KUALA LUMPUR, May 15 — Malaysia’s birth rate has plunged to its lowest level on record, with just 93,500 babies born in the first quarter of 2025 – an 11.5 per cent drop compared to the same period last year.
Data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) released yesterday showed declining birth numbers, except in three states: Terengganu, Kelantan and Pahang.
The three east coast states in the peninsula have total fertility rates (TFRs) above the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman.
“Only Terengganu, Kelantan, and Pahang are recording a TFR above the replacement level,” Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a Facebook video presentation announcing Malaysia’s population statistics.
Terengganu has the highest fertility rate at 2.9, followed by Kelantan at 2.7, and Pahang at 2.1.
Penang and Kuala Lumpur have the lowest TFRs at just 1.2 children per woman, while Sabah, once among the highest, has fallen to 1.4.
“Sabah recorded the fastest declining TFR, with 5.5 children in 1980 and 1.4 children in 2022,” Mohd Uzir said.
The overall decline reflects a deeper fertility crisis affecting almost all states and ethnic groups.
“On average, one baby was born every minute, 43 babies per hour, and 1,039 babies daily during the first quarter of 2025,” Mohd Uzir said in his presentation.
He added that TFR for all main ethnic groups has been declining, with only the Malay group reaching the replacement rate at 2.1.
The ethnic Chinese community recorded the lowest fertility at just 0.8 children per woman.
The national average household size has also shrunk to 3.7 persons, down from 5.5 in 1970.
Perlis now has the smallest households at 3.1 people, while Kelantan has the largest at 4.8.
Boys outnumber girls
A total of 48,124 boys were born in the first quarter of the year compared to 45,376 girls born, putting the sex ratio at 106 males for every 100 females.
Selangor recorded the highest number of births with 18,254 babies, while Labuan saw the lowest at just 278.
Most mothers were between the ages of 30 and 39, accounting for 53.3 per cent of births.
Mothers aged 20 to 29 contributed to 39.3 per cent, while those aged 40 and above made up 6 per cent.
Only 1.4 per cent of births were to mothers below the age of 20, and three mothers were aged 55 or older.
In terms of ethnicity, Malay births rose slightly to 68.8 per cent, or 64,326 babies.
Other Bumiputera births increased to 12.6 per cent, while ethnic Chinese and ethnic Indian births dropped to 8.6 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively.
Malaysia’s population is now estimated at 34.2 million, growing at a slower rate of 0.9 per cent compared to 2.0 per cent in the same quarter last year.
A total of 48,130 deaths were recorded in the first quarter of the year, down from 49,117 compared to the same period in 2024.
Selangor also had the most deaths at 7,710, while Putrajaya recorded the fewest at just 84.