This book, a project of the Malaysia Study Programme of ISEAS, is a sequel to my earlier book on The Population of Peninsular Malaysia published some time ago in 1988 and just reprinted by ISEAS in 2007. The old book was essentially based on materials derived from the early population censuses and other relevant sources pertaining to the eleven states of West Malaysia. It was not feasible to include Sabah and Sarawak in the book considering the extreme paucity of comparable data for these two eastern states for the period under study.

The situation has improved quite significantly following the formation of Malaysia in 1963 when a wide range of pan-Malaysia statistics was made available from the four population censuses held since 1970 and from other sources dealing with vital events, labour force, etc. The emergence of favourable conditions has enabled me to bring out a completely different book covering the entire country rather than a second edition of the original book. In writing this new book on The Population of Malaysia, I have been guided by the need to present a comprehensive analysis of the demographic trends and patterns discernable in the multiracial country during the last four decades or so.

I would like to acknowledge the assistance of numerous institutions and individuals. For helping me to access the research materials, my thanks go to the University of Malaya Library, the National University of Singapore Library, ISEAS Library and the London School of Economics Library where I visited during my frequent visits to London. My special thanks go to the Malaysian Department of Statistics for willingly supplying the necessary data. I would like to thank Ambassador K. Kesavapany, Director of ISEAS, for his encouragement and hospitality, and Mrs Triena Ong of ISEAS Publications Unit for overseeing the expeditious publication of the book. Needless to say, any opinions and shortcomings in the book are my own.