KUCHING, Sept. 19 -- Sarawak and Penang will receive greater focus under the government's efforts to improve Malaysia's fertility rate and address the country's low birth rate, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

She said the ministry planned to place greater emphasis on fertility-related programmes next year, including measures to support couples facing difficulties conceiving.

"Fertility programmes are important because our population is still low and we want to increase it. So we have also proposed programmes related to fertility.

"Sarawak and Penang are among the states that need to be given focus because we want to increase the birth rate," she told reporters after launching the Program P...