KUALA LUMPUR, May 16 — Malaysia’s population reached 34.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Marking a slower annual growth rate of 0.5 per cent. The report also highlighted a rising ageing trend, with the population aged 65 and above increasing to 8.0 per cent.
While live births continued to decline. Selangor recorded the highest number of births and deaths nationwide.
At the same time, the World Bank warned that Malaysia faces growing structural challenges, with many top firms failing to scale or innovate sufficiently.
The bank said this has contributed to underemployment among graduates, with over one-third of tertiary-educated workers employed below their qualification levels.
It stressed that Malaysia’s priority should now shift from creating more jobs to creating higher-quality, better-paying employment opportunities.
