Malaysia’s Orang Asli population is projected to reach 227,900 in 2025, up from 213,461 in 2020, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 1.2%, according to the Special Report on the Demographics of Orang Asli released today by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Chief Statistician Dato’ Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the report, based on findings from the Population and Housing Census 2020, provides comprehensive statistics on population distribution, household demographics, amenities, and social indicators such as digital access and social media usage among the Orang Asli.
“This report provides valuable insights into the socioeconomic and demographic changes among Malaysia’s Orang Asli communities, highlighting both progress and persistent challenges,” Dr. Uzir said in a statement.
Population Distribution
Pahang recorded the largest Orang Asli population at 82,824, followed by Perak (58,942) and Selangor (21,312). At the district level, Batang Padang, Perak had the highest population (17,092), followed by Lipis (14,999) and Rompin (14,985) in Pahang.
The community’s sex ratio remained consistent at 103 males for every 100 females between 2010 and 2020, with the highest ratios recorded in W.P. Labuan (150), Sabah (116), and Kedah (115).
Ethnic Composition
The Orang Asli are divided into three main groups — Senoi, Melayu Proto, and Negrito — encompassing 18 sub-ethnic groups.
The Melayu Proto group grew to represent 44.4% of the population in 2020, up from 40.9% in 2010. Meanwhile, the Senoi group decreased to 53.5% (from 56.0%) and the Negrito group to 2.1% (from 3.1%).
Demographic Trends
The young-age population (0–14 years) declined to 33.3% in 2020 from 39.9% in 2010, while the working-age population (15–64 years) rose to 63.8%, reflecting Malaysia’s broader demographic transition. The total dependency ratio dropped significantly from 74.3 to 56.7, indicating a lower proportion of dependents per working adult.
Marriage trends also shifted, with 34.4% of Orang Asli aged 15 and above never married in 2020, up from 32.5% a decade earlier. The married population declined to 59.4% from 61.8%, while divorce and separation rates increased to 1.6% from 1.0%.
Economic Profile and Households
The majority of Orang Asli workers are self-employed (59.7%), followed by private employees (28.7%) and government employees (6.6%).
The number of Orang Asli households rose sharply from 30,403 in 2010 to 54,275 in 2020, marking an annual growth rate of 5.8%, even as the average household size fell from 5.3 to 3.9 persons.
Kelantan recorded the largest households, averaging 4.3 persons, followed by Pahang (4.2) and Negeri Sembilan (4.1).
Health and Mortality
The report also noted demographic changes in health outcomes. Live births among the Orang Asli fell by 9.1% to 4,198 in 2024, while deaths increased by 23.4% to 1,278 over the same period. Pahang recorded the highest figures for both births (1,779) and deaths (526).
Ischaemic heart disease has overtaken pneumonia as the leading cause of death among Orang Asli, accounting for 12.5% of all deaths in 2020. Among men, it replaced transport accidents as the top cause, while for women, pneumonia remained the leading cause at 14.6%.
Life expectancy for Orang Asli has improved significantly, rising from 62.7 years in 2010 to 67.8 years in 2020 — an increase of 5.1 years. The gender gap in life expectancy also narrowed from 6.2 years to 3.6 years, reflecting improved health outcomes across communities.
