Sorry Karen, the World Doesn’t Owe You a Personal Assistant

An Open Letter to the Chronically Churlish & Professionally Offended

Well, well, well. If it isn’t you again. Yes, YOU—the one currently rehearsing your Oscar-worthy performance of outrage because the avocado in your overpriced toast dared to be slightly less photogenic than the Instagram post that lured you here. Do you feel that? That subtle tension in the air? That’s not the universe conspiring against you, sweetheart. That’s called reality—and it’s time you checked into it.

Let’s get one thing straight, Karen—and yes, we’re using the name, because let’s be honest, you’ve EARNED it—the world is not your personal assistant. That beleaguered barista? Not your emotional support human. The retail associate? Not your Google-search lackey. The customer service agent? Absolutely not your verbal punching bag because your...

Broken Promises: When Will Politicians Learn?

If I had a ringgit for every broken promise a politician made, I wouldn’t need EPF withdrawals — I’d be sipping coconut water on my private island while watching parliament on livestream for entertainment. But alas, here we are, still being serenaded by leaders who treat manifestos like tissue paper: useful during campaigns, flushed away right after.

Politicians promise us the moon, the stars, and occasionally a free laptop for every student. Then, once elected, they downgrade those celestial bodies into “pending studies,” “technical difficulties,” and everyone’s favorite line: “We never said when it would happen.” Ah yes, the fine print of political promises: everything is deliverable in some distant galaxy, just not in your lifetime.

Remember the pledges of cheaper petrol? Housing for all? Transparent governance? Well, the petrol got...

Malaysia’s Political Circus: Are We the Clowns?

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, step right up! The circus is in town, and no, I don’t mean the one with trapeze artists and lion tamers. I’m talking about Malaysia’s very own political big top, where the ringmasters wear tailored suits, the juggling act is our economy, and the clowns… well, let’s just say the makeup is optional.

Every election season, the tents go up, the banners flap in the wind, and the performers march in with promises shinier than sequined costumes. “Vote for us and you’ll get cheaper petrol! Better schools! Free this, subsidized that!” It’s all confetti and fireworks until the show is over — then the cotton candy machine breaks down, the elephants stampede through the budget, and suddenly, the ticket prices (read: taxes) go up.

But here’s the thing: the circus only stays open because we, the rakyat, keep...

The Echo Chamber Effect: How Social Media Is Polarizing Malaysia

Once upon a time, Malaysians would argue over teh tarik at the mamak stall. Uncle would slam his fist about politics, auntie would shake her head about prices at the market, and someone would eventually change the subject to football just to save the table from flipping. At least then, the arguments ended with roti canai, laughter, and maybe one or two unpaid bills. Today? We’ve traded mamak stalls for Facebook walls, and what was once healthy banter has mutated into digital trench warfare.

Welcome to the echo chamber — that marvelous invention of social media where your beliefs are not only protected but wrapped in bubble wrap, kissed on the forehead, and tucked into bed. Every opinion you post is cheered by people who already agree with you, while those who dare disagree are swiftly unfriended, blocked, or roasted with...

Are We Truly United, or Just Pretending?

Unity. Such a noble word, isn’t it? Rolls off the tongue with the smoothness of a politician’s handshake and the hollowness of his promises. Every year, we are serenaded with slogans about how “together we stand, divided we fall.” Yet, if you lean in closer, you’ll notice that half the people shouting unity are busy digging pits for the other half to fall into.

Let’s be honest: unity in our society today is a lot like that family reunion where everyone smiles for the group photo, but Auntie May is secretly furious at Uncle Joe for never returning her Tupperware, and Cousin Ali only showed up for the free buffet. United? Sure. But only in pretense, in photographs, and in hashtags. Once the cameras stop clicking, the “togetherness” disintegrates faster than cheap glue in the rain.

We love parading our unity when it’s convenient. On National Day...

WHY DO WE, THE RAKYAT, HAVE TO SACRIFICE OUR LUNGS AND OUR CHILDREN’S HEALTH FOR THE PROFITS OF A FEW CORRUPT CONGLOMERATES ACROSS BORDERS, WHILE OUR POLITICIANS OFFER NOTHING BUT THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS?

By Outraged Citizen Reporter, Kuala Lumpur – August 23, 2025

Oh, here we go again, folks! The choking, eye-watering haze is back with a vengeance, blanketing our skies like a toxic blanket straight from hell. As of late July 2025, NASA satellites have spotted a massive surge in fire hotspots across Indonesia, with thick smoke drifting right over to Malaysia, turning our once-clear air into a hazardous soup.  And who suffers? Us, the rakyat – the everyday Malaysians coughing up a storm, shielding our kids from playgrounds turned poison zones, and watching our elderly wheeze through another “seasonal” nightmare. But why? Why must we pay the price with our health while fat-cat...

Let’s just call it what it is, folks: the greatest magic trick since that German bloke sawed his assistant in half. The government, in its infinite wisdom, has made the Rakyat vanish! Not literally, of course—we’re all still here, crammed into the LRT during yet another “unexpected” service disruption, sweating through our shirts and wondering if our salaries will last the week. No, they’ve made us vanish from their priority list, disappearing us up the chimney of their own lofty, out-of-touch rhetoric.

“Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni.” What a deliciously crafted, politically correct mouthful that is. It sounds so warm, so caring. “Disantuni” – to be cared for, to be nurtured. A beautiful sentiment. Pity it’s about as genuine as a three-ringgit note. The only thing being “santun-ed” right now is our patience, and it’s receiving a thorough and brutal beating.

While the ministers are...

The Epidemic of Foot-on-Chair Sitters

Nothing screams “uncivilised” louder than a grown adult plonking their muddy shoes on a public chair. Yet in Malaysia, this happens everywhere: trains, food courts, cinemas. The offenders lounge like royalty, oblivious to the fact that the next person has to sit where their sweaty soles just rested.

It’s the height of selfishness. Shoes are meant for the ground, not upholstery. But try telling that to these geniuses and you’ll get the blank stare of someone who thinks you’re the crazy one.

The excuse? Comfort. As if public furniture exists solely for their legs. Never mind hygiene, never mind respect for others. Their comfort trumps basic manners.

Backward-minded attitudes like this may seem small, but they add up. A society that can’t respect a chair won’t respect rules. And a society that treats shared spaces like personal sofas will always...

The Facebook Comment Section Gladiators

Ah, Facebook: Malaysia’s favourite battleground. Not in Parliament, not in stadiums — but in the comment section, where every uncle and aunty transforms into part-time politicians, epidemiologists, and constitutional lawyers.

The tone is always the same: condescending, all-knowing, dripping with keyboard courage. They hurl insults, share conspiracy theories, and type in caps lock as if shouting through the screen. Facts? Optional. Courtesy? Nonexistent. Logic? Missing in action.

These gladiators thrive on chaos. They don’t want solutions, only drama. And the worst part? They multiply. One toxic comment invites a chain of equally toxic replies, until the original post is buried under digital mud-slinging.

If only these warriors channelled their energy into fixing potholes, we’d have the smoothest roads in Southeast Asia. But no — easier to fight...