By December 2006, an estimated 5,830 new HIV cases were reported in Malaysia compared to 7,000 in 2002. AIDS-related deaths reached 976 in 2006. With an estimated HIV prevalence rate of 0.4%, Malaysia currently faces a concentrated epidemic primarily driven by injecting drug use and un-protected heterosexual contact.

In 2006, 3,127 new HIV infection cases were reported among injecting drug users. It is estimated that nine out of ten HIV infections occurring through injecting drug use were among men. While injecting drug use has been the primary mode of HIV transmission, new HIV infections acquired through heterosexual contact are on the rise, 17.5% in 2002 compared to 27.4% in 2006.

Despite limited data available, recent trends in the HIV epidemic in Malaysia may indicate a decrease in HIV infections through injecting drug use among men and an increase in HIV infections among women through heterosexual contact.

In 2002, 63.9% of tested women acquired HIV through hetero-sexual contact. By 2006, HIV infections among women and girls represented almost one fifth of newly infected persons in Malaysia.

The 2003-2004 first round of the National Behavioural Survey showed that the HIV prevalence among commercial sex workers was above 5%.

Mandatory medical screenings for migrant workers in Malaysia have shown that 0.03% of those screened tested HIV positive as of 2004.