthrate
JAKARTA. National Development Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil said Indonesia needed a paradigm shift, including a reduction in the birthrate, to support national development. “If we make too many children without producing sufficient resources to support them, we will create a disaster. The roots of the Arab Spring, Islamic State terrorism, and some tragedies in African countries are driven by young people that have aspiration but don't have jobs,” Sofyan said on Thursday. Among ASEAN countries, Indonesia has the fourth-highest fertility rate at 2.34. The three with higher rates are the Philippines (3.04) Laos (3.02) and Cambodia (2.86). The other ASEAN countries have rates below two, such as Malaysia (1.96), Vietnam (1.74) and Singapore (1.19). While India’s rate exceeds that of Indonesia at 2.48, China has successfully reduced its rate to 1.67.