2026 CENSUS TO COVER 1.2 MILLION ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING 180,000 IN FTS - DOSM

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- The 2026 Economic Census (BE2026) will cover an estimated 1.2 million establishments nationwide, of which 180,000 registered business establishments are operating in the Federal Territories, according to the Statistics Department Malaysia (DOSM).

The agency said there has been a 19.5 per cent growth in the number of registered business establishments in the Federal Territories compared to when the 2023 Economic Census was conducted.

“Based on this figure, establishments in the Federal Territories are estimated to comprise 58.7 per cent micro enterprises, 35.0 per cent small establishments, 1.6 per cent medium establishments and 4.7 per cent large establishments,” it said in a statement today.

According to DOSM, the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur contributed 16.1 per cent to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP), valued at RM265.8 billion in 2024, strengthening its position by 6.2 per cent. It was the second-highest contributor after Selangor.

“The services sector, which dominates the economy, grew by 5.5 per cent, surpassing the 5.3 per cent national growth rate. This growth was supported by the wholesale and retail trade, food and beverage and accommodation subsectors, as well as the finance, insurance, real estate and business services subsectors.

“The construction and manufacturing sectors increased by 21.1 per cent and 4.3 per cent, respectively,” it said.

DOSM today organised an engagement session for BE2026 with stakeholders and business associations at the Federal Territories level. More than 200 participants from various agencies and industry associations were briefed on the implementation of BE2026.

Malaysia’s chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin, who officiated at the event, called on all parties to regard BE2026’s implementation as a national responsibility to strengthen the country’s competitiveness, drive innovation and ensure Malaysia’s sustainable, inclusive and resilient economic prosperity.

Themed “Data as the Pulse of the People’s Economy”, the nationwide census will be carried out from February to October 2026.

It will cover all business establishments and “non-profit institutions” in Malaysia, across all economic sectors — agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining and quarrying, and services.

BE2026 is the sixth census conducted in Malaysia since 2001 and is implemented under the Statistics Act 1965 (Revised 1989), with Section 5 of the Act requiring any establishment operating in Malaysia to provide accurate information or the best estimates to DOSM.

BE2026 will use the numerical coding system Malaysia Standard Industrial Classification (MSIC) 2025 to cover five sectors, 17 sections and 1,216 industries, updating them to reflect current economic structural changes, including the emergence of innovation-based industries, sustainable energy, information technology and the digital economy.

DOSM said the census supports major national policies, including the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), the Digital Economy Agenda, Industrial Revolution 4.0, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and the Bumiputra Economic Strategic Plan 2035.

“The data obtained will be used to assess productivity, investment, job opportunities, technology adoption and the competitiveness of the national economy.

“The results of BE2026 will be published through 51 official publications to facilitate user access to economic information by sector and state,” said DOSM.

-- BERNAMA