PUTRAJAYA, Feb 23 — The findings of the Fifth Malaysian Population and Family Survey found, among others, that most first marriage which ended in divorce lasted not more than five years.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the survey also revealed that the main causes of divorce were irreconcilable differences and infidelity.

The first five years of marriage is a critical period for couples, she said at the launch of a report on the findings of the 5th Malaysian Population and Family Survey here today.

The survey was conducted by the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) from September 2014 to January 2015 and involved 23,112 residences and 57,246 occupants.

Following the findings of the survey, Rohani said the ministry, through LPPKN, would step up marriage intervention programmes, like the ‘Second Honeymoon’ programme.

She said the survey also revealed that families in Malaysia had problems managing their expenditures, including for their children’s education and also household expenses.

“The new challenge facing working couples is commuter family, where the survey found that 6.9 per cent of working married women are staying far away from their husband,” she added.

She said the survey also found that most working women quit their jobs to take care of their children.

The survey on senior citizens found that 34 per cent of the respondents were lonely, she said, and expressed the need for more efforts to encourage productive, like getting the senior citizens involved in community activities. — Bernama