KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia’s overall Trust Index rose to 71 this year from 66 in 2025, placing the country seventh worldwide among 28 markets surveyed, according to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer launched yesterday at a ceremony in Petaling Jaya.
Edelman Malaysia chief executive officer and Edelman Southeast Asia senior advisor Mazuin Zin hailed the strong institutional trust scores as a “genuine achievement” that boosts investment confidence and credibility.
“Malaysia has earned its place among the world’s most trusted nations. That is a genuine achievement and important for investment confidence, institutional credibility and the country’s standing in a world where trust has become increasingly scarce. However, the data also points to a deeper challenge. The trust Malaysians have built largely exists within familiar circles, among people who share similar values, information sources and communities,” she said.
Edelman’s findings also flagged troubling social dynamics: 65 per cent of Malaysians are hesitant to trust those with different values or cultural backgrounds, while 87 per cent believe distrust runs so deep that people actively try to make life worse for one another — the highest figure among all surveyed markets.
MPI warns of misinformation threat
Speaking at the same launch event, Malaysian Press Institute (MPI) president Datuk Yong Soo Heong cautioned that foreign-driven misinformation and falsehoods spread through digital platforms are eroding public trust in the media.
He cited Edelman’s data showing 73 per cent of Malaysians fear foreign interests are deliberately polluting the country’s media landscape. Rapid smartphone adoption and the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) phenomenon, Yong said, have left the public vulnerable to dubious sources and hidden agendas.
“When people have sophisticated smartphones, they also develop this FOMO syndrome and consume bizarre reports from questionable sources. That’s how misinformation spreads,” he said in his keynote address.
Also present was Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) director-general Ashwad Ismail, who joined a panel discussion titled “From Trust Holders to Trust Brokers: What Malaysia’s Institutions Must Do.”
Institutions trusted, but social bonds fragile
Malaysia’s trust in businesses stood at 76 per cent, outpacing several developed economies including the US, UK and Australia.
Yet both Edelman and MPI underscored that trust must extend beyond institutions to society itself — a challenge as insularity deepens.
Economic concern rising
The survey also flagged growing anxiety: only 39 per cent of Malaysians believe the next generation will enjoy a better future, down seven points from 2025. Globally, fears over recession and trade-related job losses among employees reached record highs. - May 21, 2026
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