Malaysians have remained happy with cheap diesel, petrol, cooking oil, flour, rice, and other food items, but the bill has now gone out of control. — AFP

THIS is obviously poor timing for the head of government of any country since they must all deal with the rising cost of living that has affected people across the globe for the past few years.

Voters in democracies are angry with politicians and have displayed their disillusionment by dismissing their governments.

Although hardly the best option, right wing parties have been voted in across Europe, and Donald Trump potentially getting re-elected in the United States should no longer be shocking.

Daily news reports abound about protests against sharp price increases of food items, new taxes – which in Kenya even included an eventually scrapped bread tax. Rocketing inflation rates are hogging just as many newsbytes.

The World Economic Forum reported that one in four adults in 11 developed countries is struggling with financial issues. In Britain, one in seven adults can’t afford to eat every day.

The sad truth is the Russia-Ukraine War has detrimentally impacted the world as food production and distribution have taken a beating, leading to a global crisis in the cost of living. Ukraine is one of the world’s top agricultural producers and exporters, especially of oilseed and grains.Forbes reported that the rising cost of living remains a prominent concern across the United States with surveys indicating that Americans rank inflation as one of the top problems facing their country. As prices continue to soar in nearly every aspect of life, from groceries to transportation to housing, it seems sticky inflation has a hand in everything.

Closer to home, Singapore is the most expensive city to live in in Asean, and even the world, with a score of 85.9 out of 100 on Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index. It’s on par with Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Unless Malaysians working in Singapore are willing to commute daily from Johor Baru, their hard-earned income will invariably go to expensive rental and basic commodities on the island.

There’s a difference between the cost of living and living standards. Waking up at 4am daily to get ready to cross the Strait of Johor is surely the best option if one has nothing else to choose from.

Living in a tiny flat in HK, Singapore or Tokyo isn’t a high standard of living, but owning a landed property with several rooms, two cars or more, and a maid, in KL or JB, is certainly a good living, even with lower wages.But for many Malaysians living on RM2,000 to RM5,000 in KL with families to feed, it’s a genuine struggle.

Ahead of Budget 2025, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged that the rising cost of living is still present and affecting the public, although he said oil, flour and sugar were relatively cheaper.

When Anwar took office as PM in 2022, he announced that his primary focus would be the cost of living and a slowing economy.Anwar’s commitment shouldn’t be doubted, but two years later, it must be apparent to him that it’s not easy dealing with those issues since voters are now displaying their unhappiness towards his Madani government.

For decades, Malaysia’s inflation rate has been kept artificially low because of heavy subsidies from the government.

Malaysians have remained happy with cheap diesel, petrol, cooking oil, flour, rice, and other food items, but the bill has now gone out of control.

The price of diesel has gone up as the government cuts subsidies, which has caused much consternation.

The reality is the subsidy bill alone has risen 10-fold from RM1.4bil in 2019 to RM14.3bil in 2023.The government reduced its subsidy payout last month to save about RM4bil annually, with the savings expected to be redirected to low-income groups.

But I doubt low-income Malaysians who are struggling to put food on the table care for the government’s subsidy rationalisation exercise.

It may be the right thing to do by the Madani government, but not many are going to be convinced.

Of course, Anwar could take the easy way out by allowing the subsidy bill to balloon, but that would do this country a great injustice.

An adjustment in the RON95 subsidy is anticipated in the coming months after the impact of the diesel subsidy cuts has been assessed.Bernama reported that the adjustment was expected to be small, like the retail pricing of diesel fuel, quoting the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research executive director Anthony Dass.

“We need to look at the impact of the diesel subsidy rationalisation, so we probably need to give it a three- to six-month grace period. We need to look at the impact analysis first, and how the people are adjusting. From that, the government can make the next adjustment to the RON 95 [petrol subsidy],” Dass said.

The price adjustment for RON 95 petrol is expected to come into effect “closer to October” as this would give the government more time to look at the impact analysis, he added.

However, the RM8bil in savings from fuel subsidies may only be realised next year, depending on the quantum and duration of the fuel price adjustment. More could also be saved if the RON 95 subsidy rationalisation happens this year, according to a TA Securities report.

We can expect another round of political criticisms with the replay of past populist promises by government leaders to reduce the price of oil after forming the next government.

It’s always easy for politicians to make wild promises when in the Opposition, but reality bites when they’re in government. Talk is cheap, goes the adage.

There are also legacy issues inherited by the Madani government – the government has repaid RM13.3bil of 1MDB’s debt so far.“As at Dec 31, 2021, 1MDB’s outstanding debt, comprising principal and coupons/profit for bonds and Sukuk, amounted to RM38. 81 billion,” said Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz in 2022.

The recovered money from 1MDB is only enough to pay off the principal amount of the debt still owed by the firm this year.

1MDB raised billions of dollars in bonds, ostensibly for investment projects and joint ventures, between 2009 and 2013.

Basically, while billions have been stolen from 1MDB, Malaysia must still settle its debts!

Imagine how much of these billions could have been used to pay our subsidy bills, build schools, hospitals, homes and rail links.

It will not be easy to explain the necessity for subsidy rationalisation, the impact of US Fed interest rates on the ringgit, and the long-haul cost of 1MDB to our economy at ceramahs, yet all of us will have to grin and bear it.

There’s no rosy picture and a miracle isn’t looming either. The government needs to boost its communications strategy urgently as perception is everything in politics. Likewise, communication.

United in sports: The Olympic rings in the Place du Trocadéro in Paris. Malaysians of all races will be looking forward to seeing the country’s contingent marching into the stadium come July 26. — ANN JEA/Wikimedia Commons

I CAN’T wait for the Olympic Games in Paris to begin. Like for many people around the world, and not just in Malaysia, most of us are sick of feuding politicians as well as leaders who’re clueless about retirement.

At least the sporting spectacle offers temporary respite as we shift our attention elsewhere during that 17-day period.

Political toxicity is suffocating us, yet we’re guilty of our obsession with politics.

If there’s a gold medal for the most daily political messages on social media, Malaysia could earn a good haul in Paris.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, there is none, but we’ll cheer our Malaysian team on in Paris for good reason.

It will be a showcase of athletic prowess and sportsmanship, excellence, friendship, and respect. The Games will also be a tapestry of cultures, and a display of diversity and unity.

The competition aside, we all look forward to the roll call of the countries, when most athletes will appear decked in their colourful traditional costumes and bearing flags at the opening and closing ceremonies. It often feels like humanity is still intact with the joy brought about by the sight of people on this planet coming together.

For Malaysians, we always wait with bated breath for our contingent to march into the stadium as we attempt to identify our athletes.

Regardless of our races and religions, we’re consumed by pride at the sight of our team and the Jalur Gemilang.

Simply put, sports brings people together. We rally behind our Harimau Malaya emotionally each time they take to the pitch.

But we also respect our competitors. Rivalry brings out the best during competition. And it’s not about foul play or destruction, either. That’s why the players of competing teams shake hands before and after matches.

Likewise, our Malaysian football league not only provides the best footballing entertainment from each state but is also a platform for the best talent to be spotted and earn selection for the national team.

With the Olympics, there are three important elements. In Latin, they are citius (faster), altius (higher), and fortius (stronger), all expressions of excellence in sports.

But as Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee said, “We can go faster, we can only aim higher, we can only become stronger by standing together – in solidarity.”

I’m a hardcore Arsenal supporter, and I can’t stand the sight of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs. But I won’t condone any form of hooliganism, thuggery, or violence against them. Rivalry must never get out of hand.

There’s another area of interest which always brings people together, and that is music. It creates a sense of shared experience and emotional connection, as one report quoting researchers revealed.

It said when people listen to music together or dance to it, they feel a sense of unity and belonging, and that music can serve as a source of hope and healing, especially in times of conflict and reconciliation.

Michael Jackson’s Heal The World and its call to make the world a better place has certainly conveyed that message to the world more effectively than all the heads of states put together.

The 1991 hit song is steeped in antiwar lyrics and Jackson’s hope for humanity’s betterment, a theme that has remained relevant. It can also be viewed from the perspective of saving the world from environmental destruction.

I get goose pimples each time I hear Ella’s Standing In The Eyes Of The World, which makes me feel enormously proud to be Malaysian.

It was chosen as the theme song for the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, but that patriotic song has remained pertinent to remind all of us to unite as Malaysia.

Sheila has always managed to bring all Malaysians, regardless of their races, together at her sold-out concerts. — Handout

Sheila Majid – my all-time favourite Malaysian singer – has successfully managed to bring all Malaysians, regardless of their races, together at her sold-out concerts. It’s such a joy to see multiracial Malaysia under one roof.

Malaysia’s favourite son, Sudirman Hj Arshad had that same innate ability, and his famous Chow Kit concert in Kuala Lumpur in 1986 stands the test of time as one of those glorious moments of wholesome unity in Malaysian history.

Sudirman’s famous free concert on Chow Kit Road, Kuala Lumpur, on April 15, 1986, drew some 100,000 fans of all races. — Filepic/The Star

While few Malaysian artistes have been able to generate that kind of emotion, the Alleycats, a non-Malay band which sings Malay songs, is certainly cut from the same cloth.

The recently concluded Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak has become an important date in the calendar of global music as an annual celebration of culture, music and nature.

Bravo to the Sarawak state government for hosting this festival, which has brought together various cultures from around the world to Malaysia to showcase their music and heritage.

In Selangor and Penang, the Japanese embassy and its community must be commended for observing the annual Bon Odori festival.

The event, which began as an understated affair in 1977 for Japanese expatriates to immerse their children in their culture, has today become a much-awaited annual celebration for over 30,000 people, one report said.

Then, in 2022, the PAS leadership issued a directive to Muslims to keep clear of the Japanese cultural fiesta in Shah Alam. However, the Sultan of Selangor, as the head of Islam in the state, ordered the festival to proceed and even instructed state religious department officials to attend.

That’s what happens when politics comes into play, and it’s worse when religion is used as a reason.

PAS was upset when Coldplay played in Kuala Lumpur last November, even though the group is known for its pro-Palestinian stand — the Islamist party’s grouse is the British band’s pro- LGBTQ stand. Thankfully, no one gave two hoots to PAS as the band played to a full house at the National Stadium.

If that’s the PAS argument, it’s going to be hard finding a Western artiste that’s not similarly aligned because in the countries they come from, it’s politically correct to adopt that stand.

Going by PAS logic, their leaders won’t even be meeting world leaders such as Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is openly gay, and many heads of states and governments, including those from Andorra, Belgium, France, Iceland, Ireland and Luxembourg. Looks like PAS leaders will only meet their counterparts from the Taliban, which is all that’s left.

Bruno Mars has now found himself in a pickle for his expression of love for his Israeli fans during his two-day concert in Tel Aviv last October.

He reportedly said he loved Tel Aviv, but some social media users have interpreted that as an endorsement of Zionists, unaware that there are also secular and Muslim Arabs with Israeli passports.

His concert in KL scheduled for September has received mixed reactions, with calls for him to make his stand known.

It’s currently not a bed of roses for musicians, but if Mars finally performs here, it’s certain he will say “I love Kuala Lumpur” and “let’s make some noise KL”, which are the standard rallying calls used by all foreign musicians, even if they don’t really mean it.

But, of course, KL will love Mars if he speaks up against genocide, ethnic cleansing, and humanitarian disaster. One cannot talk about love and yet turn a blind eye to what’s happening in Palestine.

Again, we watch these games and concerts simply because we enjoy them and the spirit of solidarity they elicit. That’s all.

So let’s not make life more complicated than it already is. As John Lennon said, Give Peace A Chance, and politicians, please just stay at home if you find concerts offensive or deem them “tempat maksiat” for promoting “hedonism”, which are the routinely recycled catch phrases PAS uses.

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.