Political Polarization Score in Malaysia
Malaysia: Political Polarization Score was 2.45 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
2.45
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
12th
of 174 countries
All-time high
2.45
in 2023
All-time low
-2.09
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Political Polarization Score in Malaysia, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, political polarization score in Malaysia stood at 2.45. That is the highest value across all 126 years on record.
The figure is up 62.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, political polarization score in Malaysia peaked at 2.45 in 2023 and was at its lowest, -2.09, in 1900.
Malaysia ranks 12th of 174 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Political Polarization Score in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | -2.09 | — |
| 1901 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1924 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -2.09 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -1.16 | -44.4% |
| 1942 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -1.16 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -0.061 | -94.8% |
| 1947 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.061 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.593 | -1072.1% |
| 1959 | 0.593 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.593 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.593 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.593 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.593 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.94 | +58.5% |
| 1965 | 0.94 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.94 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.94 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.94 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.37 | +45.6% |
| 1970 | 1.3 | -4.8% |
| 1971 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.3 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.944 | -27.6% |
| 2001 | 0.944 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.944 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.944 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.944 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.944 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.944 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.21 | +27.6% |
| 2008 | 1.21 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.21 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.32 | +9.4% |
| 2011 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.32 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.51 | +14.4% |
| 2015 | 1.51 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.51 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.51 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.51 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.51 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.99 | +31.8% |
| 2021 | 1.99 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.99 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.45 | +23.5% |
| 2024 | 2.45 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 2.45 | +0.0% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 2.45 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.6285, 3.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 2.45 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -0.7055. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -2.09 | -2.09 | -2.09 | 10 |
| 1910s | -2.09 | -2.09 | -2.09 | 10 |
| 1920s | -2.09 | -2.09 | -2.09 | 10 |
| 1930s | -2.09 | -2.09 | -2.09 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.815 | -2.09 | -0.061 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0698 | -0.061 | 0.593 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8441 | 0.593 | 1.37 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.02 | 0.944 | 1.21 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.43 | 1.32 | 1.51 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.22 | 1.99 | 2.45 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 9 Peru 2.52 compare
- 10 Libya 2.48 compare
- 11 Hungary 2.47 compare
- 13 Madagascar 2.38 compare
- 14 Bangladesh 2.37 compare
- 15 Afghanistan 2.32 compare
More reference data data for Malaysia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7102 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5869 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1487 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 21.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.8098 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is political polarization score in Malaysia?
- Political polarization score in Malaysia was 2.45 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest political polarization score recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.45 in 2023.
- What is the lowest political polarization score recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.09 in 1900.
- How does Malaysia rank for political polarization score?
- Malaysia ranks 12th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is political polarization score rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.7%. 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 Political Polarization 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
Central estimate of the extent to which society is divided into hostile political camps, where political differences undermine social relationships and discourage interaction across ideological lines.