Size matters in Malaysian power politics. Every government looks at the country’s ethnic ratio when creating policies. Like it or not, population sizes will be a perennial consideration, being directly or indirectly related to votes.

Racial politics has not abated in the six decades of independence from colonial rule but has been exacerbated by issues of religion, something likely to remain a key factor in the nation’s future.

This is why the Indian community reacted with alarm, both privately and on social media, when the statistics department recently released its projections for the nation’s population and ethnicity ratio.

In 2059, Malaysia’s population is expected to reach 42.38 million. The ethnic composition is expected to shift.

The Bumiputera population is projected to rise from 69% in 2020 to 79% in 2060, while the Chinese population will decline to 14.8% (from 23% in 2020) and the Indian population to 4.7% (from 6.7%).

In absolute terms, there will be fewer Malaysian Chinese and Indians than there are now. The number of Chinese will drop from 7.3 million to 6.3 million in 2059 while the number of Indians will drop from 2.2 million to 1.9 million.

Only the Bumiputera population will increase both in percentage and absolute numbers. This is inevitable.

The Chinese community does not seem to be overly concerned, being self-dependent and economically stable, with many sending their children abroad for studies and possible migration after that.

Build quality, not quantity

The projections have raised an alarm among some in the Indian community of a greatly reduced bargaining power as the decades roll on. As a solution, a few even suggested that they should have more children. Really?

Obviously, this is an emotional reaction that will not help the community’s problems. Politicians may encourage this for political reasons and self gain, not to help the community.

The projected decline in population should not be taken as a wake-up call to have more children, but to improve the community’s overall quality in key areas.

While government help is vital for many Indians in Malaysia, they should move away from being totally dependent on handouts. The reality is that the already small share of the pie for Indians will only become smaller.

Instead of championing quantity, leaders should educate Indians to invest in education, which remains a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. This has been emphasised over and over again, but it appears that only a small group is taking this seriously.

Forget class, clan, caste

Indians should wake up from their deeply entrenched class, clan and caste struggles and learn from the Chinese community, which displays exemplary unity when it comes to the cause of education.

The refusal among Indians to stop identifying themselves by sub-groups is a significant challenge. There are so many associations within the community based on clans, ethnicity and village origins in India.

Instead of wasting so much time and energy on causes that split the community, they should instead pool their resources to help the community strengthen itself in the various fields.

By fostering a sense of collective identity and purpose, the community can also present a stronger voice in political and economic matters even if their national percentage drops. Such unity can lead to better representation and inclusion in policy-making processes.

Build for the future

The community should foster a culture of entrepreneurship by nurturing and mentoring young individuals. This can lead to the emergence of new entrepreneurs who can contribute to the economy and create job opportunities within the community.

Richer Indians are deciding to have small families, while the low-income and less able Indians seem to choose having large families – a trend that has led to social problems such as many youths indulging in drugs and alcohol, and a high number of school dropouts.

Indian families and leaders should seriously address this disturbing trend. The number involved in violent crimes and drug pushing is apparently high for the smallest community in the country.

The fact is that the community will inevitably be reduced to a super-minority one day. There will come a time when even their votes won’t matter any more. Their voices may also be ignored.

Under the circumstances, a life with dignity and a cleaner image will be the best way forward.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.