Malaysia has received positive recognition in numerous global studies and publications this year, including being named the most loved country in Asia, having the 3rd happiest population under 30 in Asia, and being ranked as Asia’s 6th most prosperous country.

However, this article discusses a less favorable report concerning Malaysia, specifically highlighting that Kuala Lumpur has been named the 5th most dangerous city in Southeast Asia for tourists to visit.

Forbes Advisor’s Risky Cities for Tourists Ranking In the latest comprehensive study by Forbes Advisor on travel insurance for American citizens, the publication also ranked the most and least risky cities for tourists globally.

The study evaluated 60 cities worldwide based on seven metrics, five of which were detailed:

• Crime risk: The overall level of crime in each city.
• Personal security risk: The risk from crime, violence, terrorist threats, natural disasters, and economic vulnerabilities.
• Health security risk: The quality and accessibility of healthcare services and infrastructure in a city.
• Infrastructure security risk: The availability and quality of city infrastructure and its vulnerability to man-made and natural disasters.
• Digital security risk: Citizens’ ability to use the internet freely without fear of privacy violations, identity theft, and online attacks.

Kuala Lumpur’s Ranking Kuala Lumpur ranked 29th globally with a total score of 55.36 out of 100. Specific rankings in the metrics were:

• 15th in crime risk
• 28th in personal security risk
• 23rd in health security risk
• 24th in infrastructure security risk
• 17th in digital security risk

Regionally, Kuala Lumpur was ranked as the 5th most dangerous city in Southeast Asia to visit. The top 6 most risky cities in the region are:

• Yangon, Myanmar (3rd globally)
• Manila, Philippines (5th globally)
• Jakarta, Indonesia (11th globally)
• Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (20th globally)
• Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (29th globally)
• Bangkok, Thailand (30th globally)

On the other end of the spectrum, Singapore was named the safest city globally for tourists, followed by Tokyo, Japan in 2nd place, and Toronto, Canada in 3rd.