LIPIS, Pahang, and Telupid, Sabah, have earned a spot in the prestigious list of Malaysia's 20 happiest towns for 2025, as revealed by the Malaysia Happiness Index.
The Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) made the announcement in a statement, which highlighted that eight districts were honoured with the title of happiest towns under the district council category, while another 12 towns were recognised in the city/municipal council category.
This recognition was part of the national-level International Day of Happiness celebration held in Putrajaya.
"Apart from Lipis and Telupid, six other districts were awarded the same distinction under the district council category. These include Cameron Highlands and Jerantut in Pahang; Kuala Krai in Kelantan; Bandar Baharu in Kedah; as well as Kuala Pilah and Jelebu in Negeri Sembilan," the statement noted.
In addition to the district councils, 12 towns were recognised under the City/Municipal Council category.
These included Bintulu in Sarawak, Temerloh in Pahang, Klang Royal City in Selangor, Jasin in Melaka, and Batu Pahat, Pontian, and Johor Bahru in Johor.
Other notable towns in this category were Putrajaya, Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Melaka City (Melaka), Ampang Jaya (Selangor), and Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan).
A total of 153 local authorities from across Peninsular Malaysia, the Federal Territories (Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, and Labuan), as well as Sabah and Sarawak, participated in the Happiness Index survey.
The results revealed that 115 towns (75%) were classified as "happy," while 38 towns (25%) were considered "moderately happy."
The Happiness Index is assessed using global standards, considering factors such as stress levels, health conditions, family relationships, and the satisfaction residents have with local facilities and services provided by local authorities. – March 21, 2025
