‘More foreign workers than Malaysian-Chinese by 2030’

More than half-a-million have already left permanently for Singapore.

KUALA LUMPUR: If the trend for Malaysian-Chinese to migrate out of here continues, those remaining may be less than one-fifth of the population by 2030, predicts a think tank.

It also noted that World Bank numbers show that more than half of the local Chinese who leave permanently, end up in Singapore.

In an interview with FMT, Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (Asli) chief operating officer Ng Yeen Seen said the Malaysian-Chinese population was shrinking as more leave for better opportunities. Add to that the lower birth rates among the Malaysian-Chinese.

In 1957, this group made up more than one-third of Malaysians, at a hefty 37.2%. This shrank to less than a quarter, at 24% four years ago. And even that number shrank to 21.4% two years ago, or more than 6 million Chinese.

“If the migration trend continues to 2030, Malaysian Chinese would account for only 19.6% of the population,” predicted Ng.

She added that if the trend of rising numbers of foreign workers also continues, then they may outnumber Malaysian-Chinese in 2030.

She noted that the hollowing out of the Malaysian-Chinese population is more sharp in the rural areas as more were moving to urban areas.

“Those who leave rural areas will leave a vacuum in those areas, in terms of the local economy and workforce, while those leaving Malaysia will contribute to the brain drain in the country.

“A World Bank study in 2011 highlighted the serious situation of brain drain amongst Malaysian Chinese, with almost a million migrating to other countries up till 2010, with 57% of them moving to Singapore.”

The concentration of certain races in certain areas, Ng said, wasn’t good for a multicultural country like Malaysia as people wouldn’t be able to learn to live alongside other races and religions.

Ng said this is why the government’s development of economic regions outside of Klang Valley was so important.

“Putrajaya’s push to develop the Iskandar region, build the East Coast Rail Link, Pan-Borneo Highway and East Coast Economic Region are vital, as it will stimulate economies there and create opportunities for all.” -FMT