The ratio was lower than the global average of 32%, which was a drop of 4 percentage points, according to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer report released Monday by U.S-based communications firm Edelman.
In Southeast Asia, Indonesia ranked highest with a confidence level of 56%, followed by Malaysia at 39%, Thailand at 36%, and Singapore.
“The uncertain economic outlook, geopolitical tensions, and simmering fault lines between some religious and ethnic communities compounded the challenge,” said Leong Chan Hoong, senior fellow and head of the Social Cohesion Research Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
“Singapore, while remaining on positive high trust territory, is not immune to these global forces,” he said, as quoted by South China Morning Post.
Globally, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria respondents were most optimistic about the next generation’s prospect with a ratio of 65%.
The study also assesses public trust across four key sectors: business, government, media and non-governmental organizations. It aims to provide insights into societal sentiment to inform policy-making.
In this aspect, Singapore was positioned higher than the world’s average. The city-state’s overall trust index score came in at 64, down from 65 a year earlier, while the global average was 57.
The 26th edition of the annual report, released at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, spanned 28 countries, including Australia, China, India and the U.S., with more than 1,200 respondents surveyed in each nation.
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