Malaysia’s Population Growth Slows to 0.6% in Q4 2025
•February 13, 2026
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Why It Matters
The slowdown signals potential future labour shortages and pressures on social services, prompting policy focus on fertility and eldercare. Sustained job growth may offset some demographic headwinds but underscores the need for skill upgrading.
Key Takeaways
- •Population growth fell to 0.6% in Q4 2025.
- •Live births dropped 5.4%; elderly share hit 8.0%.
- •Labour demand rose 1.8% to 9.21 million jobs.
- •Services and manufacturing added 32,100 new positions.
- •Vacancy rate held at 2.2% despite demographic shift.
Pulse Analysis
Malaysia’s latest demographic figures reveal a pronounced deceleration in population growth, slipping to 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. The decline is driven primarily by a 5.4 percent drop in live births, while the proportion of citizens aged 65 and older climbed to 8.0 percent, nudging the nation closer to the ageing thresholds seen in Japan and South Korea. With the total population now estimated at 34.3 million, the country joins a growing list of Asian economies confronting sub‑replacement fertility and the attendant pressure on health‑care and pension systems.
Despite the demographic headwinds, the labour market displayed resilience, expanding by 1.8 percent to 9.21 million positions—the strongest quarterly gain since Q1 2024. Services accounted for over half of filled jobs, while manufacturing contributed a 26.9 percent surge, creating 32,100 new roles in the quarter. Vacancy rates remained modest at 2.2 percent, with semi‑skilled workers absorbing the bulk of openings. The skill composition—62 percent semi‑skilled, 25 percent skilled, and 12 percent low‑skilled—suggests employers are still seeking a broad talent base, even as the working‑age cohort stabilises at 70.4 percent.
The juxtaposition of slowing population growth and robust job creation forces policymakers to balance short‑term employment gains with long‑term demographic sustainability. Initiatives that encourage higher fertility, such as child‑care subsidies and parental leave incentives, are likely to gain traction, mirroring measures adopted in Korea and France. Simultaneously, businesses may accelerate automation and upskilling programmes to offset a shrinking labour pool and maintain productivity. Investors should monitor how Malaysia’s fiscal and labour policies evolve, as they will shape the country’s competitiveness in the regional supply chain and its capacity to attract foreign talent.
Malaysia’s population growth slows to 0.6% in Q4 2025
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32,100 new jobs were created, led by services and manufacturing sectors.
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Labour demand climbed 1.8% to 9.21 mn jobs, the strongest growth since Q1 2024, with 97.8% of positions filled.
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Population growth slowed to 0.6% (34.3 mn people) as live births fell 5.4%, while the elderly population rose to 8.0%.
Malaysia’s population growth moderated in the fourth quarter of 2025, alongside steady expansion in labour demand.
According to the Malaysian Demographic Statistics, Fourth Quarter 2025, released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the population was estimated at 34.3 mn, compared to 34.1 mn in Q4 2024.
The annual population growth rate slowed to 0.6% (192,495 persons), a decrease from 1.2% in the same quarter last year.
Population composition and ageing trend
Mohd Uzir Mahidin, Chief Statistician of Malaysia, stated that the composition of the citizen and non‑citizen population remained unchanged year‑on‑year at 90.1% and 9.9% respectively.
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Male population increased to 18.0 mn (Q4 2024: 17.9 mn)
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Female population rose to 16.3 mn (Q4 2024: 16.2 mn)
Overall gender ratio: 110 males per 100 females; gender ratio for citizens: 102.
Age structure
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Working‑age population (15‑64 years) increased slightly from 70.3% to 70.4%.
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Young age population (0‑14 years) decreased from 21.9% to 21.6%.
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Elderly population (65 years and above) increased from 7.8% to 8.0%.
Ethnic composition remains stable
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Malays: 58.2% (unchanged)
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Other bumiputera: 12.3%
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Ethnic Chinese: 22.2%
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Ethnic Indians: 6.5%
Other bumiputera breakdown
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Sarawak bumiputera: 32.3% (Iban 59.1%, Bidayuh 17.1%, Melanau 10.6%, others 13.2%)
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Sabah bumiputera: 55.2% (Kadazan/Dusun 31.7%, Bajau 26.5%, Murut 5.1%, others 36.7%)
Live births decline 5.4%
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Live births fell 5.4% to 99,353 (Q4 2024: 105,027).
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Male births: 51,340; female births: 48,013.
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Sex ratio at birth: 107 males per 100 females.
Geography: Selangor recorded the highest number of live births (18,517, 18.6%); Federal Territory of Labuan the lowest (331, 0.3%).
By age of mother
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Under 20 years: 2.1%
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20‑29 years: 43.4%
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30‑39 years: 49.8%
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40 years and over: 4.7%
On average, one baby was born every minute (45 per hour, 1,080 per day) in Q4 2025.
By ethnicity
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Malays: 68.7% (68,263 births)
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Other bumiputera: 12.9%
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Ethnic Chinese: 7.8%
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Ethnic Indians: 3.9%
Deaths increase 1.3%
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Total deaths: 51,077 (up 1.3% from 50,415 in Q4 2024).
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Male deaths: 29,358; female deaths: 21,719.
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Gender ratio of deaths: 135 males per 100 females.
Geography: Selangor recorded the highest number of deaths (7,990, 15.6%); Federal Territory of Putrajaya the lowest (82, 0.2%).
By age group
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0‑14 years: 1.9%
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15‑40 years: 7.3%
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41‑59 years: 20.7%
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60 years and above: 70.1%
On average, one death was recorded every two minutes (23 per hour, 555 per day).
Labour demand records highest growth since Q1 2024
In the Employment Statistics, Malaysia, Fourth Quarter 2025, DOSM reported that labour demand increased 1.8% year‑on‑year to 9.21 mn positions, the highest growth since Q1 2024 (Q4 2024: 9.05 mn).
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Filled positions: 9.02 mn (97.8% of total jobs)
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Vacancies: 2.2%
A total of 32,100 new jobs were created during the quarter, up 2.2% year‑on‑year.
Sector breakdown
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Services: 2.6% growth, 53.1% of filled positions (4.80 mn)
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Manufacturing: 26.9% (2.42 mn)
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Construction: 13.9% (1.25 mn)
By skill category
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Low‑skilled: 12.4% (1.12 mn)
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Skilled: 25.3% (2.27 mn)
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Semi‑skilled: 62.3% (5.62 mn)
Vacancies and job creation
- Job vacancies increased 2.4% year‑on‑year to 198,100 (Q4 2024: 193,600).
Sector vacancies
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Manufacturing: 115,800 (58.4% of vacancies) – especially electrical, electronic & optical products (35,700) and petroleum, chemical, rubber & plastic products (20,500).
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Agriculture: 32,000 (16.2%)
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Services: 25,000 (12.6%)
By skill category
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Semi‑skilled: 56.2% (111,300)
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Skilled: 24.6% (48,700)
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Low‑skilled: 19.2% (38,200)
For the full year 2025, total job creation rose to 129,600 new positions, compared to 127,200 in 2024.
Global fertility trend highlighted
Dato’ Uzir noted that globally, more countries are recording total fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman aged 15‑49. Countries such as the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, China, Russia, and France have introduced population and family‑related policies in response to ageing and workforce concerns.
In Q4 2025, Malaysia recorded slower population growth alongside stable labour‑demand expansion, according to DOSM’s latest releases.
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