We are better together

TOMORROW, we enter a new year.

With the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine and other global issues like the rising cost of living, we enter 2024 expecting it to be a challenging year, of course.

But it is not all gloom and doom.

According to a poll of 34 countries, including Malaysia, carried out by international market research firm Ipsos, optimism is actually on the rise with more people thinking next year will be better.

Its Global Advisor 2024 Predictions survey found that 70% of respondents think 2024 will be a better year than 2023.

And while the economy continues to be a significant concern, Malaysia was sixth highest in the world for a positive outlook, with more than half of our respondents feeling that things will get better on this front.

In fact, we Malaysians seem to be an optimistic bunch. We are mostly high up on the list when it comes to positive factors like women being better paid and – rather randomly – that we will do better at the Olympics in 2024 than previously.

We are also, it seems, worried about a new pandemic, being No.1 in the world for that question, and, unsurprisingly, we feel strongly that prices and interest rates will go up in 2024.

But we were happily surprised by the reaction to the statement “People in my country will become more tolerant of each other” – Malaysia is third in the world with 71% agreeing (behind Indonesia at 82% and China at 80%).

Politicians from both sides of the divide, please take note.

Despite years – indeed, decades – of race and religion being exploited to win elections and topple governments, the Malaysian respondents to this survey remain optimistic about living together in harmony.

Now, all we need to keep this belief alive is for politicians to stop politicking and the government to get down to the nitty-gritty of managing the economic engine while taking care of the environment (by the way, a whopping 84% of local respondents think that temperatures will rise next year; putting us at a high 10th on the list).

We, the people, can do our part too: Just don’t give in to those divisive voices sowing seeds of discontent, usually through fake news on social media.

We are a stronger Malaysia when we are together.

Happy New Year!