THE birth rate among the Chinese community in the country has hit a new low due to various factors, said a Penang executive councillor.
Citing enrolments in Chinese vernacular schools, Wong Hon Wai said it is good that the authorities are raising public awareness about this.
As the state moves into an ageing society, with more than 10 per cent of the population aged 65 and above, Wong said more incentives are needed to boost the birth rate in Penang.
It is not exclusive to the Chinese community but the overall projections of other communities too, he said.
"If we calculate based on the total number of 1,304 Chinese primary schools nationwide, in six years, there will be an average of only 26 Chinese students enrolled in each school."
He said this is a worrying trend, especially since Penang has the lowest birth rate in the country.
This issue must be addressed as soon as possible, and preparations must be made in advance, said the Paya Terubong assemblyman.
"Only nine out of every 100 newborns in the country are of Chinese descent, and the birth rate has now fallen below double digits; compared to the fact that Chinese people account for 26 per cent of the annual deaths in the country, the Chinese population is decreasing by 17,486 people every year."
He shared that according to data he compiled from 2000 to 2025, the number of newborns of Chinese descent has plummeted from over 110,000 in 2020 to just over 30,000 today, a decrease of a full third, with the birth rate rising only once in two years during the Year of the Wooden Dragon in 2024.
Wong has called on Chinese educationists and community leaders, who are closely connected with the Chinese diaspora here, to find sound solutions as soon as possible to ensure that Chinese schools can maintain their high-quality teaching despite the impact of a sharp decline in student enrollment.
“Educational development is related to population structure. A decrease in the number of students not only affects school enrollment, but also has an impact on teacher allocation, school resources, and the long-term development of education,”.
He singled out that only 19 per cent of the newborns in Penang are of Chinese descent.
On the overall situation in Penang, he said the state welcomed 16,722 babies throughout the year, of which only 3,235 were Chinese or 19 per cent, while the highest birth rate was among Malays, with 10,507 babies or 63 per cent born throughout the year.
"With the Chinese population continuing to decline, some Chinese schools may eventually have to admit more students from other ethnic groups to ensure the schools can continue to operate.
"Faced with these problems, we must have a corresponding plan, such as Chinese schools that cannot attract students must be relocated, and we must also have a longer-term plan," he added. - October 17, 2026.
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