The Terengganu state government has introduced a new matchmaking portal aimed at helping singles and single parents find life partners in a safe and shariah-compliant way. Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar announced that the “Portal Jodoh Darul Iman” will not only accelerate the process of matchmaking but also offer guidance, counseling, and support to couples preparing for marriage.
He expressed hope that this initiative would increase the number of marriages in the state, which could help reverse the declining birth rate. According to statistics from the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Putrajaya, Perak, and Terengganu saw the largest drops in Muslim marriages in 2022, with decreases of 19.6%, 12.8%, and 11.3%, respectively.
Ahmad Samsuri also highlighted global trends such as delayed marriages, falling birth rates, and a growing reluctance to marry, warning that these patterns could have serious long-term social and demographic impacts, similar to what has been observed in Western countries.
He emphasized the importance of addressing these issues and expressed optimism that the matchmaking portal would be a positive step forward.
Data from SeaAsia Stats shows that Malaysia ranks third in Southeast Asia for the highest proportion of unmarried individuals—44.68%—including those who have never married, as well as those who are divorced, separated, or widowed. Malaysia trails only Brunei (44.9%) and Cambodia (44.6%) in this ranking, based on 2021 UN population division data.
