Unbearable: There’s usually a sea of umbrellas in Kuala Lumpur nowadays as tourists try to protect themselves from the scorching sun. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

MOST Malaysians are quite aware about the importance of preserving the environment and the need for sustainability. We’re familiar with climate change but oblivious to how it affects our daily lives. That indifference is about to dramatically change, though.

Unpredictable heavy rain and almost neverending heatwaves are now battering us daily, along with an increasing frequency of droughts and floods.

We’re now facing a spike in temperature earlier in the day, followed by thunderstorms, lightning, and downpours in the evenings.

The wet season is usually ushered in by the yearend monsoon, while the mercury rises around February, during the Chinese New Year period. That was how it used to be.

On March 21 this year, Pokok Sena, Kedah, recorded the highest temperature, 39.3°C, which is only slightly below the all-time high anomaly of 40.1°C recorded in Chuping, Perlis, in 1998.

Since that month, several Asean countries have experienced record-breaking temperatures with the devastating consequence of leaving people dead.

In the Philippines, it hit 53°C in Iba City; 48°C in Myanmar (in the Magway region); and 47°C in Vientiane. The Star reported that Bangkok, notorious for its heat, registered 52°C at the end of April.

And Reuters reported the heatwave in Saudi Arabia that was blamed for the deaths of 1,300 people on the Haj pilgrimage this month was made worse by climate change, according to a team of European scientists.

“Temperatures along the route from June 16 to 18 reached 47°C at times and exceeded 51.8°C at Mecca’s Great Mosque.”

Just last week, I spent five days in Hangzhou and Shanghai. Even though it’s already summer, it rained heavily daily. China, especially its southern part, has reported unusually heavy amounts of rain over the last few days.

This is all unprecedented, even for those of us who live in Asean countries where we are accustomed to warm weather – even we are finding the prolonged heatwave unbearable.

The heatwave has been attributed to a combination of causes including climate change and the El Nino weather cycle, during which warmer Pacific Ocean surface temperatures release more heat into the atmosphere.

Whether we like it or not, Earth has now entered the global boiling phase. Yes, we have passed the global warming stage, and it was an official declaration by the United Nations last year.

It was reported that April this year was the warmest month ever in the world after marking 11 consecutive months of unprecedented global temperatures, according to scientists.

But it’s no longer a matter of mere discomfort. The Star columnist Mangai Balasegaram wrote that the global mean temperature increased by more than 1.5°C – the critical threshold which scientists say we shouldn’t exceed to prevent catastrophic climate change.

Quoting the World Meteorological Organisation’s latest report, she wrote that Asia is heating up faster than the global average – almost doubling since the 1961-1990 period, with the report describing Asia as the “most disaster-hit region” from weather and climate hazards in 2023. Many countries here experienced a “barrage of extreme conditions, from droughts and heatwaves to floods and storms”.

Malaysia is projected to experience 200 heatwave days a year by 2050, with more extreme floods and thunderstorms, added Mangai, who writes on health issues monthly in StarLifestyle.

This shouldn’t be the concern of just government and non-governmental organisations. It needs to involve parents, schools, and places of worship in instilling the need to preserve our planet.

The Malaysian media also needs to provide regular, dedicated space to environment and conservation stories.

It’s great that environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment has become a requirement for public listed companies, and heartening that more have realised it should no longer be about mere compliance.

Scoring well on responsibility metrics and standards are potential investments for companies. Younger shareholders and customers also take ESG seriously because they want to be associated with and support companies that embrace the standards as their company’s statement and stand.

We need comprehensive policies and laws, as well as proper enforcement with strict priorities – otherwise the best laws would amount to very little.

No one will be spared, as we will be affected by health issues, food production challenges, and lower work productivity much more than we realise.

Malaysians, like the rest of the world, will face the heat, literally. It has already hit us, and it will get hotter. There’s nothing left to boil over because we have now officially entered the stage of Global Boiling.

MALAYSIANS have become so pampered that the reduction or removal of subsidies on items stirs much unhappiness, and even ire, towards the government.

Many of us are unaware that these subsidies, especially diesel and petrol, are non-existent in many oil-producing countries even.

It doesn’t help that politicians make populist promises of overnight price reduction on essential items including diesel and petrol if they’re voted into power.

Previous leaders kept Malaysians happy with these subsidies despite knowing it’s finite lifespan because none of them wanted to be unpopular.

Politicians are notoriously short-sighted. They don’t work out long-term plans because they don’t care about the financial drain on our coffers.

Staying elected for five years is their selfish consideration. What happens in 10 or 20 years isn’t their problem. As the popular Malaysian saying goes, belakang kira.

Then, there was the constant gloating about our inflation being among the lowest in the world, but what’s conspicuously left out is that this is result of heavy subsidies by the government.

The diesel subsidy bill alone has risen 10-fold from RM1.4bil in 2019 to RM14.3bil in 2023.

Many Malaysians are not aware that our fuel prices are among the lowest in the world. Even cheaper than oil-producing Saudi Arabia.

Malaysia’s diesel is the second cheapest in Asean after Brunei, but it has also led to smuggling causing billions of ringgit to be lost.

Among other basic items, the country also heavily subsidises the prices of cooking oil and rice, but our subsidy bill has risen to record levels in recent years amid surging commodity prices.

Even the price of sugar is being kept artificially low and under the ceiling price due to incentive payments made by the government to the sugar industry, resulting in Malaysia, a non-sugar producing country, having among the lowest sugar prices in the world. Consequently, our diabetes rate is among the highest in the world.

The New Straits Times quoted the Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy calling for the removal of sugar as a gazetted item under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 to bolster preventive health efforts and harmonise policies which directly impact the wellbeing of Malaysians.

Its chief executive Azrul Mohd Khalib said Malaysia currently has one of the lowest sugar prices in the world, which has a direct implication for the continued and uncontrolled spread of diabetes in this country, causing cardio-renal-metabolic diseases such as chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, which cause premature death.

“Seven million Malaysian adults aged 18 years and above are estimated to be living with diabetes by 2025. The rate of diabetes is among the highest in the world. More than five million or 16 per cent of the adult population are living with chronic kidney disease, many of whom are also diabetic.”

Yes, the government’s reduction in subsidies for diesel may lead to the rising cost of living.

So, it’s essential for the government to use its resources to explain simply why it has ended up with a RM1.5 trillion (US$318bil) debt pile.

The blame can partially be placed on the losses from the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal – scrapped the blanket diesel subsidy recently as it seeks to deflate a ballooning subsidy bill that costs nearly RM80bil last year alone, according to the South China Morning Post.

The subsidy cut, which doesn’t apply to Sabah and Sarawak, is reportedly expected to save the government RM4bil annually.

The government has also indicated that fuel subsidies have not been equal. Those driving bigger cars enjoy more fuel subsidies than those with smaller ones, thus a targeted subsidy scheme is required.

Malaysia may be an oil exporter, but the subsidy reportedly costs the country more every time oil prices rise – money which can be directed towards other beneficial projects.

According to a CGS-CIMB research reported in The Star, it’s estimated that for every US$1 (RM4.18) per barrel average increase in oil price, the government will need to pay around RM780mil in fuel subsidies (based on the price of RON95 petrol and diesel at RM2.05 and RM2.15 per litre respectively).

That cost would realistically be higher now, especially with the ringgit depreciating against the US dollar since 2023.

The World Bank Malaysia has rightly said that the implementation of rationalised diesel subsidies signals reform seriousness by the Malaysian government and sets the stage for RON95 petrol reforms, believes economist Apurva Sanghi.

Apurva, who is the World Bank lead economist for Malaysia, said the success of RON95 reforms depends on several factors – timing, how price increases are handled and how it’s communicated to the middle class.

“Diesel reforms come on top of other recent reforms such as electricity subsidies for large-scale users and water tariff reforms.

“It sets the stage for addressing the elephant in the room – RON95 subsidies, but what will help it stick?” he said in a series of posts on X last month.

He said RON95 reforms can lead to one-time increase in prices, pointing out how it could rise between 5% to 9%, depending on global energy prices.

“Timing becomes more important. Introduce RON95 reforms when energy prices are relatively low,” he said.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has in the past been criticised for making populist statements, but he has boldly undertaken a hugely unpopular decision. Like a skilled surgeon, he must remove the cancerous parts from the body.

The subsidy reforms must continue even if there’s backlash. There’s no general election for the next three years, so he has the responsibility to do what’s necessary to save Malaysia.

But the lesson here is that he needs to have a better narrative each time he executes a necessary but politically damaging move.

His team must prepare the nation, and even its own party lawmakers, on why these painful but necessary moves are beneficial in the long run.

They need to remind Malaysians that the government still bears around RM7bil in subsidies related to diesel in Peninsular Malaysia.

The diesel subsidy rationalisation will help establish more efficient management of subsidies, preventing misuse and ensuring they reach appropriate groups as the savings can be returned to the wider population in the form of improvements to education, health, public transportation, and other sectors that have the greatest impact on the public.

The challenge will be for the government to convince Malaysians struggling with the cost of living.

The resentment won’t go away unless the government reaches out to the people more effectively because then, half the battle would have been won.

FOR editors of mainstream news portals, the bane of their existence is undoubtedly the sheer volume of reader comments on their sites, which are becoming more vulgar and toxic.

The height of this frenzy was probably displayed during the KK Super Mart socks controversy.

The nasty remarks included shocking calls inciting racial discontent and even the elimination of a particular race.

Unfortunately, in Malaysia, most social media readers confine themselves to platforms in their preferred languages.

Many of us live in our own cocoon, oblivious to everyone’s sentiments.

Basically, the predominantly Malay audience would only read Bahasa Malaysia portals and assume that their engagements are only followed by their own community.

The same can be said about Chinese platforms, too, including chat groups. Chinese readers instinctively think that they can speak about certain issues and remain unaware that their words could hurt the feelings of other races.

Even in the comments section of English medium portals, hostile views are right there in the public domain.

The comments section is essential given the eyeballs it draws, but no responsible publisher can moderate this free-for-all forum 24/7.

Some publishers have pulled the plug on it simply because it has been routinely abused.

Freedom of speech doesn’t amount to freedom to defame, slander or worse, instigate racial disharmony.

If a reader posts a racist comment at 3am and it’s automatically uploaded, which editor would be able to catch it and have it removed immediately?

In May 2021, the Federal Court ruled that Malaysiakini was guilty of contempt of court over the comments of five readers.

The country’s highest court said the comments posted by these readers were deemed offensive to the judiciary and fined the online news organisation RM500,000 and ruled that Malaysiakini is fully accountable for its website, including reader comments.

The judges said the case was a reminder to the public not to attack the judiciary online, and that the fine reflected the gravity of the offence.

Hurtful remarks and seditious comments in any language bring no benefit to our beloved country. There’s no reason to defend or justify retaining vile content in the name of freedom of expression. Of course, the authorities must be mindful that their actions shouldn’t be imposed on fair criticisms either.

Political operatives: Malaysian authorities have found that the dark side of social media has birthed individuals paid to post desired narratives in the comments sections. — 123rf

Speaking of which, criticising politicians is par for the course and most of them accept it. They are expected to be resilient, so if they can’t stand the heat, then they should avoid the flame of this game.

I concur with the populist view that it’s unnecessary for our regulators to be ruffled by some of the criticism, especially from unknown figures with near non-existent followers.

Then there are certain personalities recognised for their denunciation. This is simply part and parcel of a democracy.

The nature of social media is that it should be taken with a pinch of salt. If these people are ignored, their messages are quickly forgotten. If it must be countered, then they should do it persuasively.

But there are many critics who cowardly hide behind anonymity despite their bravado on accountability and transparency. Yet, they fear revealing themselves, and are highly creative with their fictitious content.

Malaysian authorities have found that the dark side of social media has birthed individuals, believed to be paid political operatives using multiple accounts, who post desired narratives in the comments sections.

These comments can run into thousands of entries to push a certain agenda to influence the minds of readers.

Social media posts have influenced many people, even if we’re clueless to who these so-called Netizens are, or if they’re even real.

Despite having a population of only 33 million, Malaysia ranked 10th in the world for online engagement in 2023 with an Internet penetration rate of 96.8%.

It was reported that there were about 30.25 million social media users in 2022, which was 91.7% of Malaysia’s total population.

The Commission Report said that “if we consider just the adult population, we can see social media usage approaching full saturation levels at 99.8 per cent” and as early as 2011, Malaysian Facebook users had the most active friend networks in the world with an average of 233 friends.

Statista.com said Malaysia has the third highest social media penetration rate in South-East Asia and ranked third among the highest average daily time spent on social media with around two and half hours invested on various platforms.

Insider Monkey rated Malaysia among 25 countries with the most TikTok users in 2023.

It placed Malaysia at the No 18 spot with 19.3 million users with the demographic comprising Gen Z (ages 19-25) at 35.61%, closely followed by Millennials (ages 26-32) constituting around 29% of the user base.

Last week, it was reported that in 2023, Tik Tok removed content mentioned in half of the government’s requests based on violations of Malaysian laws. There were 2,200 government requests to remove about 6,000 pieces of content.

The next highest came from Australia with 651 submissions, but none of the commentators tied it with press freedom in their reports or asked what this content comprised to annoy Aussies. Do Australians have racial, religious or royalty issues or scam concerns to contend with like Malaysia?

These news reports put Malaysia in a bad light as it gave the impression that the Malaysian regulator or government is intolerant of criticism or grappling with the inability to handle freedom of expression,

The numbers were based on Tik Tok’s bi-annual “Government Removal Requests Report” for 2023.

Unfortunately, perception is everything. It will be good if the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) provides details and explanations for its decisions.

I was told that this year, almost 54% of the online content requested for removal across all platforms were related to online gambling with 19% linked to online scams, 15% fake news, 6% on the 3Rs (race, religion, royalty) and 5% on harassment.

For 2023, the figures were almost identical with 47% online gambling, online scams 18%, fake news 18%, 3R issues 6%, and harassment 6%.

So, from the overall data, online gambling and scams account for almost 70% of the content removed.

Without this background info, it would seem like the MCMC only removed political content. In Malaysia, though, everything seems to be about politics.

But it has reached a nadir where many of these inflammatory postings have crossed the red line. Nothing is sacred anymore and despite the repeated warnings against content relating to the 3Rs, it’s difficult to ignore the perceived reluctance to act against certain personalities.

Malaysians can certainly identify the people who continuously exploit race and religion in their social media posts.

If the authorities don’t punish these recalcitrants, then we’re sending the wrong message to the country.

Open condemnation of other religions or deceitfully trying to convert minors of other faiths are clearly a violation of existing laws.

Malaysia is a uniquely multi-racial and multi-religious nation with a robust political and social media set up with a no-holds barred political obsession driven by many Malaysians, former Malaysians who have migrated as well as foreigners who really have no business telling us how to run our country.

THE case has attracted attention like bees to honey because it involves an alleged assault of a hearing-impaired ehailing driver and an escort for Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.

Of course, the incident needs to be thoroughly investigated by the police since a report has been lodged.

The Inspector-General of Police is personally handling the case, which exhibits its top priority.

It’s a simple case, but Tan Sri Razarudin Husain’s attention to it reveals the police’s preparedness to do what’s right and end the high-profile controversy.

Investigations have been completed and the papers sent to the Attorney General’s Chambers.

It doesn’t get more straightforward than this because it basically involves only two persons – the driver and escort. That’s all.

In the May 28 incident, ehailing driver Ong Ing Keong lodged a police report on the day alleging he was assaulted by one of Tunku Ismail’s drivers while waiting for a customer at the St Regis Hotel lobby in KL Sentral.

Unfortunately, many outrageous innuendoes and downright defamatory remarks on the palace have inundated social media by writers who cowardly hide behind anonymity.

No employer would condone heavy handedness by their staff.

Those of us who’ve interacted with bodyguards know that some of these minders can occasionally get carried away.

Unfortunately, the over-protection, even if justified, taints the people they are supposed to protect.

Looking at the facts in this case, the alleged assault was committed by an escort assigned to the Regent.

Tunku Ismail certainly didn’t order the rogue officer to purportedly rough up the driver because he wouldn’t condone such behaviour.

Making allegation about the police and palace conspiring to halt the investigation is clearly below the belt because the palace can’t defend itself.

The Regent may not be popular among some quarters, but to be fair to His Highness, he simply didn’t know about the incident until it exploded in the press and social media.

He then immediately issued a statement urging the police to launch a thorough investigation, saying no illegal actions or threats should ever be allowed.

Now that the papers have been sent to the AG’s Chambers, the escort concerned should be swiftly charged in court if the case holds water.

It’s completely unacceptable and the book must be thrown at the said person and his colleagues if attempts are found to cover up the case or coerce the driver into withdrawing his report.

The police have already called up 12 individuals in the investigation and Malaysians should have proper access to the trial if the case goes to court, which it duly should.

The witnesses include the alleged victim, the escort, some hotel staff, members of the Police Special Operations Unit, the Johor regent’s team of drivers, the complainant’s friend, a doctor, and a Grab operations director.

The IGP has rightly advised the public against speculating or linking the case to the royal institution.

Making critical comments on the case certainly differs from infusing unrelated past matters and worse, accusing the police and palace of colluding to subvert the investigation.

One or two policemen or even a representative from the palace, if any, isn’t a representation of the institutions.

But let this be a lesson to all VVIPs, too – your entourage needs to be humble because it ultimately reflects on you, unfair as it may be. There’s a price for fame and public office.

The Lawyers For Liberty are doing their jobs as a civil rights non-governmental organisation and they would surely ensure all procedures are followed.

The bottom line is let the IGP and the AG’s Chambers take over from here. Attempts to desecrate the sanctity of the royal institution is neither acceptable nor will it be tolerated.

Bustling metropolis: China has transformed tremendously since it began to open and reform its economy in 1978. Now more than 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty in the country. — Reuters

TWO months following Malaysia Airlines’ maiden voyage to Beijing on March 31, 1991, I had my first trip to China.

I was invited by our national carrier as part of the media and government official team to experience its new route.

By then, Beijing had already become a big city with tall buildings and highways, but the streets were still filled with bicycles.

Over the last three decades, I have repeatedly returned to Beijing and other cities. Like many regular visitors, I can’t help but marvel at the pace of the economic transformation.

It’s mind-boggling how quickly the Chinese government has successfully turned the country into an economic powerhouse with huge leaps into technological and digital realms including artificial intelligence.

Their infrastructure, especially their super rail connections, are certainly the best in the world now. None of the European and American links can hold a candle to the Chinese rails.

As of 2024, it’s reported that China has more than 159,000km of railways, the second longest network in the world, and 45,000km of high-speed rail, the longest HSR in the world.

Of course, Western rail networks began much earlier while China played catch up, but with new facilities, they are more sophisticated since they can avoid the mistakes and poor maintenance practices of those in the West.

They’re certainly the envy of the world as they whizz between cities at speeds of about 320km per hour.

Those who’ve never been to China can’t ever fathom how far the republic has overtaken the Western world.

On my travels, I’ve had the misfortune of meeting many Americans and Europeans who still have flawed, if not archaic, views of China and many other parts of Asia.

The Americans are the worst because many have never travelled beyond the United States. I have given up explaining to them where Malaysia is.

On a trip to Antarctica in January, as my fellow Malaysian traveller Yusof Hashim and I held our Jalur Gemilang proudly, a passing American expedition member asked my wife if we were holding the Taiwan flag!

But of course, the Brits are familiar with most of us from the Commonwealth countries, obviously because they colonised us, and don’t parade such ignorance.

In any case, the Western narrative against China has been such a resounding success that many Western tourists have kept away from “communist” and “dictatorial” China.

Accusations of unfair dealings, falsified data and purported persecution of Uighurs in Xinjiang, and Tibetans, are also entrenched in their minds although most can’t pinpoint these places on a world map.

From my anecdotal engagements with my Western friends, it’s obvious they swallow what their politicians tell them and steadfastly refuse to have anything to do with China, which is a shame.

I’ve always told them that they need to see for themselves how China has advanced.

But what is conspicuously downplayed is Western politicians viewing China as the biggest challenge of any nation-state in the world against the US and its allies.

The US wants a big share of China’s consumer market, which has embraced Western products, but the image of the republic seeking leadership roles in many multilateral platforms remains unpalatable.

An article by Dr Zuliu Hu and Mohsin Khan from the International Monetary Fund titled “Why Is China Growing So Fast” attributes the progress to capital investment, which has made the country more productive.

Basically, new machinery, better technology, and more investment in infrastructure have helped to raise output, they wrote.

Its economy may have once been in the doldrums, but since opening to foreign trade and investment in 1979, China has been among the world’s fastest growing economies and among the highest in terms of purchasing power parity.

After all, it had a growth rate averaging 10% for over 30 years.

Since it began to open and reform its economy in 1978, more than 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty. Across China, and especially its cities, you don’t see slums like in India, or colonies of vagrants, like in the US.

Basically, there have been significant improvements in access to health, education and other services.

Emphasis is given to schools, and even in the most remote areas where I’ve seen and been thoroughly impressed by the kinds of facilities available to school children.

In Guangzhou, I saw robotics, 3D printing and coding already being taught in a secondary school during a trip in 2017.

No doubt, as the economy grows, there will be disparity, especially in a country of 1.4 billion people.

There are the upper middle class as well as those struggling to earn a living in the big cities, where at least 40% of their income goes to rental fees.

Fast forward to 2024, and as I continue my journeys in China, I have begun to feel that as Malaysians, we are poorer.

The depreciating ringgit hasn’t helped in our declining purchasing power.

As most countries direct factory outlets away from the cities, which makes travelling unnecessary, I still visited one which was right smack in three building blocks in Beijing.

Looking at the wide range of products from the West and China, I wondered how the Chinese can afford such expensive items, and where their money comes from!

In Shanghai, where many of the city folks are often well-dressed, I felt even smaller.

This doesn’t bode well for me as a third-generation Chinese.

My grandfather left Guangdong in China because they were almost trapped in famine and needed to come to Malaya to escape poverty.

And now, many of my friends who have relatives in Fujian and Guangdong, speak about how financially secure their relatives have become.

For Malaysia, as we celebrate 50 years of friendship with China, it’s imperative we leverage on the ties which bind both nations.

The special bond began in the 1400s when Admiral Zheng He visited Melaka several times, marking the state’s significance.

I tip my hat to Malaysia and China!