Malaysia's demographics have always been a compelling topic. According to the latest statistics, Malaysia's population will reach 33.34 million by 2023, of which locals and Malays account for seventy percent.
It is a matter of concern that the proportion of Chinese in the population is slowly declining, from 22.8% in 2022 to 22.6%. Compared to other races, this downward trend seems to be unique to the Chinese, prompting people to think about the reasons behind this phenomenon.
Evolution of Malaysia's demographics
When Malaysia was established in 1957, the population was 6.27 million, of which 40% were Chinese. By 2020, the proportion of the Chinese population had dropped to 23%, and this proportion has been declining. Such a downward trend is particularly unusual in an era of gradual improvement of social systems and rapid economic development.
As a multi-ethnic country, Malaysia has a complex demographic structure, mainly composed of Malays, Chinese, Indians and Filipinos. So, what prompted a large number of Chinese to choose to leave Malaysia?
Historical Background: When Malaysia was established in 1957, its political system was not yet mature and its foreign policy was not fully formed. At that time, Malaysia was still a multi-ethnic country, and the Malays and Chinese, as the two main ethnic groups, had obvious cultural differences.
- Cultural and ethnic differences: Similar to Singapore, Malaysia is a diverse country, but it also brings potential racial tensions. This contradiction once strained relations between the two countries and is now one of the important reasons for the loss of Chinese.
- Political instability: For the past two years, the political situation in Malaysia has been turbulent, with ethnic and religious contradictions particularly pronounced. This made many Chinese feel uneasy and fearful, which gave rise to the urge to migrate.
- Economic Unbalanced and Unfair Distribution of Wealth: Despite Malaysia's relative affluence in Southeast Asia, uneven economic development and unfair distribution of wealth have been one of the reasons driving Chinese to leave. Many Chinese believe that their development opportunities in Malaysia are limited and choose to leave in search of better living conditions.
Crises and challenges
According to statistics, about six million Chinese chose to leave Malaysia. This massive population loss has not only raised concerns but also raised concerns about whether the Singapore incident will be repeated in Malaysia.
The coronavirus outbreak has severely affected many countries, including Singapore and Malaysia. The massive population loss is undoubtedly a serious problem for Malaysia, which may lead to the loss of labor and highly skilled talent in many industries or industries.
In the context of Malaysia's pluralistic society, there are some misunderstandings and estrangements between the Chinese and the Malays. Although the majority of Chinese worked in trade and services, they did not interact with the Malay community very often. At the same time, many Malays do not know much about Chinese culture and its development, which exacerbates the gap between the two. This separation of culture and information, coupled with religious differences, lays hidden dangers for social peace and stability.
Education is another sensitive area. Although Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country and should provide equal educational opportunities to all citizens, in reality, the Chinese face the problem of distribution of educational resources.
Shockingly, some schools have adopted higher admission standards for Chinese students, which is undoubtedly a blow to Chinese families seeking equal education.
In addition, Malaysia's economic development lags behind other more developed neighbours.
Despite the huge demand for skilled talents, due to fierce market competition and salary issues, many Chinese choose other countries to seek better development opportunities. This is also reflected in the cost of living, which is relatively high in Malaysia, which makes the decision to stay and work in Malaysia more difficult.
The impact of the pandemic has also exacerbated the problem. Many Chinese choose to return to their hometowns or seek better life and work opportunities in other countries. However, this does not mean that all Chinese choose to leave. There are still many Chinese who are stuck in Malaysia and have confidence in the land and its future.
To sum up, the choice of a large number of Chinese to leave Malaysia is a complex combination of political, economic, religious and educational factors. The reasons that really lead them to this decision can be varied, perhaps related to the rapidly changing social environment.