PUTRAJAYA, November 4 — Malaysia now has 9.03 million children under the age of 18, accounting for 26.4 per cent of its total population of 34.23 million, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM).
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said Putrajaya recorded the highest proportion of children at 39.9 per cent, followed by Kelantan and Terengganu, while Selangor had the largest number at 1.81 million.
The report also noted declines in key infant immunisation rates and school enrolment, alongside a 12.7 per cent rise in children needing care and protection. However, juvenile crime fell by 4.2 per cent to 2,627 cases in 2024.
