Lockdown, But Make It Malaysian: A Love Letter to Pandemic Chaos
The Covid-19 pandemic put the world through a challenging time, but Malaysia powered through it with Dalgona coffee and Raya Zoom calls.
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When Covid-19 hit Malaysia like an uninvited relative who overstayed their welcome, the entire country went from “lepak mamak every night” to “staring at the same four walls for months.”
But Malaysians – resilient, extra, and perpetually online – didn’t just survive. They thrived in the most uniquely Malaysian ways possible.
Here’s a not-so-serious breakdown of the strange, chaotic, and oddly beautiful trends that came out of the pandemic haze.
READ MORE: Lockdowns, Loss, and Dalgona: 5 Years Since COVID-19 Shut Down Malaysia, And The World
1. Dalgona Coffee and its Malaysian cousins
When South Korea gave us whipped coffee, Malaysians said “Okay, but make it Milo.” Suddenly, everyone was an at-home barista, furiously whipping instant coffee like their lives (and IG Reels) depended on it.
Then came the upgrades: Dalgona Teh Tarik. Dalgona White Coffee. Dalgona Horlicks. Someone probably even tried Dalgona Sirap, we just haven’t found the TikTok yet.
@embihag #MilkTeaDalgona pinoy style! #dalgonamilktea #dalgonachallenge #pinoymom #milkteachallenge #nanay #drinktea #fypage #fyp #foryoupagе #nanaytiktok ♬ Memories (Drinks Bring Back) – Ajay Stephens
The effort-to-reward ratio made zero sense – you’d spend 20 minutes whipping, only to end up with something that tasted like caffeinated air. But that wasn’t the point. The point was content. Frothy, aesthetic content. For a moment, we weren’t in a global health crisis. We were influencers.
2. TikTok Takeovers: aunties, uncles, and kids on the same app
Before the pandemic, TikTok was the land of Gen Z chaos. Then came MCO, and suddenly your dad was filming himself doing the “Blinding Lights” challenge, uncles started posting cooking videos, entire families re-enacted Squid Game with plastic spoons and slippers.
@adrianegweyn He will do anything for her. #blindedbythelights #dadsoftiktok #momsanddadsoftiktok #foryou #hotdad #fyp #foryoupage #dancechallenge @isabel_0315 ♬ Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
TikTok became Malaysia’s digital kampung. Localised trends like the “Mak kau hijau” audio or the “Kita jaga kita” remix took over the For You page. It was unfiltered, it was sometimes cringe, but it was also the perfect chaotic distraction from case numbers and vague press conferences.
3. The rise of the homepreneur
Lockdown exposed everyone’s inner entrepreneur. People who couldn’t boil an egg in 2019 were suddenly baking burnt cheesecakes and selling sambal in reusable bubble tea jars.
Instagram bios changed overnight: “DM to order | Limited slots only.”
@fea_honda_cyberjaya #supportsmallbusiness #smallbusiness #fyp #foryou #foryoupage ♬ Lagu Tahun Baru by DJ Lucu – Lucu Lucu Video
Everyone became a cottage industry. Banana bread, sourdough, tie-dye shirts, handmade candles, resin trays – it was Etsy, but with more sambal belacan. Even Grab drivers doubled as couriers for your neighbour’s homemade onde-onde business. Forget side hustle, this was main hustle energy.
4. Zoom Raya and the death of proper pants
2020 gave us our first ever Zoom Raya – and it was, well, awkward. You’d log into a call dressed to impress from the waist up, only to have your uncle accidentally angle the webcam at his boxer shorts. Kids were screaming, someone’s WiFi was dying, and your nenek thought the webcam was a CCTV.
Despite the mess, it was a sweet attempt at normalcy. We clung to our traditions in pixels and buffering screens. Also, let’s be real – some of us were relieved to skip the usual interrogation about when we’re getting married.
5. #StayAtHome cops and the Great Moral Policing wave
It started with good intentions – stay home, stay safe. But then people took it a little too seriously. Malaysians turned into online vigilantes overnight, patrolling Instagram Stories for SOP breaches like it was a part-time job. “Eh, why got more than two people in this photo? Report lah!”
We entered an era of screenshot culture. Strangers were getting publicly shamed for going to the grocery store twice. Some folks developed a sixth sense for spotting non-essential joggers. It was like being in a dystopian neighborhood watch group, except instead of walkie-talkies, we had itchy Twitter fingers.
6. K-Drama escapism and the Netflix cult
Reality was grim, so naturally, Malaysians turned to beautiful Korean people crying in high definition. Crash Landing on You became our national therapy. Netflix viewership in Malaysia exploded as we binged our way through lockdown, one heartbreak scene at a time.
People who never used to watch TV were now dissecting plotlines in group chats. Suddenly, it was normal to cry over fictional characters while surrounded by three-day-old nasi lemak wrappers. We were not okay, and that’s exactly why we needed 16 episodes of slow-burning romantic tension.
7. White Flag Movement: The most Malaysian kind of solidarity
In one of the most genuinely moving moments of the pandemic, the #BenderaPutih movement emerged. People who were struggling raised white flags outside their homes to signal for help – and the community responded. No waiting for politicians, no endless paperwork – just strangers showing up with food and aid.
It was Malaysia at its best: grassroots kindness, digital mobilisation, and a whole lot of heart. For a brief, powerful moment, the kampung spirit transcended class, race, and internet drama. We took care of each other, because let’s be honest – nobody else was going to.
READ MORE: The White Flag Movement Is Gaining Momentum, Partially Because Of These People
8. The rakyat versus the government (again, but online)
Every press conference felt like a game of SOP roulette: “Can dine-in but only if fully vaccinated, unless you’re not, then tapau – but only in pairs, unless you’re jogging.” Malaysians were understandably confused, and social media became the frontlines of sarcastic resistance.
Memes exploded. YB Instagram lives turned into comedy shows. Politicians were roasted for tone-deaf posts while people were rationing Maggi. Twitter became a battlefield where rakyat sarcasm reigned supreme. At times, it felt like our collective sanity was held together by meme accounts and Subtle Malaysian Traits.
9. Loungewear is the new officewear
The office dress code went out the window. Corporate Malaysia quickly discovered that productivity doesn’t depend on slacks and button-downs. Batik kaftans, oversized tees, and kain pelikat became the unofficial WFH uniform.
Meetings were held in bedrooms, presentations delivered while lying horizontal, deodorant sales dropped, and ring light sales spiked. Some of us haven’t seen our belts since 2019 and frankly, we’re okay with that.
Malaysia’s pandemic era was a fever dream with frothy coffee
Was it messy? Extremely. Did we cope? Sort of. But there’s no denying that Malaysians turned survival into an art form – one that involved too much whipped coffee, endless TikToks, and the occasional breakdown in the shower to a sad K-drama OST.
Despite the confusion, the curfews, and the political drama, we laughed, cooked, danced, and helped each other. In true Malaysian fashion, we made it work. And we did it in kain batik, holding a burnt cheesecake in one hand and a phone full of memes in the other.
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