Media Corruption Score in Malaysia
Malaysia: Media Corruption Score was 1.04 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.04
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
63rd
of 175 countries
All-time high
1.33
in 2018
All-time low
-1.85
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Media Corruption Score in Malaysia, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for media corruption score in Malaysia is 1.04, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 75.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, media corruption score in Malaysia peaked at 1.33 in 2018 and was at its lowest, -1.85, in 1900.
Malaysia ranks 63rd of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Media Corruption Score in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -1.85 | — |
| 1901 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -1.85 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.954 | -48.3% |
| 1950 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -0.954 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.599 | -162.8% |
| 2002 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.733 | +22.4% |
| 2009 | 0.733 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.596 | -18.7% |
| 2011 | 0.596 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.596 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.596 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.596 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.596 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.596 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.319 | -46.5% |
| 2018 | 1.33 | +316.9% |
| 2019 | 1.33 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.943 | -29.1% |
| 2021 | 0.943 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.04 | +10.7% |
| 2023 | 1.04 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.04 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1.04 | +0.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 1.04 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.2855, 3.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 1.04 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.819, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -1.85 | -1.85 | -1.85 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1.85 | -1.85 | -1.85 | 10 |
| 1920s | -1.85 | -1.85 | -1.85 | 10 |
| 1930s | -1.85 | -1.85 | -1.85 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.76 | -1.85 | -0.954 | 10 |
| 1950s | -0.954 | -0.954 | -0.954 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.954 | -0.954 | -0.954 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.954 | -0.954 | -0.954 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.954 | -0.954 | -0.954 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.954 | -0.954 | -0.954 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4705 | -0.954 | 0.733 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7151 | 0.319 | 1.33 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.01 | 0.943 | 1.04 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More social development data for Malaysia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 150,164 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,477 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,477 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0042 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is media corruption score in Malaysia?
- Media corruption score in Malaysia was 1.04 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest media corruption score recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.33 in 2018.
- What is the lowest media corruption score recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.85 in 1900.
- How does Malaysia rank for media corruption score?
- Malaysia ranks 63rd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is media corruption score rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Media Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Gauges the frequency with which journalists, publishers, or broadcasters accept payments to modify news content, indicating the integrity (or corruption) of the media sphere.