MOH: 90% of HIV Cases in Malaysia are Men, ‘YOLO’ Mentality to Blame for Rise in Infections Among Young Males

The Ministry of Health (MOH) recently shared the latest statistics on HIV cases in Malaysia, which revealed a rise in HIV infection rates among men aged 20 to 39.

Speaking at the Dewan Negara yesterday (24 March), Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni claimed that the ‘You Only Live Once’ (YOLO) mentality among the younger generation had an impact on the rise in infection rate.

‘YOLO’ mentality to blame for the rise in HIV infection rates among young men

Specifically, Lukanisman said that the YOLO mentality encouraged youths to be bold and experiment with new things, including same-sex relationships.

He asserted,

“These individuals are influenced by global trends which normalise and promote this lifestyle… This is a generational issue. The desire to experiment, including grooming, drives individuals to engage in activities beyond natural norms, often without considering the consequences,”

Additionally, the Deputy Health Minister said that social media platforms also played a role, as it enables connections among high-risk individuals, often without effective control mechanisms to regulate such interactions.

90% of all HIV cases in Malaysia involved men

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The above was part of the Deputy Health Minister’s answer to a supplementary question from Senator Dr Lingeshwaran R. Arunasalam, who asked about the factors that heighten the risk of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men.

During his speech at Parliament, Lukanisman revealed that the 2024 surveillance data from the National AIDS Registry (NAR) found that 90% of HIV cases are men, with 75% affecting individuals aged 20 to 39.

However, while there is a rise in HIV infection rates among young men, Malaysia has seen a decline in new HIV infections overall.

In 2024, there were 3,185 HIV cases reported (notification rate of 9.4 per 100,00 population), which is significantly less than what it was in 2002 when our country reported 6,978 HIV cases (notification rate of 28.5 per 100,000 population).

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Lukanisman added that last year, Malays accounted for 52% of reported HIV cases, followed by Chinese (14%). Meanwhile, ethnic-specific rates were highest among Sabah Bumiputera at 14.2 per 100,000 population, followed closely by Sarawak Bumiputera at 14.0 per 100,000 and Indians at 12.1 per 100,000.

In terms of regions, Selangor recorded the highest number of new HIV cases last year with 1085 cases (34.1%), followed by Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya with 365 cases (11.4%) and Sabah with 344 cases (10.8%).

Watch the Deputy Health Minister’s full remarks in the Dewan Negara here:

So, what do you guys make of Lukanisman’s statement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments. 

Also read: HIV-Positive Man Arrested for Molesting Women & Deliberately Bumping Into Them at Temerloh Bazaar