PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s ageing trend continues to accelerate, with 12 states now classified as ageing, according to the latest data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin confirmed that a state is considered ageing when individuals aged 65 and above exceed seven per cent of its total population.
Melaka leads with an ageing rate of 7.3 per cent, followed by Pahang and Kuala Lumpur at 7.1 per cent each.
“Perak remains the state with the highest elderly population at 10.3 per cent,“ Mohd Uzir said.
Five states outpaced the national growth rate of 0.5 per cent, including Terengganu (1.2 per cent), Kelantan (one per cent), and Pahang, Selangor, and Melaka (0.6 per cent each).
Malaysia’s total population in 2025 is estimated at 34.2 million, a marginal increase from 34.1 million in 2024. The citizen population grew slightly to 30.9 million, while non-citizens saw a sharp decline in growth from 13.6 per cent to -0.5 per cent. The elderly population (65+) rose to eight per cent, while the youth demographic (0-14 years) dropped to 21.6 per cent.
Selangor remains the most populous state (21.6 per cent), followed by Johor (12.3 per cent) and Sabah (11 per cent). Labuan and Putrajaya recorded the lowest population percentages at 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent, respectively.
Demographic shifts also show Bumiputera representation rising to 70.5 per cent, while Chinese and Indian populations saw slight declines. The male population (18 million) continues to outnumber females (16.3 million), with Kuala Lumpur having the highest sex ratio (117 males per 100 females).
Population density increased slightly to 104 persons per square kilometre, with Kuala Lumpur being the most densely populated (8,546 persons/sq km) and Sarawak the least (20 persons/sq km). Projections indicate Malaysia’s population will peak at 42.38 million by 2059 before declining. - Bernama
