
Households, Demography & Public Wellbeing
Understanding demographic transitions, household dynamics, and wellbeing indicators to inform evidence-based policies for Malaysia's diverse population.

Malaysia's demographic landscape is undergoing significant transitions that shape social and economic futures. Our research examines rapid population aging and its implications for healthcare and pension systems, declining fertility rates and changing family structures, inter-ethnic relations and social cohesion mechanisms, healthcare access disparities between urban and rural areas, and education quality gaps affecting human capital development.
As Malaysia strives to enhance public wellbeing across all communities, we analyze household income patterns and cost of living pressures, mental health challenges and support systems, nutrition transitions and non-communicable disease burdens, social protection adequacy for vulnerable groups including B40 households, and mechanisms for promoting social mobility while preserving cultural diversity across Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous communities.
As Malaysia strives to enhance public wellbeing across all communities, we analyze household income patterns and cost of living pressures, mental health challenges and support systems, nutrition transitions and non-communicable disease burdens, social protection adequacy for vulnerable groups including B40 households, and mechanisms for promoting social mobility while preserving cultural diversity across Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous communities.
KRI shares insightful commentaries on current topics to encourage discussion, but these do not represent KRI's official views.
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Views
Dec 29, 2025
The End of the American Deficit: Navigating the New Era of American Protectionism (Part 2)
Part 2: Building a New Architecture Explores the financial fragility of a world without a US deficit, urging Malaysia to pivot toward regional industrial integration and financial self-insurance to survive.
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OP-ED.
Dec 29, 2025
The End of the American Deficit: Navigating the New Era of American Protectionism (Part 2)
Part 2: Building a New Architecture Explores the financial fragility of a world without a US deficit, urging Malaysia to pivot toward regional industrial integration and financial self-insurance to survive.

Views
Dec 29, 2025
The End of the American Deficit: Navigating the New Era of American Protectionism (Part 1)
Part 1: The Crisis of the Export-Led Model Analyzes how US tariffs and the ART dismantle Malaysia's export-led model, arguing that new constraints on autonomy trap the nation behind a balance of payments wall.

OP-ED.
Dec 29, 2025
The End of the American Deficit: Navigating the New Era of American Protectionism (Part 1)
Part 1: The Crisis of the Export-Led Model Analyzes how US tariffs and the ART dismantle Malaysia's export-led model, arguing that new constraints on autonomy trap the nation behind a balance of payments wall.
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Views
Dec 19, 2025
Finding Meaning in Education: The Journey of Entrepreneurship, Learning, and Creativity
The article reflects on entrepreneurship, education, and creativity as journeys rather than destinations. It talks about the “Myth of Arrival,” emphasizing meaning over material success. True learning lies in transformation and creativity emerges from inner experience as a means of self -expression. Success is redefined as continual growth and imaginative exploration.
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OP-ED.
Dec 19, 2025
Finding Meaning in Education: The Journey of Entrepreneurship, Learning, and Creativity
The article reflects on entrepreneurship, education, and creativity as journeys rather than destinations. It talks about the “Myth of Arrival,” emphasizing meaning over material success. True learning lies in transformation and creativity emerges from inner experience as a means of self -expression. Success is redefined as continual growth and imaginative exploration.
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Views
Dec 17, 2025
Remarks on the purposes of a university education: Can theory be distinguished from practice?
Universities are under attack for being too theoretical in educating students which leave in turn; graduates who are apparently ill-prepared for ‘practice’ or the ‘real world’. This article is an attempt to explore and address basic assumptions of the university curriculum and the context in which universities (in the West) have developed since the middle of the nineteenth century which saw the expansion of what has come to be known as the ‘modern’ university. This is because the university, through time, has always had to absorb and accumulate changing aspirations-and perhaps also the presumptions- of successive generations and not surprisingly, it has also come to disappoint them. What this short piece hopes to do is to stimulate dialogue on an issue of public discourse that has directly and indirectly shape the way we think about university education in Malaysia.
.avif)
OP-ED.
Dec 17, 2025
Remarks on the purposes of a university education: Can theory be distinguished from practice?
Universities are under attack for being too theoretical in educating students which leave in turn; graduates who are apparently ill-prepared for ‘practice’ or the ‘real world’. This article is an attempt to explore and address basic assumptions of the university curriculum and the context in which universities (in the West) have developed since the middle of the nineteenth century which saw the expansion of what has come to be known as the ‘modern’ university. This is because the university, through time, has always had to absorb and accumulate changing aspirations-and perhaps also the presumptions- of successive generations and not surprisingly, it has also come to disappoint them. What this short piece hopes to do is to stimulate dialogue on an issue of public discourse that has directly and indirectly shape the way we think about university education in Malaysia.
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Book
Policy Briefs
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Data Sets
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Reports
Discussion Papers
Working Papers
Demography
Financialisation & Indebtedness
Poverty & Social Mobility
Education
Health, Nutrition & Public Health
Ageing, Fertility & Demographics
Income, & Consumption
Society
Taxation
Stephanie Hsu
Tan Hui Hui
Kelvin Ling Shyan Seng
Khairin Ilaina Mohamed Amin
Fiha Febiala
Govind Nirav Rao
C. Hari S. Shankar
Afifah Binti Ahmad
Elisabeth Chan Wen Yi
Nurrdinan Serena Amer Sharaffudin
Nurhanina Zaharin
Dr. Amirah 'Aisha Badrul Hisham
Nur Hannani Binti Abd Ghafar
Tehleel Nazir
Yee Suet Ee
Balqis Athirah Binti Azhar
Shukri Mohamed Khairi
Muhammad Syamin Bin Azman
Nurul Farhana Binti Abdul Shukor
Aidil Farhan Bin Jasrie Arman Sany
Amirah Syazwani Binti Ahmad Junaidi
Dinie Joshry Shaqeel
Ts Dr Amirah Aisha Badrul Hisham
Professor Joseph Eugene Stiglitz
K. Kuhaneetha Bai
Nadia Malyanah Azman
Siti Maisarah Zainurin
Ndongo Samba Sylla
Malini Elango
Aqeel Khaldun
Belinda Lew
Muhammad Khairulamri
Nicholas Khaw
Nur Zulaikha Atiqah Mohd Zahril
Dr Diana Abdul Wahab
Dr Umawathy Techanamurthy
Bryan Yeoh Quan Jin
Wan Manan Wan Muda
Alyssa Chua Lee-Yen
Goh Ming Jun
Mohan Mahadeva
Yap Chun Hao
Syafa Mustaffa
Ammar Hanania Hazli Izma
Dr Yunus Yasin
Dato’ Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir
Professor Emeritus Dr. Tham Siew Yean
Datuk Hisham Hamdan
Khazanah Research Institute
Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop
Tan Mei Yi
Emir Izat Abdul Rashid
Lim Han Hsuen
Ida Madieha Abdul Ghani Azmi
Musaddiq Adam Muhtar
Nur Adilah Hamid
Chakrin Utit
Bach Nguyen Luong
Zainab Ali Ahmad
Kusairi Mohd Noh
Rokiah Alavi
Ibrahim Kabiru Maji
Illisriyani Ismail
Intan Nadia Jalil
Abdulla Ibragimov
Siti Nooraznie Abdul Rahim
Fatimah Mohamed Arshad
Dr Mohd Yusof Saari
Pierre Sauvé
Tan Theng Theng
Charissa Lee Yi Zhen
Yap Gin Bee
Tan Kar Man
Junaidi Mansor
Alia Muhammad Radzi
Yeu-Mynn Yeung
Prof. Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda
Tan Zhai Gen
Umi Maisarah Kamis
Shukri Mohamed Khairi
Wong Ee Kin
Dr. Wan Khatina Wan Nawawi
Maia Hollins-Kirk
Grace Loh Wan Chi
Keelea Shaye Linsuau Soh
Hui San Chiam
Goh Hao Yi
Daniel Filippi
Azlin Natasha Mohd Ghazali
Balqis Athirah Azhar
Dr. Sarena Che Omar
Aqeel Khaldun (University of St Andrews)
Aidil Iman Aidid
Nurul Farhana Abdul Shukor
Nur Thuraya Sazali
Yugendran Rajaendran
Putera Daniel Hakeem
Siti Aiysyah Tumin
Laventhen Sivashanmugam
Nithiyananthan Muthusamy
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Results


Reports
Sep 26, 2024
The State of Households 2024: Households and the Pandemic 2019-2022


OP-ED
Sep 26, 2024
The State of Households 2024: Households and the Pandemic 2019-2022
Income, & Consumption
Yin Shao Loong
Sep 26, 2024
Sep 26, 2024
Reports

Views
Sep 13, 2024
Strengthening STEM foundations in primary education to reach the 60:40 goal

OP-ED
Sep 13, 2024
Strengthening STEM foundations in primary education to reach the 60:40 goal
Education
Nur Sofea Hasmira Azahar
Sep 13, 2024
Sep 13, 2024
Views


Views
Sep 12, 2024
Prescribing Digital Integration to the Health Industry


OP-ED
Sep 12, 2024
Prescribing Digital Integration to the Health Industry
Health, Nutrition & Public Health
Dr Rachel Gong
Sep 12, 2024
Sep 12, 2024
Views


Discussion Papers
Jun 27, 2024
Unhealthy but not by Choice: Food Environment and Nutrition Inequalities


OP-ED
Jun 27, 2024
Unhealthy but not by Choice: Food Environment and Nutrition Inequalities
Health, Nutrition & Public Health
Dr Teoh Ai Ni
Jun 27, 2024
Jun 27, 2024
Discussion Papers


Reports
May 16, 2024
The Financialization of our Lives: Values and Trade-Offs


OP-ED
May 16, 2024
The Financialization of our Lives: Values and Trade-Offs
Financialisation & Indebtedness
Dr Suraya Ismail
May 16, 2024
May 16, 2024
Reports

Views
May 10, 2024
Make EPF account restructuring a step towards a more comprehensive pension reform

OP-ED
May 10, 2024
Make EPF account restructuring a step towards a more comprehensive pension reform
Income, & Consumption
Hawati Abdul Hamid
May 10, 2024
May 10, 2024
Views
Reports
May 7, 2024
Digital Health Records in Malaysia: The Journey and the Way Forward
OP-ED
May 7, 2024
Digital Health Records in Malaysia: The Journey and the Way Forward
Digital & Gig Economy
Digital Divide
Health, Nutrition & Public Health
Society
Dr Rachel Gong
May 7, 2024
May 7, 2024
Reports


Reports
Mar 18, 2024
Understanding the Landscape of Agrifood Smallholders in Malaysia: Climate Risks, Sustainable Standards, and Gender Gap


OP-ED
Mar 18, 2024
Understanding the Landscape of Agrifood Smallholders in Malaysia: Climate Risks, Sustainable Standards, and Gender Gap
Food Systems & Smallholders
Income, & Consumption
Dr. Sarena Che Omar
Mar 18, 2024
Mar 18, 2024
Reports


Discussion Papers
Dec 17, 2023
Case Studies of Hospital Digitalisation: Lessons for Electronic Health Records in Malaysia


OP-ED
Dec 17, 2023
Case Studies of Hospital Digitalisation: Lessons for Electronic Health Records in Malaysia
Health, Nutrition & Public Health
Digital Divide
Ilyana Mukhriz
Dec 17, 2023
Dec 17, 2023
Discussion Papers

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