Google’s year in search has always provided a unique insight into the state of mind of countries and even the world. Topics and trends are indicative of the time and age we live in. In fact, if there was an indicator on the state of mind of the world during the past two years it would have been the searches that were done throughout the period.

Malaysia has had a unique experience during the pandemic having cycled through three governments in the short period and dealing with the yo-yoing policies which followed. However, it seems like politics are no longer top of mind for the nation as the country’s top searches indicate that the people are looking for aid and relief in the wake of the pandemic. The top search for the year – iSinar – was a relief measure by the government to allow people to withdraw monies in their Employee Provident Fund (EFP/KWSP) to be used. Other related searches were i-Citra and Bantuan Prihatin Rakyat – all efforts to provide some monetary relief.

That said, the stresses of the pandemic are still not gone. Malaysia’s year in search also highlighted that Malaysians still show concern surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the concern did not surround information on the virus itself, instead, it would seem to indicate a nation yearning to return to some semblance of normalcy. Google search terms like “COVID Vaccine Near Me” and “CIMS 3.0” are indicative that Malaysians are trying to put the pandemic behind them and return to making ends meet. It would seem like Malaysia is moving towards being – as popular Doctor Youtuber, Dr Mikhail Varshavski, put it – “Alert and not anxious” when it comes to dealing with the pandemic.

The Year in Search was all about the pandemic though. Malaysians were also googling for things like “Popcat” and “Euro 2021”. The PopCat phenomenon is one that provided some much-needed relief from the stresses of working from home and dealing with day to day realities as nations suddenly found themselves uniting to rank top in the leaderboard. Of course, the competition didn’t end there. With many sporting events resuming, we saw Malaysians search, not only for leagues and competitions but also athletes. National athletes took centre stage when the Olympics and other international competitions were underway. Athletes like national shuttles, Lee Zii Jia and Aaron Chia, national track cyclist, Azizulhasni Awang and national gymnast Farah Ann found themselves at the top. International footballer, Christian Eriksen was also among the top athletes searched for.

In addition, the Year of Search on Google also saw Netflix’s popular drama – Squid Game – become one of the most searched terms. The series became an international sensation following its debut and spawned, not only a cult following but also popular social media challenges. Keeping a close second was another K-Drama: True Beauty while Marvel’s The Eternals rounded up the top 3.

All in all, Malaysia’s year in search shows a country that is longing for a return to normalcy. This comes as no surprise as the country has been in prolonged lockdowns and people haven’t seen loved ones in more than 2 years. However, it also highlights the fatigue and burnout of the country when it comes to politics and the pandemic. More importantly, it also shows the many brief but wonderful glimpses of a country that is resilient in searching for a silver lining and in its solidarity.