SINGAPORE: Singapore has moved up to the number two spot for the most trusting nation in the world, according to the 2013 Edelman Trust Barometer. It was third in 2012 and seventh in 2011.
Edelman, which measured levels of trust in institutions in 26 countries worldwide, said on Wednesday that Singapore's total trust score rose by nine points and is three points more than the global average increase.
Trust levels rose
across three of the four institutions measured -- business (up 11
points), non-governmental organisations (up 11 points) and government
(up 9 points).
At 82 per cent, trust in Singapore government recovered to approach the 2010 high of 84 per cent.
Trust levels in the media remained stable and high.
Edelman
said while the government and business fared well in the latest trust
survey, there remains scepticism about trust in their leadership.
Only
19 per cent of Singaporeans in the general population trust business
leaders to tell the truth, no matter how complex or unpopular it is.
While trust in government leaders is higher than in business leaders,
there remains room for improvement.
Edelman said the lack of
trust in leaders, compared with the institutions they lead, is a trend
in all the markets where trust was measured. This, it said, points to a
common need to increase transparency at the leadership level.
-CNA/ac