Penang population to hit 1.8mil
THE population in Penang is expected to go up in tandem with development with a projection of over 1.8mil people by year 2020.
This follows an increase from 1.6mil to 1.77mil this year, said Department of Statistics Malaysia chief Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin.
“Latest statistics show the population in Penang comprises bumiputeras (42.3%), Chinese (39.4%), Indians (9.4%), foreign nationality (8.6%) and others (0.3%).
“The average age of residents is 31.9 years, with 19.4% or 342,000 people below 14; 72.2% or 1,275,900 people aged between 15 and 64 and the remaining 8.4% of 149,900 people over 65,” he said after a courtesy call to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow’s office in Komtar on Thursday.
Dr Mohd Uzir added that the state’s unemployment rate is at 2.1% while its labour force participation rate is at 67.5%.
“A total of 822,200 people out of 839,500 in the workforce are working while 17,300 people are jobless,” he said.
Chow hoped that the department would update the state on a quarterly basis with data on industrial investments and the tourism sector.
Penang Works, Utilities and Flood Mitigation Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said the state would carry out various projects to accommodate the increasing population.
“Increasing population means our infrastructure will be burdened further.
“We have already planned for this increase through the Penang Transport Master Plan and Drainage Master Plans.
“The projects have been commissioned for all five districts in Penang,” he said.
source from TheStar
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