Malaysia is expected to witness steady population growth over the next few decades, with the total population predicted to increase from 32.45 million in 2020 to 42.37 million by 2060.
According to the latest projections from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the country's population is expected to reach 36.49 million in 2030, 39.78 million in 2040 and 41.79 million in 2050.
However, the annual growth rate is expected to slow to an average of around 0.5% between 2030 and 2060, peaking in 2059 before starting to decline.
In addition, the projections also show significant demographic changes as the percentage of the Bumiputera population is predicted to increase from 71.8% in 2030 to 79.4% by 2060.
However, the Chinese population is expected to face a sharp decline, falling from 21.1% in 2030 to 14.8% by 2060.
The Indian population is predicted to decrease slightly from 6.3% to 4.7% over the 30-year projection period, while other ethnicities will increase moderately from 0.8% to 1.0%.
One factor expected to contribute to the decline in population growth rates after 2059 is the increasingly pronounced gender imbalance.
The sex ratio is expected to increase from 112 males per 100 females in 2030 to 114 males per 100 females by 2060. According to data from the Department of Statistics (DOSM), Malaysia will have around 22.5 million males and only 19.8 million females by that year.
At the same time, the country is also facing the reality of an ageing population. The median age of the population is expected to jump from 32.8 years in 2030 to 40.7 years in 2060, reflecting clear and profound demographic changes.
This trend signals the urgent need for long-term policies in the employment, health, housing and social support sectors, so that the country can address future population challenges more sustainably.
