The Malaysian government should ensure women are aware they have the right either to have a baby or not when they get married, according to a women's group.
The All Women's Action Society Malaysia called on the authorities to shift the focus on the country's premarital training programme.
It said the focus should be on the importance of building a happy and healthy family, rather than encouraging more babies.
Abigail de Vries, senior programme officer at the group, said women should be allowed to make free choices when it comes to marriage and having children.
She said: "It's their right. That's how the government should encourage women."
She said the government, through its programmes and policies, must ensure that women could decide for themselves and should not blindly encourage women to have more babies.
On the trend of more women staying single, de Vries said it should not be viewed as a problem but rather as a sign that women were advancing in society.
Women's Aid Organisation social works manager Wong Su Zane said communication skills and financial planning should be part of the government programme.
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