The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) has released its latest statistics on the causes of death in Malaysia, highlighting the country’s leading health concerns based on data from 2025.
According to the report, ischaemic heart diseases remain the leading principal cause of death, accounting for 13.0% of medically certified deaths. Pneumonia follows closely at 12.7%, while diabetes mellitus ranks third at 5.0%.
The findings also highlight how causes of death differ across age groups, sexes, ethnic communities and states throughout the country.
Malaysia’s Top 10 Causes of Death in 2025
Based on DOSM’s latest statistics, here are the top 10 principal causes of death in Malaysia:
- Ischaemic heart diseases – 13.0%
- Pneumonia – 12.7%
- Diabetes mellitus – 5.0%
- Kidney failure – 3.6%
- Transport accidents – 3.4%
- Stroke – 2.5%
- Heart failure – 2.1%
- Intracranial haemorrhage – 2.0%
- Malignant neoplasms of the bronchus or lung – 2.0%
- Malignant neoplasms of the large intestine, anus and anal canal – 1.9%
The figures show that heart-related conditions and pneumonia account for the highest proportions among the reported causes of death.
How Causes of Death Differ Across Malaysians
The report also highlights differences in the leading causes of death across demographic groups, including sex, age and ethnicity.
By Sex
Ischaemic heart diseases are the leading cause of death among males, accounting for 15.5%. Meanwhile, pneumonia ranks first among females at 13.6%.
By Age Group
The leading causes of death also vary across different stages of life:
- 0–14 years: Pneumonia (5.3%)
- 15–40 years: Transport accidents (21.3%)
- 41–59 years: Ischaemic heart diseases (17.5%)
- 60 years and over: Pneumonia (15.6%)
Transport accidents are the leading cause among those aged 15 to 40, while ischaemic heart diseases take the top spot among adults aged 41 to 59.
By Ethnic Group
Differences can also be seen across ethnic communities in Malaysia.
Ischaemic heart diseases are the leading cause of death among Malays (14.0%) and Indians (17.0%). Meanwhile, pneumonia ranks highest among Other Bumiputera (11.5%) and Chinese (14.1%) communities.
Which Causes of Death Lead Across Malaysian States?
The geographical breakdown shows that ischaemic heart diseases are the leading cause of death across most states and federal territories.
These include Johor, Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perlis, Pulau Pinang, Selangor, Terengganu, W.P. Kuala Lumpur, W.P. Labuan and W.P. Putrajaya.
Meanwhile, pneumonia ranks as the leading cause of death in Kedah, Perak, Sabah and Sarawak.
Understanding the Report’s Findings
It is important to note that the analysis is based on medically certified causes of death, representing 69.3% of total deaths in Malaysia.
Overall, DOSM’s 2026 report provides an overview of the country’s leading causes of death in 2025, while highlighting how these health challenges differ across various demographic groups and geographical areas.
Source: Facebook/@StatsMalaysia
