Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) was 36.5% in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
36.5%
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
81st
of 113 countries
All-time high
47.5%
in 1984
All-time low
35.6%
in 2016
Years of data
43
1948–2022
Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in Malaysia, 1948–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in Malaysia is 36.5%, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 13.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in Malaysia peaked at 47.5% in 1984 and was at its lowest, 35.6%, in 2016.
Malaysia ranks 81st of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 41.7% | — |
| 1949 | 40.3% | -3.3% |
| 1950 | 40.2% | -0.3% |
| 1951 | 40.3% | +0.3% |
| 1952 | 41.2% | +2.2% |
| 1953 | 41.0% | -0.4% |
| 1954 | 41.8% | +1.9% |
| 1955 | 42.6% | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 42.9% | +0.7% |
| 1957 | 43.5% | +1.2% |
| 1958 | 44.2% | +1.7% |
| 1959 | 44.7% | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 45.4% | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 45.7% | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 45.5% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 45.7% | +0.6% |
| 1964 | 45.9% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 45.8% | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 45.2% | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 45.4% | +0.3% |
| 1968 | 45.7% | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 45.4% | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 46.6% | +2.7% |
| 1971 | 46.4% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 46.2% | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 47.0% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 46.6% | -0.6% |
| 1975 | 46.5% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 47.5% | +2.1% |
| 1987 | 46.4% | -2.4% |
| 1989 | 46.1% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 46.5% | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 47.1% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 47.5% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 45.1% | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 45.0% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 46.4% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 44.6% | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 42.4% | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 40.3% | -5.0% |
| 2016 | 35.6% | -11.5% |
| 2019 | 36.0% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 36.5% | +1.6% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 36.5% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 45.6%, 80% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 36.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 44.6%, 82% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 41.0% | 40.3% | 41.7% | 2 |
| 1950s | 42.2% | 40.2% | 44.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 45.6% | 45.2% | 45.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 46.6% | 46.2% | 47.0% | 6 |
| 1980s | 46.6% | 46.1% | 47.5% | 3 |
| 1990s | 47.0% | 46.5% | 47.5% | 3 |
| 2000s | 45.3% | 44.6% | 46.4% | 4 |
| 2010s | 38.6% | 35.6% | 42.4% | 4 |
| 2020s | 36.5% | 36.5% | 36.5% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More poverty & inequality data for Malaysia
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 2 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.55 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 3,524 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 12.57 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 12.6% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in Malaysia?
- Income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in Malaysia was 36.5% in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 47.5% in 1984.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.6% in 2016.
- How does Malaysia rank for income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax)?
- Malaysia ranks 81st out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 10% of the population. Income here is measured before taxes and benefits.