Inter-lInkages between PoPulatIon DynamIcs anD DeveloPment In ...

First Strategic Plan for National Population Policy 1992Malaysia’s long term plan, Vision 2020, describes the national development aspirations and provided focusfor national development effort with the expectation that:By the year 2020, Malaysia can be a united nation, with a confident Malaysian society, infusedby strong moral and ethical values, living in a society that is democratic, liberal and tolerant,caring, economically-just and equitable, progressive and prosperous and in full possession of aneconomy that is competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient.Therefore, the objective of the First Strategic Plan for NPP formulated in 1992 was to plan for a “populationstructure between now and the year 2020 that is supportive of the goals of Vision 2020.” Its key focus is on:(i) quality; (ii) human resource development; and (iii) allowing couples to plan their family in the light of theirown perceived self-interest.The underscored themes are:1. Ageing and caring for the aged;2. Working age-population and demand for labour;3. Education, training and human resource development;4. Equitable distribution of health services between rural and urbanareas;5. Urbanisation;6. Housing needs;7. Poverty and income distribution;8. Internal migration/rural-urban migration; and9. International migration.The First Strategic Plan mainly considered the impact of populationon development. For example, the sufficiency of labour force growthto achieve Vision 2020 and economy development; and the cost ofhealth and social services needed to care for an increasing elderlypopulation; and utilising the potential of the elderly for national andeconomy development. Nevertheless, it did consider the impact ofdevelopment on population. For example, to resolve the issue onurbanisation, policies/plans are being made to “foster industrialPopulation policy can beinstrumental, in associationwith other measures, inachieving the goals ofdevelopment plans. Malaysianeeds to adopt a populationpolicy which takes cognizanceof the many relationshipsbetween population and otherelements in development.Many dimensions of populationmust be taken into account:size, growth, location andcharacteristics including age,gender, family status andeducation and skill levels.First Strategic Plan for NPP 1992decentralisation, building on the tendency for development to spill over into adjacent areas from denselysettled and increasingly expensive urban areas.” However, there is still much room for improvement anddevelopment, especially the impact of development such as industrialised and urban society and increasingwomen’s participation in the labour force on the Malaysian population.Malaysia is currently drafting the Second Strategic Plan for NPP, which is expected to be finalised by end 2009.National Policy on Women 1989The National Policy on Women was formulated in 1989. The objectives of this Policy are:1. To ensure an equitable sharing in the acquisition of resources, information, opportunities and the benefitsof development for men and women. The objectives of equality and justice must be made the essence ofdevelopment policies which must be people-oriented, so that women, who constitute half the nation’spopulation, can contribute and realise their potentials to the optimum, and2. To integrate women in all sectors of national development in accordance with their capabilities andneeds, in order to enhance the quality of life, eradicate poverty, ignorance and illiteracy, and ensure apeaceful and prosperous nation.Some of the key principles and guidelines of the Policy include:• Alignment and coordination with the National Development Policy, the provisions of the Constitutionpertaining to the basic rights of citizens, the right of protection under the law, and the ideals of nationalunity and independence;16