Malaysian Population and Family Survey (MPFS 3) 1994

The Third Malaysian Population and Family Survey (MPFS-3) 1994, represents the third series of LPPKN’s long-standing national survey on population and family development. It continued the earlier survey tradition established through the Malaysian Fertility and Family Survey 1974 and the Malaysian Population and Family Survey 1984/85. As the third survey in the series, MPFS-3 played an important role in strengthening Malaysia’s time-series data on demographic change, family formation, fertility, reproductive behaviour and population dynamics. It provided valuable evidence to understand how Malaysian families and population patterns were changing during a period of rapid socio-economic development.

The findings from MPFS-3 were later incorporated into LPPKN’s publication, Population Profile Malaysia, published in 1999. This publication combined LPPKN’s survey findings with data from population censuses and vital statistics to present a broader demographic profile of Malaysia, covering key population dynamics such as fertility, mortality, migration, contraception and human resource trends.

Objectives

The main purpose of MPFS-3 was to provide time-series information on population and family development, building on the earlier survey series conducted in 1974 and 1984/85. It aimed to support the monitoring of demographic and family changes over time, particularly in relation to marriage, fertility, reproductive behaviour and broader population trends. More broadly, MPFS-3 contributed to LPPKN’s role in generating evidence for national development planning. The survey findings supported the integration of population and family information into policy formulation, programme planning and development strategies.

Key Outputs and Achievements

One of the important outputs linked to MPFS-3 was its contribution to the publication ofPopulation Profile Malaysia in 1999. This publication was developed to present comprehensive and user-friendly information on Malaysia’s population dynamics, particularly fertility, mortality and migration. The publication also included information on contraceptive use and human resources, making it a useful reference for policymakers, programme planners, researchers, higher learning institutions and the wider public. Its bilingual presentation in Malay and English also made the information more accessible to both local and international users.

MPFS-3 findings were especially important in documenting Malaysia’s fertility transition. The report used MPFS-3 data to show how marriage timing, fertility patterns and contraceptive practices had changed over time. It also enabled comparisons with earlier survey series, especially 1974 and 1984/85, thereby strengthening Malaysia’s demographic time-series evidence.

The study also supported LPPKN’s broader mandate to integrate population factors into national development planning. By providing empirical evidence on population and family trends, MPFS-3 helped strengthen the role of research and data in policy formulation, programme development and public sector planning. MPFS-3 was an important milestone in Malaysia’s population research history. It helped bridge earlier fertility-focused surveys with a broader population and family development agenda, laying the groundwork for more comprehensive survey series in 2004, 2014 and beyond.