Category: Opinion

AS the echoes of fireworks and patriotic songs from our recent Merdeka celebrations fade into memory, we Malaysians turn our gaze towards Malaysia Day on Sept 16. It is a time when the red, white, yellow and blue of our Jalur Gemilang flutter proudly in the breeze, reminding us of the federation that binds our… Continue reading Repaying our beloved Malaysia

THERE is something wonderfully ridiculous about paying good money to be terrified. We avoid fear in real life – checking the back seats of our cars, pretending we did not hear that creak upstairs but the moment a horror movie hits the big screen, there we are, willingly lining up, popcorn in hand, ready to… Continue reading The delicious fear that keeps us alive

TOO many adults carry a secret they never asked to hold. They were touched, molested or assaulted as children. Some have buried it so deep they barely think of it; others live with the shame every single day. What they share is silence – a silence that protects the perpetrator, never the child. This is… Continue reading When silence protects the wrong people

REFLECTING on Malaysia’s 68-year journey of nation-building fills me with both joy and sadness. Our country is a living laboratory of pluralism – multiracial, multireligious and multilingual – a near-perfect mosaic. Malaysia’s greatest test has always been its greatest gift: our stunning diversity. We are a nation of many faiths, languages and traditions. Yet, this… Continue reading Living with virtue in a Malaysian mosaic

Q: I am a busy working man. I know I should be spending more time with my family, and I really want to. But I am stumped as to how I can fit it all in; I have no room for anything else. What can I do? Focus on the Family Malaysia: There is a… Continue reading Finding better work-life balance

YOU scroll through TikTok for what feels like only five minutes. Suddenly, there is a scarf, a phone case and a Korean skincare product in your cart – and before you know it, you have paid. These are items you never even considered before but a 30-second video convinced you otherwise. If this sounds familiar,… Continue reading Why short videos trigger shopping

IN the not-so-distant past, the term “conference” would summon images of fluorescent-lit ballrooms, with stiff chairs and a parade of PowerPoint presentations. However, that image is quickly being replaced by something more flexible, immersive and forward-thinking. Now, the world, including Malaysia, is witnessing a transformation in how conferences and meetings are conceptualised and conducted, where… Continue reading New age of conferences, meetings

SOCIAL and Economic Research Initiative (Seri) welcomes the Madani government’s continued commitment to relieve cost-of-living pressures through Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara). In 2025, Sara broadened access to essential goods nationwide via MyKad, expanded eligible item categories, and raised targeted support for poor and hardcore poor households – up to RM2,100 annually – while also extending… Continue reading Seri calls for fixes to restore trust in SARA aid

WHEN the floodwaters reached the roofs of kampung houses in Kuala Krai, no one needed a scientific report to know the climate crisis had arrived. As the global climate emergency deepens, nations are being called to act not just responsibly but also decisively. Malaysia, with its relatively low unemployment rate of 3.3% as of early… Continue reading Turning green into gold

AS world leaders, including Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, converged in Tientsin recently for what non-Western media are describing as an unprecedented, pivotal and potentially transformative meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), their counterparts in the Western world have responded with slanted and partisan reporting. This arises in part from their long-held… Continue reading SCO: Key brick in emerging multipolar global order

THERE is a narrative going around that Gen Z entered the workforce at the worst possible time. A pandemic disrupted their education. A recession tightened job markets. And now, just as they are trying to find their footing, artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of every industry. But what if we have got the story… Continue reading Gen Z did not miss the boat; they are building a new one

MALAYSIA’S fight against tobacco is entering a troubling new phase. While the country has made commendable progress in reducing cigarette smoking among teenagers, a new and insidious trend has emerged – vaping. Marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes, vaping is gaining popularity among adolescents, threatening to undermine national public health goals under the 13th… Continue reading Vape wave: Teens face new threat

LET’S talk about a modern Malaysian tragedy – no, not the potholes or the price of kopi ais, though those are scandalous too. I am talking about food wastage. You know, that beautiful spread of lauk at a kenduri or buffet lines longer than a queue for free iPhones, and three hours later, plates are… Continue reading Stop playing with your nasi

AUGUST usually paints Malaysia in stripes and stars. Cars sprout mini Jalur Gemilangs like festive feelers, shopfronts glow with patriotic bunting and offices quietly compete to see whose entrance looks the most Merdeka-ready. From highways to hawker stalls, the flag has always been everywhere. This year, though, it feels different. The colours are there but… Continue reading When pride feels like pressure

Q: I am a newly married stepmother trying to build family connections but my husband’s children are not exactly warming up to me. What can I do? Focus on the Family Malaysia: Being a stepmother may be one of the toughest jobs a woman can have. It can take a long time for children to… Continue reading Building bonds through respect

IN light of recent developments and growing concerns about bullying in Malaysia, we must learn to recognise the signs of harm that are not immediately visible. Bullying is often associated with physical violence, yet some of its most damaging forms leave no marks on the body. Non-physical bullying, often referred to as silent bullying, can… Continue reading Silent bullying just as harmful

IT is hard to believe that 68 years have passed since our nation first stood free on that historic day, Aug 31, 1957. On every Merdeka anniversary, I can’t help but reflect not only on the major milestones of our nation’s progress but also on the small moments of my own life that have been… Continue reading Reflections on 68 years of Merdeka

THE recent revelation of a doctor’s appalling living conditions in Sabah – after years of battling severe depression brought on by workplace bullying – is, sadly, not as shocking as it ought to be. This is just another troubling reminder of the lack of compassion and empathy within Malaysia’s healthcare sector. As a society, we… Continue reading Beneath the white coat: Bullying, burnout and a broken system

SILENCE once arrived without effort. It was there on long bus rides with nothing but the scenery to notice, in evenings broken only by the eight o’clock news and around family tables where conversation unfolded without interruption. Today, silence is almost extinct. Phones buzz before sunrise, messages arrive past midnight and we carry an endless… Continue reading Time to reclaim the sound of silence

GROWING up in a multicultural country as vibrant as Malaysia equips us with a deep sense of love for the nation’s rich tapestry of cultures. Our diversity is something we wear proudly and it is reflected in the harmony of our everyday lives. Malaysians of all backgrounds queue up for the same nasi lemak and… Continue reading Jalur Gemilang: The heartbeat of the nation

TODAY’S young people are living through a time of profound global challenges. Conflicts continue to uproot families, hunger remains widespread and millions of children face uncertain futures. This year’s International Youth Day theme, “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, calls attention to the vital role that young people can play in turning global… Continue reading From hunger to hope: Empowering youths as changemakers

EVERY year, Malaysians celebrate Independence Day on Aug 31. Not long after, Malaysia Day is commemorated on Sept 16. While the former marks the birth of a sovereign nation free from colonial rule, the latter celebrates the formation of the broader Malaysian Federation in 1963, when Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak came together. Since achieving independence… Continue reading Not every issue is about race

PERHAPS the most cynicism-producing event of the year was the rush by seven European leaders to Washington to lend support to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his meeting with President Donald Trump, following the latter’s summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to try to end the war in Ukraine. European leaders joining the meeting included… Continue reading Europe’s peace rhetoric a facade

THE proposed Urban Renewal Bill, tabled in Parliament, has the potential to reshape our cities and towns for future generations. If done right, it can revitalise neglected urban areas, spur economic growth and improve the quality of life for residents. However, the law must strike a fair balance between the interests of all stakeholders –… Continue reading Rebuilding cities with fairness, vision

“TEACHING is the one profession that creates all other professions.” This age-old adage speaks volumes about the profound impact educators have on the world. If teaching shapes all other professions, then educators are the architects of the future. They don’t just impart academic knowledge; they also mould the attitudes, values and behaviours that shape the… Continue reading Behind every profession is an educator

IN our increasingly digitised world, technology is not just a convenience; it has become essential to communication, learning, work and civic participation. While some can navigate digital spaces with ease, many others remain sidelined. This disparity, known as the digital divide, is no longer about access to devices or the internet; it also includes gaps… Continue reading Ensure digital inclusion for all

AWARENESS campaigns are the adult version of “I’ll start my diet on Monday”. We keep promising action but end up printing posters instead. Bullying? Roll out a banner. Road safety? Launch a hashtag. Climate change? Invite a sweaty panda mascot to dance at a mall. Meanwhile, the only real change is in the quality of… Continue reading Posters don’t stop bullies, actions do

I HAVE never been a mother, so I cannot profess to knowing what it is like to bring up a child or children. However, I do know what it is like to be a child and, as an adult, what it feels like to look back on my childhood and see all the dysfunction and… Continue reading Unconscious parenting and the invisible wounds they inflict

WHEN I was in school, bullying was there – the name-calling, the pushing in corridors, the whispered jokes about my looks or background. I still carry those memories, though I rarely speak of them. But what I see today feels different – darker, more vicious. And unlike in my time, it is starting earlier, spreading… Continue reading Normalising cruelty at our own peril

I THINK I have lived long enough to see both progress and heartbreak in this country. And I am still here. Still holding the same red passport, still standing up when Negaraku plays – wherever and whenever – and still quietly hopeful even when things don’t go the way I wish they would. Loving Malaysia,… Continue reading Love you Malaysia and all your perfect imperfections

MY wife and I are expecting our first child. I am anxious to be a dad but also intimidated. My father was not a good role model, so I feel pretty clueless about this whole parenting thing. Please help. Focus on the Family Malaysia: Author Kent Nerburn once said, “It is much easier to become… Continue reading Fatherhood: Less about fixing, more about guidance