Report and Data Visualisation: Sakina Mohamed
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 (Bernama) -- In 2020, the Yusof Ishak Institute published an interesting finding: that the Chinese community is the most “aged” in Malaysia.
What this means is that more Chinese people in Malaysia are approaching the age of 65 compared to other ethnicities in the country.
It is projected that by 2040, nearly 27.4 percent of the Chinese population in Malaysia would be over the age of 60. This is a significant jump from 17.2 percent in 2020.
This shift means the aging index will soar from 93.5 percent to a staggering 184.6 percent.
In contrast, the aging index for Bumiputeras will rise to 73.2 percent in 2040 from 35.2 percent in 2020. Indians, on the other hand, will see a spike in the aging index as well – from 61.6 percent in 2020 to 146 percent in 2040.
Overall, the aging index for Malaysia will soar to 91.7 percent in 2040 from 45.9 percent in 2020. This is according to the projection by Malaysia’s Department of Statistics in 2016.
What does this mean for Malaysia?
The most obvious economic implication would be fewer hands to work, more mouths to feed.
In addition to that would be rising healthcare costs and an increased burden on social services, stretching government resources and potentially slowing economic growth.
Politically, the shift could alter the landscape. As the Chinese and Indian community’s youth segment shrinks, so does their voting power. This demographic trend might lead to a softer voice in politics, affecting not just community-specific policies but broader national decisions as well.
-- BERNAMA