Malaysia has recorded a significant rise in public confidence towards key national institutions, with the country’s Trust Index climbing to 71 points in 2026 from 66 in 2025, placing Malaysia as the seventh most trusted nation among 28 global markets surveyed.
However, despite the encouraging achievement, the latest Edelman Trust Barometer 2026 revealed growing concerns over increasing distrust towards people with different views, backgrounds and information sources.
Edelman Malaysia Chief Executive Officer and Southeast Asia Senior Advisor Mazuin Zin said Malaysia has successfully positioned itself among the world’s most trusted countries, but the next challenge lies in expanding that trust across different segments of society.
She said trust currently remains concentrated within groups that share similar values, communities and information channels.
“Malaysia cannot continue enjoying high levels of trust if social divisions become wider. Bridging these gaps is not only socially important, but also crucial for ensuring sustainable national growth.
“Communication plays an important role in uniting all sides,” she said during the launch of the Edelman Trust Barometer Malaysia 2026 yesterday.
Also present was Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) president Datuk Yong Soo Heong.
The study found that 65 per cent of Malaysians displayed what is described as an “insular trust mindset”, meaning they are reluctant to trust individuals with different values, social views or cultural backgrounds.
In addition, only 37 per cent of Malaysians seek information from sources with differing political views at least once a week.
From an economic perspective, the report revealed that only 39 per cent of Malaysians believe the next generation will enjoy a better life than the current one, marking a seven-point decline from the previous year.
At the same time, 73 per cent of Malaysians expressed concern that foreign actors are deliberately spreading misinformation through local media to create domestic divisions, the second-highest figure globally after the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In terms of institutional trust, businesses recorded a trust level of 76 per cent, followed by the government and NGOs at 72 per cent each, media at 65 per cent, and employers at 82 per cent among employees — all classified within the “trusted” category.
Yong said the high level of public trust in institutions and businesses is a valuable asset that can help strengthen Malaysia’s economy and social unity amid an increasingly divided global environment.
He noted that trust in businesses in Malaysia remains among the highest in the world at 76 per cent, reflecting strong confidence in companies, employers and entrepreneurs to deliver value and stability.
However, he warned that rising global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and the manipulation of racial and religious sentiments pose major challenges to national unity.
“If divisions continue to grow within society — whether in government, education, corporate sectors or social spaces — it could destroy the bridges that unite communities,” he said.
Yong also highlighted growing concerns over misinformation and digitally manipulated content, which he said are threatening public confidence in Malaysia’s media landscape.
Referring to the Edelman report, he said 73 per cent of Malaysians worry about foreign interests contaminating the country’s media environment with false information.
He attributed part of the issue to the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) culture, which exposes the public to unverified online reports and hidden agendas.
“When people have access to advanced smartphones, they also develop this FOMO syndrome and end up consuming questionable reports from individuals with specific agendas.
“When that happens, they become exposed to all sorts of irrational content,” he said.
Yong urged the public to rely on credible mainstream media sources, while encouraging Malaysia’s media industry to continue strengthening public confidence through responsible reporting and higher journalistic standards.
Despite concerns over misinformation, he stressed that Malaysia remains one of the most trusted countries in the world.
The annual study on trust and credibility was conducted between Oct 23 and Nov 18, 2025, involving 33,938 respondents across 28 markets, including more than 1,200 respondents from each country.
