KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian passport is now ranked 11th most powerful in its global passport ranking, with citizens being able to visit 180 destinations out of the 227 around the world visa-free.
According to the Henley Passport Index, which looks at 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations, Malaysia moved two ranks ahead (from number 13, previously) from 2021 and 2022.
In 2014, Malaysia was placed eight in the similar global passport ranking.
The index, based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), saw Singapore taking the top spot, making its citizens some of the most powerful travellers in the world.
Singaporeans are able to visit 192 destinations out of 227, without any prior visa. Meanwhile, Thailand and Indonesia, took the 64th and 69th spot, respectively. Brunei occupied the 20th spot, while the Philippines was placed at 74th, Cambodia and Vietnam both at 82th, Laos (87th) and Myanmar (89th).
For the first time in five years, Japan was dethroned from its top spot. The country now occupied the third place, joining six other nations namely Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea and Sweden, with access to 189 destinations without a prior visa.
Currently, among some of the countries that Malaysian passport holders can visit visa-free include the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, Italy, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.