KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — Malaysia ranked 64th in the 2025 World Happiness Report, a middling position compared to its Southeast Asian peers.
Among Asean nations, Malaysia was in the middle of the pack, behind Singapore that led at 34th place, Vietnam (46th), Thailand (49th), and the Philippines at 57th, but ahead of Indonesia in 83rd.
The report considered GDP per capita, social support, and freedom as key factors influencing happiness rankings, which the report said could influence a country’s direction.
Finland retained the top position globally, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
Malaysia’s rank dropped compared to previous years, suggesting challenges in economic confidence and social well-being.
“The degree of benevolence in a country also has a profound impact on its politics. Populism is largely due to unhappiness. But whether populists are on the left or the right depends on trust.
“People who trust others veer to the left, those who do not veer to the right,” it said.
Indicators such as generosity and expected fairness were also lower in Malaysia than in the top-ranked countries.
While Malaysia saw improvements in income and life expectancy, social cohesion and institutional trust remain areas for development.
