As of July 2024, 70.4 percent of the Malaysian population were classified as Bumiputera, 22.4 percent were classified as ethnic Chinese, and 6.5 percent as ethnic Indians. Those who do not fall under these three main ethnic groups are classified as ‘Other’. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society with three main ethnicities and language groups. Who are Malaysia’s Bumiputera? Bumiputera, meaning sons of the soil, is a term used to categorize the Malays, as well as the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, also known as orang asli, and the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak. As of July 2023, the Bumiputera share of the population in Sabah was 89 percent, while that in Sarawak was 76.1 percent. Thus, the incorporation of the states of Sabah and Sarawak during the formation of Malaysia ensured that the ethnic Malays were able to maintain a majority share of the Malaysian population. Bumiputera privileges and ethnic-based politics The rights and privileges of the Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak are enshrined in Article 153 of Malaysia’s constitution. This translated, in practice, to a policy of affirmative action to improve the economic situation of this particular group, through the New Economic Policy introduced in 1971. 50 years on, it is questionable whether the policy has achieved its aim. Bumiputeras still lag behind the other ethnic two major groups in terms of monthly household income. However, re-thinking this policy will certainly be met by opposition from those who have benefitted from it.

The total population in Malaysia was estimated at 34.1 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Malaysia Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of July 2024, it was estimated that 89.1 percent of the population in Sabah were Bumiputera. "Bumiputera" is a term used in Malaysia to refer to those of Malay ethnicity or from indigenous groups in Malaysia. Sabah is a resource-rich state, located in eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It primarily exports oil, gas, timber, and palm oil.

As of July 2024, it was estimated that 76.2 percent of the population in Sarawak were Bumiputera. "Bumiputera" is a term used in Malaysia to refer to those of Malay ethnicity or from indigenous groups in Malaysia. Sarawak is a resource-rich state, located in western Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It primarily exports oil, gas, timber, and palm oil.

In 2023, the crude rate of natural increase for the Bumiputera population in Malaysia was 11.3, the highest among all ethnic groups in Malaysia. By comparison, the crude rate of natural increase for the Chinese population was the lowest.

This dataset shows Population by Age Group, Sex and Ethnic Group, Malaysia, 1970-2022 notes: Value for year 1970 based on the adjusted data 1970 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia. Value for year 1980 based on the adjusted data 1980 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia. Value for year 1991 based on the adjusted data 1991 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia. Value for year 2010 based on the adjusted data 2010 Population and Housing Census of Malaysia. Value for year 1971-1979, 1981-1990, 1992-1999, 2001-2009, 2011-2022 base on Intercensal mid-year population estimates The added total may differ due to rounding. Population ethnic group only available from 1980 onward Value for 2022 are preliminary Source: Department of Statistics, Malaysia No. of Views : 942

This dataset shows the Percentage Distribution of Employed Persons by Ethnic Group, 2000 - 2021, Malaysia. Footnote The 2011-2014 statistics was updated based on the years population estimates. Source : Department of Statistics, Malaysia No. of Views : 35

In 2023, the labor force participation rate for residents in Malaysia with non-Malaysian citizenship was at approximately 87.2 percent. By comparison, the labor force participation rate of Malaysian citizens of other ethinicities was 64.6 percent, the lowest out of all ethnic groups in Malaysia. The labor force participation rate is defined as the percentage of the population working or actively seeking work.

This data set shows the Percentage Distribution of Labour Force by Ethnic Group, 2000 - 2021, Malaysia Footnote The 2011-2014 statistics was updated based on the years population estimates. Source: Department of Statistic, Malaysia No. of Views : 219

As of the first half of 2024, the Bumiputera or Malay population in Malaysia made up around **** million of the population. By comparison, there were around *** million Malaysians of Indian descent.

As of July 2024, the population of Selangor was estimated at approximately 7.4 million. Selangor is Malaysia's most populous state, as well as the state with the largest economy in terms of gross domestic product. The Golden Peninsula Malaysia is comprised of 13 states and three Wilayah Persekutuan (WP) or federal territories, which include Labuan, an offshore financial center on the east; the nation’s capital, Kuala Lumpur; and the administrative center, Putrajaya - both on the west. The aforementioned two federal territories on the west are enclaves within Selangor. In addition to that and the many points of interest it has to offer, Selangor is Malaysia’s most visited state among domestic tourists. Darul Ehsan – The Abode of Sincerity Selangor is a sultanate, ruled by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah since 2001. Located on the west coast of the Malaysian peninsula, the state hosts the country’s two main transportation hubs: Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Port Klang, the country’s largest port.The state is also Malaysia’s largest economy, which contributes a big part to Malaysia’s overall GDP per capita. With the prime location, good infrastructure, and two federal territories within, Selangor will continue to attract more people for work, travel, or more.

In 2022, ethnic Chinese households had the highest mean monthly household income in Malaysia, at around 10.66 thousand Malaysian ringgit. This was more than three thousand ringgit higher than Bumiputera households. Despite the implementation of affirmative action through Article 153 of the Malaysian constitution, the economic position of the Bumiputera vis-à-vis other ethnicities still left much room for improvement.

Historical policies, ethnicity, and the urban-rural divide The Bumiputera make up the majority of the Malaysian population, yet have one of the lowest average monthly household incomes in Malaysia. This economic disparity could be explained by the effects of colonial policies that kept the Bumiputera largely in the countryside. This resulted in an urban-rural divide that was characterized by ethnicity, with the immigrant Chinese and Indian laborers concentrated in the urban centers, a demographic pattern that is still evident today.

There was a considerable difference in urban and rural household incomes in Malaysia, with urban household income being around 3.6 thousand ringgit more than rural households. This was largely due to the fact that wages in urban areas had to keep up with the higher cost of living there. This thus impacted the average monthly incomes of the largely rural-based Bumiputera and the largely urban-based ethnic Chinese. This visible wealth inequality has led to racial tensions in Malaysia, and it is still one of the problem in the country amidst a new government led by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who was elected in 2022.

Prevalence of substance use among adults in Malaysia aged 18 years and above (n = 10,472).

In 2023, the fertility rate for Bumiputera women between the ages of 15 to 49 years in Malaysia was around ***** per 1,000 women. By comparison, the fertility rate for Chinese women in that year was *** births per 1,000 women.

Factors associated with polysubstance use among Malaysian adults from multivariate multinomial logistic regression analysis (n = 10,464).

In 2023, the number of deaths among the Bumiputera population, the largest ethnic group in Malaysia, reached nearly 123,000. By comparison, the number of deaths among the Malaysian Chinese population was around 51,800.

Latent class model fit statistics.

As of June 2024, there were around 3.09 million ethnic Chinese residents in Singapore. Singapore is a multi-ethnic society, with residents categorized into four main racial groups: Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Others. Each resident is assigned a racial category that follows the paternal side. This categorization would have an impact on both official as well as private matters. Modelling a peaceful, multi-ethnic society The racial categorization used in Singapore stemmed from its colonial past and continues to shape its social policies, from public housing quotas along the ethnic composition in the country to education policies pertaining second language, or ‘mother tongue’, instruction. Despite the emphasis on ethnicity and race, Singapore has managed to maintain a peaceful co-existence among its diverse population. Most Singaporeans across ethnic levels view the level of racial and religious harmony there to be moderately high. The level of acceptance and comfort with having people of other ethnicities in their social lives was also relatively high across the different ethnic groups. Are Singaporeans ready to move away from the CMIO model of ethnic classification? In recent times, however, there has been more open discussion on racism and the relevance of the CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others) ethnic model for Singaporean society. The global discourse on racism has brought to attention the latent discrimination felt by the minority ethnic groups in Singapore, such as in the workplace. In 2010, Singapore introduced the option of having a ‘double-barreled’ race classification, reflecting the increasingly diverse and complicated ethnic background of its population. More than a decade later, there have been calls to do away from such racial classifications altogether. However, with social identity and policy deeply entrenched along these lines, it would be a challenge to move beyond race in Singapore.

Socio demographic characteristic of participants (n = 10,472).

In 2023, the average monthly salary for Chinese employees in Malaysia was 3,836 Malaysian ringgit. Although the Chinese population constituted 22.4 percent of the Malaysian population and are considered the minority, they had the highest average monthly salary. The