Malaysian Well-Being Index rises by 0.8 pct - DoSM

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24  -- The Malaysian Well-Being Index (MyWI) rose 0.8 per cent to 122.4 index points in 2018 compared with 121.4 points in the preceding year, the Department of Statistics (DoSM) said.

Last year, well-being from the social standpoint improved more than economic well-being, in contrast to the overall trend since 2000 -- the base year when the index was at 100 points.

DoSM said the social well-being sub-composite index grew one per cent, or 1.2 index points, in 2018 while the economic sub-composite increased 0.7 per cent or 0.9 point. 

“For the period of 2000 until 2018, the economic well-being sub-composite increased 31.0 points while the social well-being sub-composite increased 17.7 points,” chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement today.

The economic well-being sub-composite covers five components -- namely, transportation, income and distribution, communications, education and working life -- while the social sub-composite covers nine components ranging from leisure to public safety.

According to data posted on the DoSM website, all MyWI components recorded an increase in 2018 compared with the preceding year except communications (easing from 131.0 to 130.8), governance (124.3 to 121.5) and health (106.2 to 105.6).

The communications component includes indicators such as telephone line and Internet subscriptions as well as the number of hotspot locations. Health covers indicators related to health level and healthcare services.

In terms of economic well-being, the transport component recorded the highest index in 2018, at 134.7 index points, followed by income and distribution (133.4 points) and communications (130.8 points), DoSM said.

For social well-being, the department said the leisure component achieved the highest index at 133.9 points, followed by public safety (132.4 points) and social participation (128.6 points).

MyWI is an enhancement to the Malaysian Quality of Life Index, which was first published in 1999 aimed at quantifying the country's achievements in improving the quality of life of the people.

DoSM said MyWI would serve as an important benchmark in the formulation of policies and programmes towards achieving an inclusive and sustainable high-income developed country.

-- BERNAMA