PETALING JAYA: The number of marriages in Malaysia has dropped by 12.5%, from 215,022 in 2022 to 188,100 in 2023, according to the Statistics Department.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin reported that the Crude Marriage Rate (CMR) decreased from 6.6 in 2022 to 5.7 in 2023 per thousand population.
"Muslim marriages accounted for 74.5% of total marriages in 2023. The decline in the number of marriages was mainly due to a 16.8% decrease in Muslim marriages, from 168,467 in 2022 to 140,176 in 2023.
"The three states with the most significant drops in Muslim marriages were Selangor (5,674: 17.4%), Kelantan (3,595: 17.7%), and Johor (3,249: 15.8%)," he said in a statement.
However, the number of non-Muslim marriages showed a 2.9% increase, rising from 46,555 in 2022 to 47,924 in 2023.
"The three states with the largest increases in non-Muslim marriages were Johor (1,154: 20.1%), Sarawak (920: 10.6%), and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur (287: 8.2%)," he added.
The number of divorces also fell, decreasing by 8.7% from 63,338 in 2022 to 57,835 in 2023.
"The Crude Divorce Rate (CDR) improved from 1.9 in 2022 to 1.8 in 2023 per thousand population.
"The number of Muslim divorces declined by 3.9%, from 46,138 in 2022 to 44,322 in 2023. The three states with the most notable decreases in Muslim divorces were Kelantan (1,250: 28.7%), Johor (790: 13.0%), and Sabah (765: 19.5%).
"Similarly, non-Muslim divorces saw a significant drop of 21.4%, from 17,200 in 2022 to 13,513 in 2023. The states with the highest increases in non-Muslim divorces were Selangor (832: 22.9%), Johor (754: 26.4%), and Sarawak (512: 22.9%)," he explained.
The highest number of divorces occurred in the 30–34 age group for both men and women, added Dr Mohd Uzir.
