A European traveller’s honest reflection on life in Malaysia is going viral for all the right reasons, challenging outdated stereotypes and offering a fresh perspective on what it really means to be “developed”.
In a now-trending Instagram reel, content creator @nomadspritz, who has spent the past two years travelling across Southeast Asia, expressed his amazement at how safe, clean and efficient Malaysia feels, particularly in cities like George Town, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.
Photo via Instagram (@nomadspritz)
Filming himself in Penang, he says, “If this is just a ‘small unknown town’ in Malaysia, I don’t even know what to tell you. This is George Town. Penang. Malaysia.”
He goes on to say that Kuala Lumpur, too, felt more liveable and well-managed than many places he had visited in so-called “first world” countries.
For @nomadspritz, living in Southeast Asia has been eye-opening. He notes that while public systems in the West are struggling, from healthcare to housing, countries like Malaysia and Thailand feel more stable and functional.
“The infrastructure works. People seem happy. Life feels balanced,” he shares.
Rather than criticise the West, he poses a thoughtful question: have we misunderstood what development truly looks like?
In a comment beneath the video, he clarifies, “This isn’t about saying Asia is better than the West. I’m proud to be European and incredibly lucky to be Italian. I love where I come from.”
But he urges people to reconsider the systems that define global perceptions, “How much of the privilege we take for granted was built through Western systems? Systems that still decide which countries are seen as safe, developed or ‘worthy’?”
He also touches on a reality that many rarely confront, which is passport privilege, “I hold one of the strongest passports on Earth. I can move freely almost anywhere. Most people can’t,” he writes, “And if you still don’t see how real that is, it’s not because the world is fair. It’s because you’ve never had to notice.”
Beyond the powerful statements, the video has resonated with Malaysians and others in the region who are tired of being underestimated or misrepresented.
More than just a travel vlog, this clip is a gentle wake-up call to those who continue to label countries by outdated or biased standards. As @nomadspritz puts it, “This isn’t hate. It’s awareness. And it’s time to give credit where it’s due.”
