From Malay Mail · Erna Mahyuni · · 1m 40s
East Malaysia takes over the feed
Sabah and Sarawak creators are turning Malaysia Day into a scroll of jokes, culture shocks and sharp little truths.
In brief
Sabah and Sarawak creators are turning Malaysia Day into a scroll of jokes, culture shocks and sharp little truths. East Malaysian social media is funny because it is specific, proud and quick to call out lazy assumptions. Originally reported by Malay Mail.
Malaysia Day scroll
The piece marks Malaysia Day with a playlist of Sabah and Sarawak creators who bring Borneo humour, identity and everyday friction into Instagram and TikTok feeds.
“some local, or specifically East Malaysian flavour”
Sabah road blues
Carl Devson turns one of Sabah's shared frustrations into a song, poking fun at bad roads and a long-delayed highway that locals know too well.
“Sabah’s bane: terrible roads”
Two cultures, one reel
Thusna, who is Tamil-Iban and a Bharathanatyam dancer, shares life between cultures, airline work and Sarawak traditions like Hari Gawai.
“mixed Tamil-Iban heritage”
Too friendly to run
Miri creator Leong Jeen Jern finds Sabah jogging comes with a surprise, locals are so friendly that even a neighbour from Sarawak gets culture shock.
“the locals were just too friendly”
Angry Sabah woman
Amirul Hafiz builds a joke around the feared Angry Sabah Woman, playing with a stereotype while letting Sabahans laugh at the way outsiders talk about them.
“Don’t play-play with Sabah women”
The comeback lands
Sharmaine Alexander answers a tired fear about courting Sabahans and witchcraft with the kind of comeback that makes the anger feel earned.
“Sometimes the anger is warranted”
Not the same place
Lee Michelle's reel skewers the casual way West Malaysians blur Sabah and Sarawak together, including food takes that can test anyone's patience.
“‘Sabah and Sarawak samelah’”
Bah, but different
Athalia shows how Sarawakian English sounds, with a reminder that Sarawakians also use “bah”, even if Sabahans get more credit for it.
“Sarawakian Malay is a whole other language”
The essence
East Malaysian social media is funny because it is specific, proud and quick to call out lazy assumptions.
