Chinese Community Problems

                 The Federal Territory's MCA is concerned that
                 far fewer Chinese babies are being born than
                 Malay and Indian babies, and is preparing a
                 report

                 KUALA LUMPUR -- The low birth rate among
                 Chinese is a matter of concern as it may eventually
                 affect the political strength of the community, Federal
                 Territory MCA chairman Datuk Tan Chai Ho said.

                 MCA members, during their meetings, had voiced
                 their worries over the decreasing Chinese population,
                 he said.

                 "We are very concerned. We will get feedback on
                 this and then forward our findings to the MCA
                 headquarters," he said when asked to comment on
                 reports that Chinese babies accounted for only 9 per
                 cent of 1,000 babies born.

                 The rate is below the birth rate for the Malay and
                 Indian communities, accounting for over 60 per cent
                 and 20 per cent respectively.

                 Datuk Tan said many factors had to be studied to
                 understand why Chinese couples were reluctant to
                 have more children.

                 "You must look at their income, their educational
                 background and quality of life," he said.

                 This situation was described by Health Minister
                 Datuk Chua Jui Meng as an abnormal phenomenon.

                 Datuk Chua was quoted as saying that the rampant
                 use of a growth enhancer on pigs had contributed to
                 the declining number of Chinese.

                 He warned that the effects of the growth enhancer on
                 consumers would only surface 10 years later and
                 could lead to life threatening diseases such as heart
                 attacks and cancer.

                 "Considering that the birth rate of Chinese is already
                 low, the Chinese population would decline at an even
                 faster rate if it is hit by diseases."

                 He said the best way to halt the use of the growth
                 enhancer on pigs was to increase the number of
                 non-Muslim officers in the Ministry of Agriculture to
                 check on on farmers. -- The Star/Asia News
                 Network, Sin Chew Jit Poh/Asia News Network

                      Adapted from The Straits Times, 9 May 2000.