KUALA LUMPUR: About 2.5 million Malaysians, aged 25 and above are unmarried. And there are more single men than women.
They include those who are divorced and widowed, according to the Population and Housing Census in 2010.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Heng Sai Kee told the Dewan Negara yesterday that among the unmarried Malaysians, 60.4% were men and 39.6% women.
She said the average age of men marrying for the first time dropped to 28 in 2010, compared to 28.6 in 2000.
“Women marry at the average age of 25.7 compared to 25.1 in 2000,” she said, replying to Senator Datuk Boon Som Inong, who asked for the number of unmarried men and women in Malaysia and the reason for it.
Heng said the fourth Malaysian Population and Family Survey conducted by the National Population and Family Development Board showed 32.1% of respondents had never tied the knot.
Of this number, 55.6% were men and 44.4% women.
“According to 44.7% of the male respondents, they didn't marry due to financial problems.
“Others cited that there were no suitable candidates (19.3%), career (12.8%), family commitment (6.3%) and other reasons.
“Forty per cent of women said they did not marry as they have not found eligible suitors.
“Some mentioned financial problems (14%), career (8.4%), comfort in being single (8.4%), family commitment (7.4%) and other reasons,” added Heng.
She said the ministry has no plans to set up a matchmaking agency or an online matchmaking service, adding that this was already being done by private companies, non-governmental organisations, religious bodies and some political parties. - Bernama
Source: The STAR Home News Nation Wednesday May 9, 2012
