JOHOR BARU: Despite ongoing global uncertainties, Malaysians continue to report strong levels of happiness, according to global market research company Ipsos.
According to its findings, Happiness Index scores in Malaysian increased by 5% this year, placing the country among the happier markets globally and reflecting a generally positive outlook among its people.
Similar increases are also seen across most South-East Asian countries, except Singapore. Indonesia recorded the highest level of happiness globally.
While happiness scores have also risen in Japan and South Korea, levels in these markets remain lower than both the global average and South-East Asian counterparts.
Ipsos Malaysia managing director Arun Menon said that at the heart of Malaysia’s happiness were close relationships and meaningful social connections.
“Feeling appreciated and loved emerged as the strongest driver of happiness followed by relationships with family and children, highlighting the important role that community and belonging play in shaping well-being,” he said.
The findings also showed that at least three out of 10 Malaysians also believe that feeling the meaning of their life was one of the sources of happiness in life, indicating a different view on life experience and happiness.
He added that personal financial factors also influence how happy people feel, with it being the key driver to unhappiness across the world.
“Moreover, higher-income groups consistently report greater levels of happiness both globally and in Malaysia, with 87% of high-income Malaysians reporting they are happy,” he said, adding that unhappiness was more common among lower-income groups.
He added that these findings suggest that while Malaysians share global concerns around personal finances, strong social connections and supportive relationships remain as key anchors of well-being.
“As financial pressures come and go, these social foundations remain an important source of resilience for Malaysians,” he added.
