Malaysia Ranked 5th Happiest Country in the World, Happiest in Southeast Asia

Apparently, Malaysians are a contented lot as our country has been listed as no.5 on a list of the ten happiest countries in the world, according to Global Mind Project’s fourth annual “Mental State of the World" report.

According to The Star, the top ten spots went to the Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Panama, Malaysia, Nigeria, Venezuela, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Uruguay, in that order.

Malaysia was also the only Southeast Asian nation on the top 10 list, while other countries that formed part of the report included the Philippines and Singapore *cackles*.

Conversely, the top ten unhappiest countries were also listed: Uzbekistan, United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Tajikistan, Australia, Egypt, Ireland, Iraq, and Yemen. Ironically, Malaysians do love to migrate to the U.K. and Australia *hmm*.

The report by non-profit neuroscience research organisation Sapien Labs polled 419,175 individuals from 71 countries in an anonymous online survey. The poll aims to find an individual’s Mental Health Quotient (MHQ), which assesses 47 aspects of mental health, in six categories: mood and outlook, social self, drive and motivation, mind-body connection, cognition, adaptability, and resilience.

Also collected in the survey were information on lifestyle, dynamics with family and friends, and personal trauma. Those who participated in the survey were given a score and placed on a spectrum from thriving to distressed.

The Dominican Republic had an average MHQ score of 91 out of 300, Sri Lanka (89), and Tanzania (88). Meanwhile, Malaysia scored 85%, an increase of 2.9% from the previous year.

According to Sapiens Lab, there was a sharp drop in the scores during the COVID-19 pandemic, but MHQ scores remained unchanged in 2021 and 2022. Those under the age of 35 also saw the sharpest declines in mental well-being, which was exacerbated due to the pandemic.

‘This raises important questions about the lasting impact of the pandemic, and how shifts in the way we live and work and the amplification of existing habits like remote working, online communication, consumption of ultra-processed food, use of single-use plastics have cumulatively pushed us into a space of poorer mental wellbeing,’ the report read.

Interestingly, several African and Latin American countries topped the country rankings, while wealthier countries of the Core Anglosphere such as the United Kingdom and Australia were ranked towards the bottom.

This suggested that greater wealth and economic development do not necessarily lead to greater mental well-being. In short, money doesn’t buy happiness.

Netizens React However, many Malaysian citizens did not seem to agree with the news. @khmawstrei wrote, “The politicians are the happiest.”

The politicians are the happiest

— Butterfly (@khmawstrei) March 10, 2024

“I guess the rest of the world is so miserable we are relatively "happy" in comparison,” said another user.

I guess the rest of the world is so miserable we are relatively "happy" in comparison.

— Fall Guys Kaiser (Hello Ramadhan) ?? ❤️ ?? (@HarisCountrys) March 10, 2024

Another downcast netizen said, “I guess the rest of the world is so miserable we are relatively "happy" in comparison.”

Whoever ran the survey didnt think to ask me then

— IambutIamnot (@FauxRuhm98) March 11, 2024

User @alimzazaz seemed to think that most Malaysians only project a happy demeanour.

I think this study is skewed. Malaysian tend to project happiness kindness and harmony towards foreigner. But internally, we are like male cats and their territory.

— عبدالعليم | Photo Repost (@alimzazaz) March 11, 2024

Another user was also sceptical about the results:

Happy to be poor and corrupt lol.. what garbage is this? Looking at the other top 4 countries… the bar isn’t set very high.

— ? BYM ?? ? ? (@GoodasI1cewas) March 11, 2024

What do you think about this report? Either way, we wish you a wonderful week ahead!