Cool heads: The case of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple has been resolved by the stakeholders peacefully. — Bernama

IT was a good ending to a controversial issue involving a proposed new mosque on a piece of private land and a Hindu temple that has long occupied a small space there.

It proved that cool heads have prevailed.

Like everything involving race and religion in this country, it could have turned emotive, especially when disruptors on social media and politicians get into the act.

There are many who are not even stakeholders in this issue but want to be self-proclaimed communal heroes with their agitative messages and postures.

I don’t have to name them, but we all know who these serial characters, with their repulsive videos, are.

But it is commendable that landowner Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd has worked out the issue patiently and amicably with the management of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple, with the help of Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

The temple will now be relocated to a piece of land opposite its current spot. To be precise, it will be just 50m away.

The new place, measuring 371sq m, will also be a little bigger than the old one.

It is good that the Prime Minister even took the opportunity to visit the temple after attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the proposed Madani Mosque last Thursday.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had earlier promised that the temple would not be touched, and that it would continue to operate until the relocation process begins.

After the brief meeting between Anwar and temple committee chairman K. Barthiban, the latter said the PM gave his assurance that the government was committed to an amicable resolution to the matter.

The issue, however, has attracted much attention because it involves a Hindu temple and a proposed mosque.

The owner is said to have bought the land and was aware of the existing temple, while the temple management reportedly claimed they were not informed that Jakel had bought the land from DBKL in 2014.

Previously, there have been disputes involving Hindu temples and housing developers, where police had to be called in.

While the case of the Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman Temple has been resolved by the parties involved, it won’t be wrong to suggest that there will be similar cases in future, as there are many such unregistered temples.

It was reported in 2021 that there were 115 temples and shrines built illegally on government land in KL with eight sites granted occupation offers while 58 were asked to relocate urgently.

There is no exact official number of unregistered Hindu temples but one researcher, Elanjelian Venugopal, has been quoted as saying that a seven-year long study found that there were 3,200 temples in Malaysia, most of them unregistered.

Those without proper registration, he said, were built decades ago by plantation workers on estates “and they were not familiar with the need to register the temple’’.

The study from 2005 to 2012 was carried out with the cooperation of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam.

Temple committees and politicians are upset when these places are called illegal, preferring the more polite term unregistered.

But to private landowners, whoever sits on their land – whether they are temples or homes – are just squatters and illegals.

In all fairness, many of these temples have been in existence since the colonial days, when documents were not as important as they are now, and retrospective legal action would be difficult to explain or justify.

Many were established decades ago on land without formal documentation or approval.

Over time, as land ownership changed or development projects began, complications arose.

For local authorities, they have no choice as they need to refer to legal documents as a reference when disputes arise.

It has been reported that almost half of the temples identified through the survey did not have land ownership. If the land belongs to the government, whether state or federal, it would be easier for negotiation.

But if it is privately owned, as in the case of Jakel Trading, then negotiations become more complicated.

The only compromise would be to plead with the private landowners not to demolish the temple and to provide enough time for it to be relocated.

Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa must be commended for defusing a hot issue. She even stopped Jakel Trading from pursuing a legal case against the temple.

Even after finding a solution for the temple, she had to answer calls from firebrand preacher Firdaus Wong who demanded to know if the government had given the temple land for free plus RM2mil in compensation.

The government has no obligation to reveal to anyone the details of the agreement reached by the parties involved.

As in any dispute, efforts must be made to create a win-win situation where both parties come to an agreement and get something in return.

More importantly, a harmonious approach was taken and an agreement made and accepted.

In this case, we now see a Hindu temple, which is over a century old, co-existing near a modern mosque, which is living proof that places of worship from different faiths can stand next to each other.

It is common in Penang, such as along Jalan Kapitan Keling, formerly Pitt Street, which houses Chinese and Hindu temples, a big mosque, and a church. There is a similar case in Seberang Jaya on the mainland.

In fact, in Miri, Sarawak, when the Muslim faithful pray on Friday, they park their vehicles at the church next door.

At Jalan Kampung Melayu in Air Itam, Penang, where I live, there is a 16-storey block of flats which is predominantly occupied by Malays, and the many homes face a giant Goddess of Mercy statue at nearby Kek Lok Si temple.

Dr Zaliha is right to emphasise that the resolution in the case of Dewi Sri Pathrakaliamman temple “cannot be made a precedent for any future cases” and that this solution “is a specific resolution to this particular issue… in accordance with the law, and with due consideration for the sensitivities of all parties involved”.

It is necessary now to set up a Hindu regulatory body to regularise and protect temples and oversee their management affairs.

It is commendable that the Unity Ministry met over 700 temple representatives last November to look into land and administrative issues.

It has been proposed that a committee be formed through the Hindu Sangam to carry out a thorough study on issues facing temples, and proposed solutions.

It is understood the Cabinet has agreed to the proposal.

Such a move will take away any perceived bias or allegations of racial and religious discrimination.

The reality is that Hindu temples do sit on TNB reserve land, on playgrounds, and on road reserves.

But we also need to address the broader challenges faced by minority religious communities regarding land rights and freedom of worship.

While Muslims and Buddhists make up the larger number of Malaysians, let’s not forget the rights of Hindus and Christians to worship and have proper places of worship, too, as guaranteed under the Federal Constitution.

Mosques, temples, and churches are not merely places of worship but also community centres, and a living reflection of our diversity.

Free at last: A Palestinian prisoner reuniting with his family after his release. Global human rights groups and the UN have pointed out that many of the Palestinian prisoners, including children and activists, have been detained by Israel for minor or political reasons. — Reuters

IT’S good that the government has been upfront and transparent in informing the country that Malaysia will accept 15 Palestinian prisoners of war as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza.

Given the complexity and sensitivity of the matter, some countries would have wanted to keep such a move confidential and off the public radar.

But Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Hasan has, rightly, announced the decision made by Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member nations such as Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, and Pakistan in accepting some of the Palestinians.

Some of these prisoners have been detained by Israel without trial for over 20 years and will not be allowed to return to Palestine.

Several countries have been approached or have agreed to accept the prisoners released under recent ceasefire agreements between Israel and Hamas.

These agreements often stipulate that certain freed prisoners must be relocated abroad to mitigate security concerns.

It’s not just these prisoners, almost the entire population of Palestine has been driven out by Israel.

The Israelis have bombed Palestine to the ground, killed thousands, and want to move these people away from their homeland.

Palestinians walking beside the destroyed Abdul Aziz al-Khalidi mosque in Gaza. The Israelis have bombed Palestine to the ground, killing thousands. The Zionist state now wants to move these people away from their homeland. — AFP

Let’s be honest, there will be Malaysians who are apprehensive of these 15 Palestinian prisoners due to security concerns as well as misplaced prejudices and misinformation. They probably see these prisoners as “terrorists”.

From the Israeli perspective, Palestinians detainees are all “terrorists” involved in violent attacks or security-related offences, with some involved in groups like Hamas or Islamic Jihad, which Israel and the United States consider terrorist organisations.

Let’s not forget that the African National Congress led by the late Nelson Mandela was also once declared a terrorist organisation.

It has long been Israel’s practice to keep prisoners in jails without formal charges or trial. This is justified by the Zionist state as necessary to prevent imminent security threats.

From the Palestinian perspective as well that of the international community, these people are freedom fighters or simply people who are defending their rights to their homes and land, and to exist as a state.

Palestinians and human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations have pointed out that many prisoners, including children, activists, and political figures, were imprisoned for minor or political reasons.

They include “offences” such as throwing stones at Israeli soldiers or settlers, with sentences reaching several months or even years.

Many have been arrested and jailed for Facebook posts that Israel interprets as incitement.

Under what is called “administrative detention”, thousands of Palestinians have been held without trial for months or years, based on classified evidence they or their lawyers cannot see.

In July 2024, the UN Human Rights Office published a report detailing concerns about the arbitrary and incommunicado detention of thousands of Palestinians by Israeli authorities since October 2023.

They included medical staff, patients, and residents fleeing conflict and denied access to legal representation, and subjected to ill-treatment, torture and sexual abuse.

The UN has also said Israel detains 500-700 Palestinian children annually for minor offences.

In July 2012, the UN Special Committee on Israeli Practices reported that mistreatment of these children often begins from the moment of arrest. More than 10 years later, the abuses haven’t changed. In fact, they have got worse.

Many of us have probably watched too many Hollywood movies where Palestinians are painted as the bad guys, the terrorists, as part of the Israeli’s narrative on the culture of fear.

The highly popular Israeli TV series Fauda on Netflix is one example of how convincing the narrative can be.

It is understood that the 15 prisoners to be brought to Malaysia are classified as those “creating fear among Israeli citizens’’ which is always sufficient to jail thousands of Palestinians.

The bottom line is this – there is little point in talking about supporting the Palestine cause without being committed to an international movement to bring about a ceasefire there.

Attempts to find a peaceful solution are fragile and as we can see, fighting has broken out again this week. Worse, Israel has staged one of the biggest attacks against the Palestinians during the holy month of Ramadan.

My entire perspective of the Palestinians changed dramatically when I went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem two decades ago.

I saw with my own eyes how the Israelis openly bullied and abused ordinary Palestinians. Often, a simple 30-minute journey home can take hours, as they are stopped and checked, and made to stand under the scorching sun for no valid reasons.

It’s not just mosques that have been shelled but also churches, such as the 1,600-year-old Church of Saint Porphyrius, which was struck by an Israeli air strike on Oct 19, 2023, for sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians.

In 2023, the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, formerly known as the Baptist Hospital, experienced multiple attacks, resulting in the deaths of nearly 500 Palestinians and injuries to over 300.

Fighting the cause of the Palestinians will become tougher from now as countries, and even ordinary people including students in the United States, have been punished for simply speaking up.

Student activists have suddenly become terrorists. Such simplistic classification simply depends on which side you are on.

From junior to senior politician: Syed Saddiq presenting Anwar with two pairs of baju Melayu in the Parliament’s lobby recently. — Screencapture from Syed Saddiq’s TikTok account

OVER the past two weeks, I have had the pleasure and honour of joining my Muslim contacts, friends, and family members for buka puasa almost every evening.

I look forward to these get togethers as they reflect how Malaysians of all races are able to take part in each other’s religious and cultural events.

I can vouch that many of our Muslim friends have gone to great lengths to ensure that non-Muslims are seated besides Muslims, and not isolated.

At some functions, I also listened to religious personalities talk about the meaning of Ramadan and its significance, giving reminders on positive values like forgiveness, patience and tolerance.

It reminded me of my time at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia as a student when, like other non-Muslims, I had to attend a compulsory course on Islamic civilisation, which was on basic Islam and its history.

Most of us non-Muslim students had no problem with that as applicants were told beforehand that the Islamic course was not optional.

I had the experience of attending classes taught by distinguished scholars such as the late Datuk Dr Haron Din and Datuk Fadzil Noor.

At the recent iftar gatherings, political talk is often avoided, as is unproductive gossip.

But like it or not, as journalists, we always take the opportunity to catch up on current topics, especially with our VIP hosts. It must be tough on these hosts as we journalists never stop asking questions.

Without politics, the hottest topic now has to be the buzz surrounding the relationship between Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman and actress Bella Estillah.

As I am not a gossip or entertainment journalist, I find this topic a little bizarre. Surely there are more important issues to talk about – but it looks like there is no match!

In The Star’s Malay portal, mStar, stories about Syed Sadiq and Bella have garnered millions of views and likes.

Without a doubt, the former Youth and Sports minister has been widely recognised as a young, dynamic figure who has challenged traditional norms in Malaysian politics.

He is good-looking, youthful, eloquent, athletic, well-built and uses social media cleverly, which resonates well with the younger voters.

But his party, the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), hasn’t been doing well ever since he left his leadership position following his conviction for corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

His political future is now uncertain, and his political allegiances are unclear. He is not supportive of the Madani government but he is not exactly endorsing the Opposition, Perikatan Nasional, either.

But as every politician or celebrity knows, it is important to be in the news, positive or otherwise, to stay relevant. And Syed Sadiq certainly is hot news.

Pardon my ignorance, but I have to confess that I had never heard of Bella until recently. It was only when attending a buka puasa with family members in Tawau that I found out that she is a Sabahan.

No wonder our Johor lawmaker has discovered the beauty of Sabah – the scenery and the people. He was reportedly busy handing out goodies in Semporna just about two hours from Tawau that day.

And my family members were engrossed with the story of the couple, a mixture of contemporary political and pop culture, all amplified through social media.

Every bit of these two personalities is being Googled and scrutinised. Politics and entertainment have never been a good mixture, except if you are in India where the two worlds merge and actors go on to become politicians.

Struggling for answers about this phenomena, I turned to ChatGPT and DeepSeek.

ChatGPT says that this is simply a “fresh blend of politics and pop culture” and that “Malaysia is witnessing a cultural shift where the younger generation is increasingly influential in shaping public discourse. This relationship is seen as emblematic of that change.’’

It described these “viral conversations’’ as a result of platforms like Twitter and Instagram, which have “turned their relationship into a trending topic, fuelling discussions about love, modernity, and the intersection of personal and public life”.

DeepSeek has a similar view, describing it as a “crossover of politics and entertainment” adding that “this blend of two different worlds tends to attract media coverage and public curiosity’’.

Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has twice ribbed Syed Saddiq over it. Once, he asked Syed Saddiq why he was not in baju Melayu when debating in Parliament, a cheeky reference to commercial photos of the Muar MP and Bella in Malay costumes.

He did it again when Syed Saddiq presented Anwar with two pairs of baju Melayu in Parliament’s lobby.

“Bella needs to be next to me, only then I can wear it,” Anwar quipped in front of the media. A blushing Syed Saddiq replied: “Don’t tease me like that. Give me a chance.’’

The banter continued as Anwar asked if the young politician had any plans to get married.

And it all started with Syed Saddiq saying he had to become a model to promote Hari Raya clothes to raise over RM1mil in donations for his constituency which, he claims, has been denied development funds.

YB Syed Saddiq, if you are reading this, do not forget to include me in the invitation list. I will wear your baju Melayu.

Holy festival: A Hindu devotee carrying a kavadi during Thaipusam at the Kallumal Arulmigu Subramaniar Temple in Gunung Cheroh, Ipoh. — Bernama

THE action against three Era FM radio hosts, who were featured in a TikTok video mocking a Hindu religious festival, has been swift.

The DJs – Nabil Ahmad, Azad Jasmin, and Radin Amir Effendi Ahmad Arunani – who had made fun of the Thaipusam kavadi dance while chanting “Vel Vel” have been suspended by their station.

With over 70 police reports against them, they have been hauled up by police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

The MCMC has also issued a notice of intent to suspend Era FM’s licence with the licensee given 30 days to submit a response before a final decision is made.

This is probably the strongest move made against a radio station by MCMC, which governs digital and electronic platforms. The print media comes under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry.

Let’s hope that tempers will cool down now.

The DJs have also apologised profusely through social media and have gone to meet the Batu Caves Temple Committee.

I am sure they regret their childish antics, probably done without thinking about the repercussions.

Regretful: The Era FM deejays have also apologised profusely through social media and have gone to meet the Batu Caves Temple Committee. — Screencap from Sivakumar Nadraja’s Facebook page

To be suspended indefinitely as well as awaiting the decisions of the police and Attorney-General’s Office must surely be tormenting.

The key figure in the video is Azad @ Jazmin John Louis Jefri. He has admitted that he was wrong, and that he had hurt the Indian community, including his family members. He has reportedly told Kosmo! that he is of Indian descent.

It is hoped that the open apology, police investigation, suspension, and warning to the DJs’ employer will end this issue.

There is no point in suspending the licence of the radio operator over the silliness of three persons. A fine and a warning will be sufficient.

The three have taken responsibility for their actions. Any form of debate, challenges, and polemic now will be unproductive and unnecessary.

Kosmo! also quoted a lawyer claiming that, from his observation, it was not someone mimicking the kavadi dance but the entrance of a Muay Thai boxer into the ring.

The lawyer’s claim was hardly convincing. If anything, it insults the intelligence of Malaysians and he certainly doesn’t warrant space, whether in print or on a digital platform.

The issue, like most religious and political ones, has divided the nation.

While many angry Hindus want strong action against the three, others, including those in Muslim circles, claim the authorities have been slow in acting against those who insult Islam.

The thing is, many non-Muslims, unfortunately, also feel the same, claiming that the government is slow in acting against those who insult their religions.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, meanwhile, has reminded all parties not to exploit opportunities to incite negative racial sentiments and sow seeds of hatred.

The Prime Minister’s senior press secretary Tunku Nashrul Abaidah said Anwar was aware of malicious attempts by certain groups to create the perception of “double standards” in enforcement actions.

He pointed out that comedian Harith Iskander and social media user Cecelia Yap were each fined RM10,000 for uploading offensive content and comments that insulted Islam.

Tunku Nashrul also cited as another example the action against KK Mart and its supplier, who were fined RM60,000 each for the sale of socks with word “Allah” on them.

Managing race relations has always been difficult for the authorities. In the past, the fear of the Internal Security Act was enough to send fear to those who exploited the 3Rs – race, religion and royalty – issues.

The ISA, with its indefinite detention, was effective but was also horribly exploited by the government as even its critics were jailed. It became a political tool.

In the era of print, it was also easier to tame the media and some found their printing permits revoked. The world of the Internet and social media has made things different, and much more difficult.

The authorities certainly must act against religious and political figures, regardless of their faiths, for any hurtful comments made against other religions or communities. Some are said to be “serial critics”.

There is no reason and justification for anyone to put down other religions. It is as if they need to prove to their peers or congregations that they are more religious or more ethical, especially if they are converts.

These personalities wouldn’t be allowed any space in mainstream newspapers previously, but social media has given them an open platform.

Comments from online users on some platforms are also racially disturbing and the comments do not seem to be moderated. The owners of these platforms do not know – or do not seem to care – that they are legally responsible.

In 2021, news portal Malaysiakini was fined RM500,000 over some readers’ comments.

The Federal Court ruled that Malaysiakini’s operator, Mkini Dot Com Sdn Bhd, was liable over its facilitation of five readers’ remarks against the judiciary on its website.

Many religious and political personalities have grown more influential, as hate content always garners more clicks. It’s an online strategy that works.

This has been proven via algorithm research, and the growth of right-wing politics in the West.

“YouTubers who were particularly intent on gaining attention noticed that when they posted an outrageous video full of lies, the algorithm rewarded them by recommending the video to numerous users and increasing the YouTubers’ popularity and income,” wrote award winning author Yuval Noah Harari in his bestseller Nexus (2024).

“In contrast, when they dialed down the outrage and struck to the truth, the algorithm tended to ignore them.”

Some hardliners are said to have their own news portals to give a religious or racial angle to Malaysian politics, which, unfortunately, heightens the political temperature, usually with the Madani government as their target.

These hardliners can reach out to a larger audience as they are able to direct their narrative via their portals.

To put it bluntly, they don’t need the media. They get larger audiences than all the mainstream media.

Then there are some new news portals run by people with no editorial background or training, or possibly no understanding of legal implications. They too have contributed to raising the racial temperature.

The authorities will be sending a wrong message to Malaysians if these people are seen to be untouchables or even tolerated, despite their seemingly serial offences.

In the case of the three DJs at least, they should just be regarded as ignorant and foolish personalities, without any political ill will or negative religious intentions.

They surely have learnt their lesson, and we should move on, but the authorities should now move in on the serial recalcitrants.

We must not allow trivial matters to undermine our strength and uniqueness at a time when Malaysia is growing and on a promising trajectory, as Tunku Nashrul put it. Well said.

Growing potential: Modern farming methods including the use of drones will help the farmers in Kedah hit their targets. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

LET’S give credit where it’s due.

Previous prime ministers have talked about helping padi farmers, giving endless speeches on how farmers should increase their yield and production.

But it has largely remained empty talk.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, however, is the first to walk the talk. He has announced an allocation of RM1bil to kick start the “five padi planting seasons in two years” plan from this month, with RM5bil as the overall figure.

The project, covering 11,000ha of fields in the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (Mada) area, is expected to increase padi yield by 15% and the income of 6,100 padi farmers by 43%.

The entire cost of the project, to be carried out in stages, will come up to RM5.376bil and the Federal Government hopes it will be a game changer.

What needs to be mentioned here is that the Mada area is in Kedah, which is under a PAS government.

The population who will benefit, including the farmers, are pre­­do­­minantly Malays who probably support the Islamist state government.

But politics has not been allowed to be a stumbling block to the efforts to improve the livelihood of farmers, who may not even cast a vote for the Madani government.

The PM has rightly put aside politics and focused instead on the potential advantages, including increased productivity within the same amount of time, while increasing the farmers’ income. If successful, it will mean economic stability throughout the years.

Besides helping to reduce the financial instability that often comes with seasonal farming, it could also encourage younger people to take up padi farming as a livelihood and not equate it to poverty.

Modern farming methods, including the use of drones, will help the farmers hit their targets.

Beside training school-leavers to be drone pilots, there will be other jobs created, both directly in farming and in related sectors such as transportation, processing, and marketing.

The spin-off can also include agrotourism, which has been successfully implemented by farmers in Sekinchan, Selangor.

There is no shame in the Kedah farmers learning from their counterparts in Selangor. Joint ventures can also be mooted.

The government has in fact encouraged the use of agricultural technology to boost rice yields through the Ala Sekinchan Large-Scale Smart Padi Field (SMART SBB) programme.

The “five seasons in two years” project will also mean better utilisation of resources, as more frequent planting cycles can lead to more efficient use of land, water, and other agri- cultural inputs. This can maximise the productivity of the available farmland.

It will also help Malaysia reduce its food import bill. Malaysia’s food imports hit RM71.6bil in 2023, with grains and grain products alone making up RM10.84bil.

Imports of animal feed material came up to RM7.85bil, while meat and meat products amounted to RM6.61bil.

We imported 1,358,718 tonnes of rice in 2024 from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Myan-mar, Pakistan, South Korea, Thai-land, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Spain.

If the Kedah farmers hit their targets, it will help cut our import bills and contribute to national food security by ensuring a more consistent and reliable supply of rice, Malaysia’s dietary staple.

There’s much to be done, though. The farmers will need plenty of support and help for modern farming, including training, infrastructure development, research and development, and market competitiveness.

A huge amount of money has been allocated and there is no room for failure. It will require careful planning, investment in infrastructure, and adoption of advanced agricultural practices.

There are other factors such as water availability, soil health, and climate conditions that must be carefully managed to ensure the success of this initiative.

Most importantly, Kedah must put politics aside, and forget those claims that it has been left out of development.

Dangerous for the waistline: For many Malaysian men, the main sweet loving they are getting is from the sugary drinks and delicious local food. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

MOST Malaysian men, adult, older and reasonably better off, must have read with interest and great amusement a report that listed Malaysia as having the third largest number of sugar daddies in Asia.

Malaysia, it seems, has 32,000 sugar daddies – we’re tied with Japan. India tops the list with a whopping 338,000 sugar daddies while Indonesia came in second with 60,250.

As with many postings on social media, one should never take such claims too seriously.

Sugar daddies, of course, refer to wealthy older men who provide gifts and money to younger girls (sometimes boys) in exchange for companionship or sexual favours.

If I am not mistaken, this is the second time this news has gone viral. The survey was said to be carried out by a media company in 10 countries in Asia.

As expected, no one knows the methodology, margin of error, and number of respondents but no one cares in the wild, wild, world of social media. It’s the heading and clicks that matter.

It was also not surprising that Singapore portal 8days.sg put up a follow-up with the heading “Singapore Did Not Make It onto List of Top 10 Asian Countries With Most Sugar Daddies’.’

I am not sure if there was a tinge of regret in the report on Feb 9, which said, almost sadly: “Singapore, however, did not make the cut”.

“While the methodology of the survey was never revealed, netizens suggest that the data had been pulled based on where the users live.

“We can’t help but wonder if this means our population is just too small in comparison or maybe, just maybe, Singaporeans are just not into sugar daddy-baby relationships.

“Though seasia.stats claimed the survey was done by Seeking.com, previously knowing as Seeking Arrangement, the dating site subsequently clarified with 8days.sg that they ‘have not released any statistical data on numbers in Asia’.’’

So we don’t really know if Malaysia has that many sugar daddies. What we know for certain, however, is that we have the highest number of diabetic cases in Asia. Malaysia is in the top five in the world. And we can assume the figures would include many wealthy older men.

It has been reported that Malaysia has the highest rate of diabetes in the Western Pacific region and one of the highest in the world, with approximately one in five adults reporting high sugar readings.

An article by Monash University on Nov 14, 2024, said diabetes in Malaysia was at an epidemic level and described it as alarming. “More than 11% of Malaysians have pre-diabetes, a condition characterised by an elevated blood glucose level.’’

So there you go. Older Malaysian men have bigger sugar problems to worry about.

We are definitely very sweet people, but we also blame the Bangladeshis and Indians at mamak restaurants who continue to bring us sweet, sweet teh tarik despite our continuous instructions for less sugar. “Kurang manis, ya, bang!”

It has now risen to become a serious situation that warrants the attention of the National Security Council. The authorities need to even investigate possible elements of sabotage against Malaysians, with sugar used as a weapon.

Malaysian women are under attack in a different way. It seems Pakistani men are now marrying them, especially the Kelantanese women who are renowned for being attractive.

Kelantan Immigration Department director Mohamed Yusoff Khan was quoted as saying the data is based on the number of applications for Social Visit (Long Term) Passes by foreigners.

So where have all the Kelantanese men gone? Off to Thailand, according to Mohamed Yusoff, to marry Thai women.

We may be the Chair of Asean but this is taking neighbourly love a little too far.

Then there is another ridiculous news report, which was also started on social media and unnecessarily picked up by the mainstream media, which claimed that Kuala Lumpur was the most dangerous city in South-East Asia, and fifth most dangerous in Asia.

This is, apparently, according to Numbeo’s Crime Index 2025. Again, no one knows the criteria for such measurements, which is seriously damaging to Kuala Lumpur and the other cities mentioned. None of the Malaysian media took the trouble to challenge or question the index.

Klang was listed as a dangerous town. It may not be the cleanest nor the best organised but crime-infested? I don’t think so. I am sure there are far worse townships elsewhere.

But Klang certainly is dangerous – for the waistline. The food is dangerously good, especially its famed bak kut teh.

Just about anyone can come up with any claims or surveys on social media and create news out of it. Perceptions and opinions from crowd-based data seem to have become prevalent now.

Malaysians who travel frequently can tell you that Kuala Lumpur is far, far safer than London or Paris where your chances of getting robbed or pick-pocketed are higher.

This would include having your phones snatched or your bags stolen in London’s Underground or in shops.

There is also indifference by the cops or shop security guards there. They often take a “you should have known better’’ attitude, which shouts “you deserve it’’ as you share your frustrations with them.

Then there is the Notting Hill Carnival, an annual Caribbean festival in London where people get beaten up or even killed almost every year. The record of the police in ensuring safety at the parade is pathetic.

Really, we all must learn to be cautious with such social media reports. Take them with a pinch of salt. No sugar, of course.