Malaysia fourth happiest in Southeast Asia
Published on: Friday, March 22, 2024
By: Nikko Fabian
As Malaysia continues to navigate these challenging times, it’s heartening to see the country maintain its standing in the global happiness index. - Pic for illustration only
Kota Kinabalu: In the 2024 World Happiness Report, Malaysia was ranked as the 59th happiest country in the world, making it the fourth happiest country in Southeast Asia.
The report, released by the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in the United Kingdom, evaluates countries based on six factors – social support, income, health, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption.
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In Southeast Asia, Singapore took the lead, ranking 30th worldwide, followed by the Philippines (53rd), Vietnam (54th), and then Malaysia.
Other Southeast Asian countries included Thailand (58th), Indonesia (80th), Laos (94th), Myanmar (118th) and Cambodia (119th).
The report’s data spanned three years, from 2021 to 2023, and was published in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Despite the challenges posed by the global pandemic, Malaysia has managed to maintain a relatively high ranking, showcasing the resilience and positivity of its people.
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The top 10 happiest countries globally were Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia. On the other end of the spectrum, the least happy countries were Afghanistan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Congo, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Eswatini, and Zambia.
The World Happiness Report serves as a reminder that happiness is a complex interplay of various factors, ranging from economic prosperity to social connectivity, health, and freedom.
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As Malaysia continues to navigate these challenging times, it’s heartening to see the country maintain its standing in the global happiness index.
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