What is participatory democracy index in Malaysia?

Participatory democracy index in Malaysia was 0.303 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Malaysia?

The highest recorded value was 0.309 in 2024.

What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Malaysia?

The lowest recorded value was 0.04 in 1942.

How does Malaysia rank for participatory democracy index?

Malaysia ranks 86th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Malaysia?

Over the last ten years it is up 30.6%. 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 Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Participatory Democracy Index in Malaysia

Name: Participatory Democracy Index in Malaysia
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Malaysia: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.303 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.303

Change on year

down 1.9%

World rank

86th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.309

in 2024

All-time low

0.04

in 1942

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Participatory Democracy Index in Malaysia, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Malaysia recorded 0.303 for participatory democracy index in 2025.

The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and up 30.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Malaysia peaked at 0.309 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.04, in 1942.

Malaysia ranks 86th of 176 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.

Participatory Democracy Index in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Participatory Democracy Index in Malaysia, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.041	—
1901	0.041	+0.0%
1902	0.041	+0.0%
1903	0.041	+0.0%
1904	0.041	+0.0%
1905	0.041	+0.0%
1906	0.041	+0.0%
1907	0.041	+0.0%
1908	0.041	+0.0%
1909	0.041	+0.0%
1910	0.041	+0.0%
1911	0.041	+0.0%
1912	0.041	+0.0%
1913	0.041	+0.0%
1914	0.041	+0.0%
1915	0.041	+0.0%
1916	0.041	+0.0%
1917	0.041	+0.0%
1918	0.041	+0.0%
1919	0.041	+0.0%
1920	0.041	+0.0%
1921	0.041	+0.0%
1922	0.041	+0.0%
1923	0.041	+0.0%
1924	0.041	+0.0%
1925	0.041	+0.0%
1926	0.041	+0.0%
1927	0.041	+0.0%
1928	0.041	+0.0%
1929	0.041	+0.0%
1930	0.041	+0.0%
1931	0.041	+0.0%
1932	0.041	+0.0%
1933	0.041	+0.0%
1934	0.041	+0.0%
1935	0.041	+0.0%
1936	0.041	+0.0%
1937	0.041	+0.0%
1938	0.041	+0.0%
1939	0.041	+0.0%
1940	0.041	+0.0%
1941	0.041	+0.0%
1942	0.04	-2.4%
1943	0.04	+0.0%
1944	0.04	+0.0%
1945	0.04	+0.0%
1946	0.043	+7.5%
1947	0.043	+0.0%
1948	0.043	+0.0%
1949	0.043	+0.0%
1950	0.043	+0.0%
1951	0.043	+0.0%
1952	0.076	+76.7%
1953	0.076	+0.0%
1954	0.076	+0.0%
1955	0.111	+46.1%
1956	0.135	+21.6%
1957	0.178	+31.9%
1958	0.18	+1.1%
1959	0.18	+0.0%
1960	0.179	-0.6%
1961	0.179	+0.0%
1962	0.178	-0.6%
1963	0.178	+0.0%
1964	0.176	-1.1%
1965	0.174	-1.1%
1966	0.173	-0.6%
1967	0.175	+1.2%
1968	0.173	-1.1%
1969	0.146	-15.6%
1970	0.127	-13.0%
1971	0.127	+0.0%
1972	0.143	+12.6%
1973	0.143	+0.0%
1974	0.151	+5.6%
1975	0.166	+9.9%
1976	0.166	+0.0%
1977	0.166	+0.0%
1978	0.165	-0.6%
1979	0.165	+0.0%
1980	0.18	+9.1%
1981	0.173	-3.9%
1982	0.172	-0.6%
1983	0.172	+0.0%
1984	0.172	+0.0%
1985	0.172	+0.0%
1986	0.172	+0.0%
1987	0.169	-1.7%
1988	0.167	-1.2%
1989	0.167	+0.0%
1990	0.167	+0.0%
1991	0.167	+0.0%
1992	0.167	+0.0%
1993	0.167	+0.0%
1994	0.167	+0.0%
1995	0.166	-0.6%
1996	0.166	+0.0%
1997	0.166	+0.0%
1998	0.166	+0.0%
1999	0.17	+2.4%
2000	0.21	+23.5%
2001	0.212	+1.0%
2002	0.212	+0.0%
2003	0.213	+0.5%
2004	0.223	+4.7%
2005	0.224	+0.4%
2006	0.224	+0.0%
2007	0.225	+0.4%
2008	0.233	+3.6%
2009	0.233	+0.0%
2010	0.232	-0.4%
2011	0.231	-0.4%
2012	0.231	+0.0%
2013	0.231	+0.0%
2014	0.231	+0.0%
2015	0.232	+0.4%
2016	0.233	+0.4%
2017	0.227	-2.6%
2018	0.279	+22.9%
2019	0.293	+5.0%
2020	0.271	-7.5%
2021	0.272	+0.4%
2022	0.273	+0.4%
2023	0.306	+12.1%
2024	0.309	+1.0%
2025	0.303	-1.9%

Malaysia compared with similar countries

Malaysia's 0.303 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.294, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Malaysia's 0.303 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2725, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.041	0.041	0.041	10
1910s	0.041	0.041	0.041	10
1920s	0.041	0.041	0.041	10
1930s	0.041	0.041	0.041	10
1940s	0.0414	0.04	0.043	10
1950s	0.1098	0.043	0.18	10
1960s	0.1731	0.146	0.179	10
1970s	0.1519	0.127	0.166	10
1980s	0.1716	0.167	0.18	10
1990s	0.1669	0.166	0.17	10
2000s	0.2209	0.21	0.233	10
2010s	0.242	0.227	0.293	10
2020s	0.289	0.271	0.309	6

Countries ranked near Malaysia

See the full ranking of 176 places →

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)

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory democracy index in Malaysia?: Participatory democracy index in Malaysia was 0.303 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Malaysia?: The highest recorded value was 0.309 in 2024.
What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Malaysia?: The lowest recorded value was 0.04 in 1942.
How does Malaysia rank for participatory democracy index?: Malaysia ranks 86th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Malaysia?: Over the last ten years it is up 30.6%. 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 Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Participatory Democracy Index in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/participatory-democracy-index/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator: Participatory Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,363 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.