Ischaemic heart disease remains Malaysia's leading cause of death

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ischaemic heart disease was Malaysia's leading cause of death in 2025, accounting for 18,001 deaths, or 13 percent of the total, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said on Thursday.

The disease was the leading cause of death among males, with 12,670 deaths, while pneumonia was the main cause of death among females, accounting for 7,684 deaths, DOSM said in a statement.

Ischaemic heart disease was also the leading cause of death among Malays and Indians, while pneumonia topped the list among Chinese and other Bumiputera communities.

Overall, Malaysia recorded 199,807 deaths in 2025, up 0.4 percent from 198,992 in 2024.

Of the total deaths last year, 138,507, or 69.3 percent, were medically certified, DOSM said.