Source: DayakDaily / file photo of Kuching Waterfront

What changed

DayakDaily reported that the latest Department of Statistics Malaysia estimate puts Sarawak at 2.54 million people in 2026, with annual growth of only 0.4%.

That makes Sarawak the fifth most populous state, behind Selangor, Johor, Sabah and Perak.

Why people are talking

The bigger issue is density and ageing.

Sarawak records only 20 people per square kilometre, the lowest in the country. The report also says residents aged 65 and above now make up 9.7% of the population, placing Sarawak second nationwide for elderly share.

The median age has risen to 33.2 years, while the total fertility rate stands at 1.5 children per woman.

Location: Sarawak
Details: 2.54 million population, 0.4% annual growth, lowest density in Malaysia

Source: DayakDaily

What do you think this means for Sarawak’s future workforce?