Malaysia’s total population reached an estimated 34.4 million in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1 2026), according to the latest demographic report from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
While the population continues to climb, the growth rate has noticeably cooled, dropping to 0.5% compared to the 0.9% growth recorded in the same period last year. This deceleration is largely attributed to a persistent decline in live births across the country.
The report highlights a gradual shift in Malaysia’s age structure, signaling the nation’s move toward an aging society.
Gender dynamics remain skewed, with 18.0 million males compared to 16.3 million females, resulting in a sex ratio of 110 males per 100 females. However, among Malaysian citizens, the ratio is more balanced at 102.
The ethnic landscape remained largely stable, though the Chinese community saw a slight decrease in its population share:
- Malay: 58.3% (Slight increase)
- Chinese: 22.1% (Down from 22.2%)
- Other Bumiputera: 12.3% (Unchanged)
- Indian: 6.5% (Unchanged)
The “Other Bumiputera” category continues to showcase the rich diversity of East Malaysia. In Sabah, the Kadazan/Dusun (31.7%) and Bajau (26.5%) remain the largest groups, while in Sarawak, the Iban community makes up the vast majority at 59.1% of the state’s Bumiputera population.
Live births fell by 3.1% in Q1 2026, with only 94,807 babies born compared to nearly 98,000 in the previous year.
Selangor recorded the highest number of births (17,990), while Labuan recorded the lowest (294).
Ethno-demographic data for births shows that Malay infants accounted for 69.5% of all live births, a significant increase in proportion compared to Q1 2025. Conversely, the proportion of Chinese and Indian births dropped to 7.4% and 3.8%, respectively.
On a positive note, total deaths decreased by 1.5%, with 49,139 deaths recorded in Q1 2026
Regional data shows that Selangor recorded the highest mortality at 8,042 deaths, while Putrajaya maintained the lowest at just 81 recorded deaths for the quarter.
