Are Malaysians civic minded people? What are our worst traits?

 

Here is a post on Facebook from this morning, dated 6 May 2026

Are Malaysians civic minded people? What are our worst traits? What is needed to change ourselves to be a truly civilised society?

Here are my thoughts:

No, Malaysians (including Sabahans) are not as civic-minded as a truly civilised society demands. We have pockets of kindness—helping neighbours during floods or festivals—but when it comes to public issues, collective responsibility, or holding power accountable, too many of us fall short. We treat “civic mindedness” as optional, something for “someone else” to handle.

Our worst trait? “If it is not me or my family, I’ll just sit and watch.” This “tidak apa” apathy runs deep. We see unprofessional conduct by lawyers or officials, police inaction, or bureaucratic run-arounds every single day, yet most of us shrug and move on because it doesn’t directly hit our wallet or doorstep today. We complain in private WhatsApp groups but stay silent in public. We watch others fight for justice and secretly hope they succeed… without lifting a finger to support them.

Luqman’s musings lays this out painfully clearly through real-life battles in Sabah. The blog repeatedly shows how ordinary citizens (especially B40 folks) face financial and procedural barriers when they try to complain—whether it’s against lawyers via the Sabah Advocates Disciplinary Board, developers, or police misconduct. Yet I, the author, keep filing complaints, emailing officials, and pushing for accountability anyway. One post asks the killer question: “What is the point of struggling for more MA63 autonomy when we struggle with basic service delivery under the autonomy we already have?” That captures the frustration perfectly. Daily government and institutional inaction breeds cynicism, which in turn fuels more apathy. Why bother when the system itself seems designed to wear you down?

What is needed to change ourselves into a truly civilised society?

We must actively support the ideas and complaints of others who are already calling out government and institutional inaction—even (especially) when it doesn’t affect us personally. Civic-mindedness isn’t just about not littering or queuing properly; it’s about solidarity. When someone is brave enough to file a complaint, write to the authorities, or expose misconduct, the rest of us should amplify it, share it, attend hearings if possible, or at least refuse to stay silent. Stop treating whistle-blowers and complainants as “trouble-makers.” Start seeing them as doing the work we all should be doing.

A civilised society isn’t built by waiting for the government to fix itself. It is built when enough citizens stop watching from the sidelines and start backing each other up. As Luqman’s musings demonstrates again and again, one persistent voice can expose the rot—but real change only comes when more of us stop sitting and watching and start standing together. That’s the shift we need. Not more slogans. Not more “Malaysia Boleh” optimism. Just ordinary Malaysians refusing to accept “not my problem” as an answer anymore.