Malaysia’s Population Growth Slows to 0.6% as Birth Rate Declines
PETALING JAYA, Feb 12 — Malaysia’s population growth moderated to 0.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2025, equivalent to an increase of 192,495 people, driven by a continued decline in live births, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the total population is estimated at 34.3 million, up from 34.1 million a year earlier, but the growth rate has slowed significantly compared to the 1.2 per cent recorded previously.
The composition of citizens and non-citizens remained unchanged at 90.1 per cent and 9.9 per cent respectively. Male population rose to 18 million while females reached 16.3 million, resulting in an overall sex ratio of 110 males per 100 females.
Ageing Population Trend Strengthens
Malaysia’s demographic structure continues to shift, with the proportion of those aged 65 and above increasing to 8.0 per cent from 7.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, the share of young population aged 0 to 14 declined to 21.6 per cent, while the working-age group of 15 to 64 expanded to 70.4 per cent.
Ethnic composition remained broadly stable, with Malays accounting for 58.2 per cent of the population, other Bumiputera 12.3 per cent, Chinese 22.2 per cent and Indians 6.5 per cent.
Live Births Drop by 5.4%
Live births fell by 5.4 per cent to 99,353 compared with 105,027 in the same quarter of 2024.
Male births totalled 51,340 while female births stood at 48,013, producing a sex ratio at birth of 107 males per 100 females.
Selangor recorded the highest number of live births at 18,517 cases or 18.6 per cent of the total, while Labuan registered the lowest at 331 births.
Mothers aged 30 to 39 accounted for 49.8 per cent of total births, followed by those aged 20 to 29 at 43.4 per cent.
Slight Increase in Deaths
A total of 51,077 deaths were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, up 1.3 per cent from 50,415 a year earlier.
Male deaths numbered 29,358 compared with 21,719 female deaths, resulting in a sex ratio of 135 males per 100 females. Selangor recorded the highest number of deaths at 7,990 cases, while Putrajaya had the lowest at 82.
Individuals aged 60 and above accounted for 70.1 per cent of total deaths, reflecting the country’s gradual population ageing trend.
Mohd Uzir noted that the decline in birth rates mirrors global patterns, with many countries experiencing fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman, posing long-term challenges to labour supply and economic sustainability.
-wilayah.com.my
