Malaysians mostly looked up sports, famous figures

AS 2024 has entered its final month, various internet platforms have taken Spotify’s cue and have begun to get wrapped up, with Google’s Year in Search breaking down what Malaysians collectively have been searching throughout the year, from obsessing over the Olympics to more surprising fascinations such as Kamala Harris. However, the dominant trend in Google Search trends in Malaysia were focused on sports and athletes.

$!Sports events such as the Copa America and famous athletes got many Malaysians’ attention. – PIC FROM FACEBOOK @THELIVERPOOLWAY

Sports craze

This was a year when sports had Malaysians glued to their screens and cheering with passion, with six out of the top 10 trending searches reflecting the nation’s deep-seated love for sports. Whether it was friends huddled around screens at mamak stalls, enthusiastically watching the UEFA Euro 2024 (#1 Searches, #1 Sports), or families gathering at home to catch the AFC Asian Cup (#4 Searches, #2 Sports) and the Copa America (#6 Searches, #4 Sports), the excitement resonated deeply with Malaysians.

The Paris Olympics 2024 (#3 Sports) also saw Malaysians keeping up with the updates from our athletes competing on the world stage. The “Malaysia Boleh” spirit carried on with the Paralympics 2024 (#9 Sports), adding an emotional layer to the year’s sporting achievements. Back home, local broadcaster RTM (#7 Sports) kept Malaysians connected to all the action with seamless live coverage.

$!Interest in news ranged from Malaysian monetary aids to the US elections.

From politicians to stars

Malaysians’ love for sports also translated into the personalities they were searching for, with athletes taking half of the spots in the Trending Searches for People category, which included cyclist Azizulhasni Awang (#2 People), badminton player Pearly Tan (#8 People), footballer Faisal Halim (#5 People) also garnered attention with his impressive comeback to the national team. Internationally, badminton enthusiasts followed the journeys of Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn (#4 People) and Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen (#10 People) at the Olympics.

Sports aside, Malaysians were keeping a close watch of the US election campaigns of Donald Trump (#6 People) and Kamala Harris (#9 People).

$!Trump and Harris were among the most searched people on Google for 2024.

News that mattered

With the rising costs of living, Malaysians turned to search for financial assistance programmes and ways to manage their budgets. Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (#1 News), the government’s cash assistance for the low and middle income groups, topped the trending searches for News list.

Complementing these efforts was the Program Bantuan Subsidi Madani (#9 News) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (#10 News), which provided targeted subsidies, collectively offering much-needed relief during challenging economic times.

Malaysians have also embraced the digital evolution in education and welfare, with platforms such as Delima (#8 Searches, #3 News) and Ains (#7 News) making their way into the trending searches list.

Social welfare programmes such as MyKasih (#6 News) that support vulnerable communities were high on Malaysians’ search behaviour. Additionally, the KWSP Akaun (#8 News) remained a focal point for Malaysians planning their financial futures.

$!Popular celebrities, such as Shah Rukh Khan, are also featured on the list. – PIC FROM FACEBOOK @SHAHRUKHKHAN

Dramas to blockbusters

The love Malaysians have for films translated into a colourful array of trending searches for Films and TV Shows.

On the film front, top trending searches include rooted-in-nostalgia films such as Inside Out 2 (#1 Movies), Kung Fu Panda 4 (#6 Movies) and Alien: Romulus – while comic book characters such as Deadpool (#2 Movies), Madame Web (#5 Movies) and Venom (#7 Movies) were also searched for due to their standalone films that were released this year.

Back at home, TV dramas became a source of comfort and connection for Malaysians. Global hits such as Queen of Tears (#1 TV Shows), Marry My Husband (#2 TV Shows) and The Heir to the Throne (#3 TV Shows) brought emotionally charged narratives to the forefront, offering a blend of love, loss and resilience that kept viewers hooked week after week.

Series such as Aku Bukan Ustazah (#4 TV Shows) and Lovely Runner (#5 TV Shows) also garnered top searches in Malaysia.

$!Locals were keen to follow team Malaysia at major sports events.

Morbidity trends

For trending searches for the “Passing” category, it showed Malaysians were drawn to look up some of the biggest losses this year, such as former One Direction member Liam Payne (#1 Passing), the passing of Sarawak’s former governor and chief minister Taib Mahmud as well as Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama.

$!The Paris Olympics ranked high in the search list. – PEXELSPIC

AI-enthused

From chatbots to creative tools, artificial intelligence (AI) has seamlessly become part of Malaysians’ daily routines, leading to a variety of trending searches for Gemini (#3 AI), Viggle AI (#7 AI) and Vidu Studio (#8 AI).