Samarahan records highest life expectancy at birth

KUCHING: Samarahan in Sarawak recorded the highest life expectancy at birth for males and females in 2023 (79.6 years) and 2022 (79.5 years).

According to a report released by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, a baby born in 2024 is expected to live, on average, up to 75.2 years, with girls outliving boys by an average of 4.8 years.

Girls born this year are expected to live up to 77.8 years, compared to boys, who are expected to reach 73 years.

This represents an increase from previous data, as babies born in 2022 were projected to live an average of 73.4 years, showing a rise of 1.8 years in 2024.

Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the Petaling district in Selangor recorded the highest life expectancy at birth, at 80.2 years, while Kuala Penyu in Sabah had the lowest life expectancy for the 2022-2024 period.

Mohd Uzir noted that the rise in life expectancy can be attributed to a lower number of deaths in 2023 and 2024 compared to the years impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Life expectancy at birth recorded an increase of 1.2 years for 2023 to 2024.

“The increase in life expectancy is due to the lower number of deaths in 2023 and 2024 compared to 2021 and 2022.

“This can be attributed to the many deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Mohd Uzir said.

The Chinese population maintains the highest life expectancy in 2024, at 77.1 years, while the Indian population registers the lowest at 71.7 years.