KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Malaysia’s population is projected to grow significantly from 32.45 million in 2020 to 42.37 million by 2060, according to new demographic projections released by authorities.

According to the Department of Statistics (DOSM), the nation will experience steady population growth with 36.49 million people expected by 2030, followed by 39.78 million in 2040 and 41.79 million in 2050.

Between 2030 and 2060, Malaysia’s average annual population growth rate is expected to moderate to 0.5 per cent, peaking in 2059 before starting to decline.

The projection also included a significant change to the Malaysia’s ethnic landscape, with the Bumiputera community’s share among citizens rising from 71.8 per cent in 2030 to 79.4 per cent by 2060.

The Chinese community will experience a sharp decline in proportion, dropping from 21.1 per cent of the citizen population in 2030 to just 14.8 per cent by 2060.

Indians will also see their share decrease slightly from 6.3 per cent to 4.7 per cent over the 30-year projection period, while other ethnic groups will grow modestly from 0.8 per cent to 1.0 per cent.

A possible contributor to the declining population post-2059 could be the accelerating gender imbalance, with the sex ratio increasing from 112 males per 100 females in 2030 to 114 males per 100 females by 2060.

By 2060, Malaysia’s population will comprise 22.5 million males and 19.8 million females, reflecting this demographic trend.

Malaysia also faces a rapidly ageing society with the median age rising from 32.8 years in 2030 to 40.7 years in 2060, marking a significant demographic transition.

The age structure will transform dramatically as the proportion of young people (0-14 years) decreases from 19.9 per cent to 16.0 per cent, while the working-age population (15-64 years) declines from 70.8 per cent to 65.7 per cent.

The elderly population aged 65 and over will more than double from 9.3 per cent in 2030 to 18.3 per cent in 2060, causing the total dependency ratio to rise from 41.3 to 52.3 and placing increased pressure on the working-age population.