Malaysia may be narrowing the income gap, but are we actually narrowing the wealth gap?
While differences in household income and wages between Bumiputera and Chinese households have improved, the picture changes once we look beyond monthly earnings and towards wealth, assets and long-term savings.
This research brief examines the wealth gap between Bumiputera and Chinese households through a different lens, looking at income from property and investments, as well as retirement savings. While the Bumiputera-to-Chinese median household income ratio stood at 0.74:1 in 2024, the gap becomes significantly wider when wealth-related indicators are considered.
In 2024, average monthly income from property and investments stood at RM851 for Bumiputera households, compared with RM1,629 for Chinese households. The gap is even more pronounced in retirement savings, with median EPF savings among Bumiputera members below 55 at RM12,879 in 2025, compared with RM55,698 among Chinese members.
The findings raise a broader question: should Malaysia’s progress in reducing inequality be measured only through wages and monthly income, or should greater attention be placed on the ability to build and accumulate wealth over time?
Read the full brief to explore the data, trends and policy implications behind Malaysia’s ethnic wealth gap.