ACCORDING to data compiled by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, the percentage of our population aged 60 years old and above has increased from 5.2% in 1970 to 6.3% in 2000, and was projected to grow further to 9.9% in 2020.
Malaysia’s aging population has almost doubled in 20 years (1970 to 1991) from 546,000 in 1970 to 1.03 million in 1991. It increased to 3.4 million in 2020 and will reach 5.8 million by 2030. If the trend continues, Malaysia will become an aging country in 14 years’ time when 15% of its population are aged 60 years and above.
