Kuala Lumpur, March 21 (NNN-Bernama) The average life expectancy for Malaysians has risen to 74 years now compared with 55 years during the country's independence, said Health Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon.

He said the government was satisfied with the achievement because it showed that the standard of health for Malaysians had improved.

"Generally, the government is satisfied with the present status and will continue to raise the standard of health in the country to ensure a longer life expectancy," he said at the Dewan Rakyat (Parliament) sitting, here Wednesday.

He was responding to a question from Tan Sri Dr Ting Chew Peh (BN-Gopeng) who wanted to know the life expectancy for Malaysians according to race and whether the government was satisfied with the existing average life expectancy.

Lee said that the average life expectancy for men was lower at 71.5 years compared with 76.2 years for women.

He said that the life expectancy for men among the Indian community was the lowest at 67.4 years, followed by the Bumiputeras (70.4) and Chinese (73.6).

As for the women, he said the Chinese community had the highest life expectancy at 78.8 years, followed by the Indians (75.4) and Bumiputeras (74.8).