The Merdeka Center, a Malaysian opinion research firm, recently published the National Youth Survey 2024, highlighting the thoughts and challenges of youths aged 18 to 30 in Malaysia. The survey explored their views on national issues, economic concerns, education and career aspirations, cultural identity, social progress, inclusive governance, and the political landscape.

84% of Youths Feel They Have a Good Quality of Life

One notable aspect of the survey centers on respondents’ views on cultural identity and social progress. Overall, 84% of youths believe they enjoy a good quality of life, while 15% feel their quality of life is poor, particularly among the Indian and Bumiputera communities.

When comparing their standard of living to their parents’, 47% feel they are better off, 35% feel the same, and 14% feel worse. Regarding their personal financial situation, 38% believe they are better off than their parents, 30% feel the same, and 26% feel worse. In terms of job security, 43% feel they are better off than their parents, 29% feel the same, and 15% feel worse off.

Chinese and Indian Respondents Feel Unfairly Treated by the Government

The survey also revealed that 58% of Chinese and Indian respondents feel their communities are unfairly treated by the government and frequently face discrimination—an increase from 43% in the 2023 survey. Consequently, the percentage of Chinese and Indian youths who feel fairly treated and not discriminated against dropped from 46% to 37%.

A deeper analysis shows that 62% of Indian respondents and 57% of Chinese respondents feel they face unfair treatment in Malaysia. The survey interviewed 1,605 respondents aged 18 to 30 via telephone, using a random stratified sampling method based on ethnicity, gender, age, and state.