# Malaysia Ranks 7th in East Asia-Pacific Rule of Law Index

> Malaysia ranks 7th in East Asia-Pacific on rule of law, strong in civil justice but lags in fundamental rights.
- Title: Malaysia Ranks 7th in East Asia-Pacific Rule of Law Index
- Summary: Malaysia ranks 7th in East Asia-Pacific on rule of law, strong in civil justice but lags in fundamental rights. Malaysia ranked 7th in East Asia and Pacific…
- Keywords: world justice project, rule of law, civil justice, fundamental rights, open government, east asia and pacific, malaysia, news, world, Ranks, 7th, East
- Source: Malay Mail — https://malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/10/22/malaysia-seventh-in-east-asia-and-pacific-on-rule-of-law-strong-on-civil-justice/240107
- Published: 2026-10-22T10:06:59+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: world justice project, rule of law, civil justice, fundamental rights, open government, east asia and pacific, malaysia, news, world
## Malaysia Rule of Law Ranking
Malaysia ranked 53rd globally and 7th in East Asia and Pacific on the 2026 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index.
## Global Rule of Law Trend
Malaysia recorded a slight improvement in rule of law score amid global decline, with 62 percent of countries experiencing deterioration.
## Civil Justice Performance
Malaysia ranked 37th globally in civil justice, its strongest performance among eight factors assessed in the index.
## Criminal Justice Ranking
Malaysia ranked 44th globally in criminal justice and 46th in regulatory enforcement, indicating moderate performance.
## Fundamental Rights Challenge
Malaysia ranked 77th globally in fundamental rights and 104th in open government, lagging behind global trends.
## Stability in Key Indicators
Malaysia did not record declines in freedom of opinion, assembly, or association despite global deterioration.
## Regional Performance
New Zealand led East Asia and Pacific with 7th global ranking, while Philippines, Myanmar and Cambodia ranked lowest regionally.
## Global Leaders
Denmark topped the global index, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden and Luxembourg in the 2026 World Justice Project rankings.
## Key takeaway

Malaysia ranked 7th in East Asia and Pacific on rule of law with strong civil justice but lower rankings in fundamental rights and open government.