The Malaysian passport has climbed into the top 10 most powerful passports globally, ranking ninth in the 2026 Henley Passport Index.
The latest ranking, released on Tuesday, marks a significant improvement from the 12th position held last year.
Compiled by London-based advisory firm Henley & Partners using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the index ranks passports based on the number of destinations holders can enter without a prior visa.
Asian countries continue to dominate the top of the rankings.
Singapore retained its position as the world’s strongest passport, with visa-free access to 192 of the 227 countries and territories tracked by the index.
Japan and South Korea are tied at second place, each offering visa-free access to 188 destinations.
Europe accounts for much of the rest of the top tier. Denmark, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland share third place, followed by a large group of European countries at fourth place.
Hungary, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United Arab Emirates occupy fifth position.
The report also highlighted a widening global disparity in travel freedom, noting that the gap between the world’s strongest and weakest passports has expanded to 168 destinations.
The improvement in Malaysia’s ranking comes as the government prepares to introduce a new passport and redesigned MyKad by the second quarter of 2026.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail recently said the move was necessary to enhance security features, describing both documents as critical national security instruments.
Further details on the launch dates and specific security enhancements are expected to be announced at a later stage.
