Why Malaysians Forward WhatsApp Messages Without Reading Them and Feel Civic About It
Why Malaysians Forward WhatsApp Messages Without Reading Them and Feel Civic About It If you’ve ever been in a Malaysian WhatsApp or Telegram group, you already know the pattern. A long message appears—sometimes with bold warnings, sometimes with emotional language, sometimes ending with “Please share to everyone you know.” And without reading the full thing, people forward it. Not only that—they feel like they’re doing something good . “Just sharing in case it’s useful.” “Better safe than sorry.” “Forwarded as received.” It sounds harmless. Even responsible. But this habit—forwarding messages without actually understanding them—has quietly become one of the biggest contributors to misinformation in Malaysia. So why do Malaysians do it? First, there’s the intention. Most people who forward messages are not trying to mislead. They genuinely think they are helping. Whether it’s about scams, health warnings, or new “rules,” the motivation is often protective. You see something...