PUTRAJAYA: Ten more districts have been classified as ageing, with residents aged 65 and above reaching 7%, according to the Current Population Estimates, Administrative District 2025.
The districts are Seremban (Negri Sembilan), Jerantut and Kuantan (Pahang), Kluang and Pontian (Johor), Alor Gajah (Melaka), Bachok (Kelantan), Seberang Perai Selatan (Penang), Subis (Sarawak) and Keningau (Sabah).
Chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement yesterday that with the new additions, all districts in northern Malaysia are now classified as ageing districts.
The United Nations defines three stages of ageing: an ageing society when 7% of the population is aged 65 and above, an aged society at 14%, and a super-aged society at 20%, Bernama reported.
However, the National Senior Citizens Policy defines ageing as when those aged 60 and above make up 15% of the population.
Mohd Uzir also noted that the Petaling district in Selangor had the highest population in 2025 at 2.4 million, followed by Johor Baru (1.8 million) and Ulu Langat in Selangor (1.5 million).
He said Kecil Lojing in Kelantan recorded the highest growth rate at 3.6%, followed by Marang (1.6%) and Kemaman (1.4%) in Terengganu.
Bukit Mabong recorded the lowest population at 10,700, followed by Song (10,400) and Tanjung Manis (7,900).
All three districts are in Sarawak, he added.
“Three districts in Kelantan recorded the highest share of young population aged 0 to 14 years in 2025. They are Gua Musang (32.4%), Kecil Lojing (31.9%) and Tumpat (31.6%),” he said.
For the working-age group (15-64 years), Sebauh in Sarawak led with 80%, followed by Belaga (78.8%), also in Sarawak, and Sabah’s Kinabatangan (78.4%).
Lubok Antu in Sarawak registered the highest percentage of the population aged 65 and over, at 15.7%.
On ethnic composition, Mohd Uzir said Setiu (Terengganu) recorded the highest composition of bumiputeras at 99.8%, followed by Nabawan (Sabah) at 99.6% and Hulu Terengganu at 99.4%.
The highest composition of Chinese was recorded in the north-east district (Penang) with 63.5%, followed by Sibu (Sarawak) with 48% and Kampar (Perak) with 47.7%.
As for Indians, the highest composition was recorded in Bagan Datuk (Perak) at 23.1%, followed by Klang (Selangor) at 18.6% and Port Dickson (Negri Sembilan) at 18.2%.
