The last 12 months have been full of drama.
From furry creatures who stole our hearts to road rage incidents that showcased Malaysians at their worst to tragic deaths that shocked the whole nation, 2019 was a roller coaster ride of a year.
Here's a recap of some of the year's most talked viral events/moments to refresh your memory.
1. Malaysian singer arrested for keeping a sun bear in her home, thinking it was a DOG!
A local singer made headlines in June this year for allegedly keeping a baby sun bear in her apartment. The 27-year-old woman, who has since claimed trial, says she found the sun bear in a weakened state near Bukit Ampang and decided to nurse it back to health. The singer made headlines not only because she was keeping the protected animal but because she thought it was a... dog!
Photo: World Wildlife Foundation
2. We said goodbye to our last Sumatran Rhino
Iman, a female rhino, died in November after a long battle with cancer. Her death sparked an outpouring of grief among wildlife conservationists, as it meant the species is now fully extinct in Malaysia. Our last male Sumatran rhino died in May this year.
3. Man confessed he was in a viral intimate video with a Minister
Politics (and the drama that ensues) always sets tongues wagging, and this incident was not an exception! Earlier in June this year, three alleged sex clips quickly began to go viral because one of the men was said to resemble a Cabinet minister. The other man in the videos, Haziq Abdullah Abdul Aziz released a confession over the matter, naming the alleged minister involved as Datuk Seri Azmin Ali. Azmin has since denied the claims. However, that didn't stop the Economic Affairs Minister from becoming the second-most Googled person over the past 12 months.
4. Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1MDB trial finally began
April 3rd marked the day the former Prime Minister went on trial. Datuk Seri Najib Razak was arrested by the MACC in July last year and police seized luxury items worth $273 million dollars from his home. He was tried on 7 charges, including Criminal Breach of Trust, money laundering and abuse of power involving RM42million of SRC International’s funds. Just recently on December 3rd, Najib took to the witness stand, the first time ever a former prime minister has ever been in such a position. He has repeatedly claimed not to know about any of the transactions that involved his bank account.
5. Malaysians were touched by the humility of our Agong- the King of our hearts
In November this year, our King stopped his entourage to check on victims in two separate accidents while on his way back from a Pre-Cabinet Meeting. This wasn't the first time he did that- back in June he also stopped his official car to extend a helping hand to an accident victim in Putrajaya. Then in August, His Majesty once again put protocol aside when he helped an accident victim near Istana Negara. That's not all, the King also visited a KFC outlet in Pahang and queued up for his meal just like everyone else! He even ate roti canai at a regular mamak restaurant for breakfast and picked up the tab for everyone there.
6. We were among the first in the world to watch ‘Avengers: Endgame’
Malaysian Marvel fans thronged cinemas nationwide as early as 7am to be among the first in the world to watch the movie as the film only opened elsewhere on April 26. Avengers: Endgame achieved the highest advance ticket sales ever in the country, racking in more than RM10 million in the box office since it went on sale on April 2nd. Speaking of Marvel, its villain Thanos was also revealed as the second most top searched term on Google Malaysia this year.
7. Malaysians shared many road rage incidents
This particular incident that happened at the Bukit Kiara toll plaza was something to remember. Simply because the two angry men, who went viral after their brawl at the toll plaza are now the best of friends after spending 7 hours behind bars. Both of them pleaded guilty to their offence and had to pay a fine of RM 1,000.
8. Unexplained tragedies
The case of Nora Anne Quoirin shocked Malaysians in August this year. The 15-year-old teen with special needs was reported missing a day after she arrived at a resort in Negeri Sembilan with her family. Her naked body was found 10 days later, beside a stream in a hilly plantation area.
While that case has been solved, we still haven't seen the sight of the missing Gopeng runner. Mohammad Ashraf Hassan also known as Acap went missing during a marathon in March this year, but there are still no leads on him.
9. Large-scale pollution
Residents in Pasir Gudang, Johor were affected by two pollution incidents this year, including the infamous Sg Kim Kim pollution in March. Hundreds of schools were shut for days while some 4,000 people sought treatment for shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting after inhaling toxic fumes. The same thing happened again in June.
Just a few months after that, Malaysians had to deal with the haze crisis. Schools were shut, masks were sold out, and we couldn't breathe clean air for a long period of time.
10. Malaysians went GAGA for BOBA!
This is pretty much evident with the number of outlets that mushroomed in every part of Malaysia to cater for the huge demand. People were not only willing to endure long queues for bubble tea, but they also braved the jam as cars were double-parked especially in SS15. In line with everyone's liking for boba, bubble tea challenges were born. Among the challenges are the Hands-free Bubble Tea Challenge and the challenge that involved people putting pearls in their nostrils.
What do you think? Tell us what you think was the most memorable moment of 2019!
Let's make 2020 the best one yet, y'all!
By: Roshini Ravindran
