Kuala Lumpur, December 8, 2025 - As Malaysians wrap up another year of rapid change, cultural shifts and digital transformation, Google’s Year in Search 2025 provides a unique lens into what mattered most to the nation. From government initiatives that directly impacted households, to AI tools that became everyday essentials, to dramas, personalities and blockbusters that sparked nationwide conversations, this year’s trending searches reflect the heartbeat of Malaysia in 2025.
Turning to Search to Navigate Living Costs and Welfare
In 2025, Malaysians turned to Google to navigate rising living costs, new government rollouts and updated welfare programmes, alongside staying informed about emerging technologies that could improve their daily lives.
Rahmah Cash Contribution (#2 Searches, #1 News) remained a topic of interest, as a key form of financial assistance for many Malaysian households. Welfare and social assistance program like MyKasih (#3 Searches, #2 News) and targeted fuel subsidy scheme such as Budi95 (#6 Searches, #3 News) also saw significant spikes, as families sought clarity around eligibility, disbursement schedules and application steps. Meanwhile, E-Pembelajaran Sektor Awam (Public Sector E-Learning) (#7 Searches) and mySalam (#10 Searches) continued to draw strong interest, especially for civil servants seeking upskilling opportunities and B40 households looking for dependable health coverage information respectively.
The year’s biggest local news moments, ranging from the Putra Heights pipeline explosion (#8 News) to the Southern Selangor floods (#9 News), dominated national attention as Malaysians increasingly relied on Search for real-time updates, road closures and safety information.
AI Takes Centre Stage in Everyday Malaysian Life
Google’s AI assistant, Gemini, (#1 Searches) topped the overall trending list, reflecting Malaysians’ growing reliance on AI for work, learning and decision-making. Users were also getting creative with tools like Pixverse AI (#6) to create hyper-realistic visual content, short-form videos and animation for work, studies and social media.
In fact, Malaysians are among the most active AI users in ASEAN, with three in four Malaysian digital consumers interacting with Generative AI tools daily. This surge in AI interest signifies Malaysia’s wider push towards digitalization — from students using chatbots for schoolwork, to SMEs adopting AI for marketing and customer support, to creators using AI for content production.
Movies and Dramas that Captivated the Nation
Malaysians once again proved their deep connection to both Hollywood and Asian cinema, with Blood Brothers (#1 Movies), Superman (#2) and Thunderbolts (#3) dominating the charts as passionate fan communities fuelled waves of anticipation and online conversations. People of all ages were dancing along to the tracks of KPop Demon Hunters (#7), while younger audiences fuelled the popularity of A Minecraft Movie (#9), and beloved franchises like Jurassic World Rebirth (#10) and Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (#6) resurfaced as major crowd-pullers.
Closer to home, dramas such as Keluarga Itu (#7 Drama) and Dia Bukan Syurga (#10 Drama) reflected Malaysians’ enduring appetite for relatable family themes, local humour and emotional storytelling.
On the drama front, global hits like Squid Game (#1 Drama) kept Malaysian audiences at the edge of their seats and Emerald Hill (翠山小娘惹, #3 Drama), brought them through a journey of cultural nostalgia.
Personalities Who Captivated Malaysians in 2025
Malaysians’ search behaviour this year demonstrated a vibrant mix of entertainment, global issues and cultural moments, with personalities ranging from international figures to regional and homegrown talents. Locally, Amira thman (#1 People) saw a surge in attention driven by her new music release and renewed focus on her personal life.
Globally, climate advocate Greta Thunberg (#7 People) drew heightened searches as Malaysians followed updates surrounding her recent situation, while regional favourite Luna Maya (#8 People), one of Indonesia’s most recognisable entertainment figures, attracted increased interest as news of her marriage became a major talking point. Beyond personalities, nostalgia rose as fans revisited iconic acts like My Chemical Romance (#9 People) following the announcement of their Kuala Lumpur concert and the addition of a second show.
Ben King, Managing Director, Google Malaysia & Singapore said, “Year in Search truly takes the pulse of Malaysia – from national milestones to seeking the best entertainment and trending personalities. We are also seeing a shift in the way people search. They are now seeking not just answers, but deeper context and quicker insights. By introducing features like AI Mode, we are reimagining what Search can do to help Malaysians navigate their world faster and stay helpful across moments big and small.”
For a look at the full list, visit the website HERE.
In addition to highlighting what Malaysians were most curious about this year, Google Search also sheds light on the topics that captured global attention in 2025. Visit the global trends site to explore more Year in Search stories and discover the top trending charts from Malaysia and countries around the world.
Online travel, cashless payments and AI infrastructure fuel Malaysia’s next stage of digital growth
KUALA LUMPUR, 25 November 2025 – Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company today launched the 10th edition of the e-Conomy SEA Report 2025, revealing that Malaysia is now the fastest-growing digital economy in Southeast Asia with an increase of 19% year-on-year (YoY), and on track to reach Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) US$39 billion (approximately RM161 billion) this year. This shift towards resilient growth is supported by sustained consumer adoption and stable macroeconomic conditions, including contained inflation.
At the regional level, Southeast Asia’s (SEA) digital economy is projected to surpass US$300 billion (approximately RM1.24 trillion) in GMV by 2025, growing 15% YoY and outperforming the region’s first forecast by 1.5 times. As the world’s fifth largest economy with a population of over 680 million, Southeast Asia has rapidly digitalized over the past decade, showing strong resilience and monetization capabilities despite global headwinds such as COVID-19, inflation and supply-chain pressures.
Key findings in the Malaysia report:
1. Malaysia’s performance this year is underpinned by the strength and maturity of its digital economy
Online travel recorded 19% growth in GMV, the fastest in SEA, driven by improved air connectivity, visa liberalization measures and large-scale digital tourism campaigns building momentum ahead of ‘Visit Malaysia 2026’. With inbound travel accelerating more than 20% YoY in the first half of 2025, Malaysia is benefitting from both rising traveller volumes and higher-value trips as visitors opt for better-quality and digitally enabled travel experiences. These trends reflect a digital sector that is increasingly defined by stable adoption, efficiency and deeper value creation across both consumers and businesses.
Ecommerce continues to expand at a healthy pace, making up the biggest driver of the country’s digital economy, reaching US$20 billion (approximately RM83.3 billion) by 2025. The sector has grown 21% YoY in GMV, the second-fastest rate in SEA. This was supported by rising platform consolidation with large regional players leveraging significant economies of scale, and expanding video commerce engagement that converted attention into sales with minimal friction.
Digital Financial Services (DFS) show continued double-digit growth, with digital payments set to reach US$213 billion (approximately RM887 billion) in Gross Transaction Value (GTV) by 2025. This momentum is driven by Malaysia’s rapid shift toward cashless payments, including a 28% surge in digital payment usage reported by Bank Negara Malaysia, and cross-border acceptance has scaled significantly with the DuitNow QR standard now interoperable across an increasing number of SEA markets.
2. Malaysia’s rise as one of Southeast Asia’s core AI and digital infrastructure hub
Malaysia’s digital economy is also strengthened by strong investments in digital infrastructure. Data centre capacity has increased to 690 MW in H1 this year from 120 MW in 2024, and plans have been reported to further increase capacity by 350%. This represents half of all planned regional capacity. In 2024, Google has also committed a US$2 billion investment in the country, including the development of its first Google data center and Google Cloud region to meet the growing demand for AI-ready cloud services locally and around the world.
3. Positive investment climate, driven by funding and IPO activity and strong investments in digital infrastructure.
The country captured 32% of all private AI funding across SEA, at US$759 million (approximately RM3.14 billion), supported by major digital financial services deals. Malaysia also led Southeast Asia in IPO activity, contributing half of the region’s listings over the last 12 months. This uptick in exits signals a more stable investor environment, reinforcing Malaysia’s position as a competitive destination for high-growth technology companies and digital expansion.Investor sentiment is optimistic, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of surveyed investors expecting funding activity in the country to rise through 2030, particularly in software, services, AI and deep tech.
Ben King, Managing Director, Google Malaysia & Singapore said, “Malaysia’s digital economy is showcasing a positive growth trajectory. This momentum is fueled by several critical factors – robust sector growth, a healthy funding landscape, and strong digital infrastructure investments. But it is high AI adoption that is accelerating this progress. With three in four Malaysian digital consumers having used Gen AI tools, this strong daily engagement is laying a solid foundation for the next phase of AI-powered growth. In line with the nation’s goal of becoming a regional digital leader by 2030, Google remains fully committed to supporting Malaysia’s ambition to build an inclusive, innovative, and AI-ready digital economy."
“Southeast Asia’s digital economy has shown extraordinary growth and remarkable resilience, sustaining momentum despite periods of investor caution and a shifting macroeconomic landscape over the last decade. Malaysia now stands at the forefront as Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing digital economy, on track to reach US$39 billion in GMV by 2025. Powered by robust growth across ecommerce, online travel, cashless payments, and expanding AI-ready infrastructure, Malaysia is cementing its position as a digital leader in the region. The real opportunity now lies in how businesses harness AI as a catalyst for impact while building on Malaysia’s strong digital foundations,” said Amanda Chin, Partner, Bain & Company.
Malaysia’s digital progress is expected to bring meaningful benefits to consumers and businesses including improved travel services, broader access to secure and convenient digital financial solutions, and expanding opportunities in AI, cloud services and digital skills development.
Arianne Santoso, Manager of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Malaysia and Indonesia (left) and Mediha Mahmood, CEO of Communications and Multimedia Content Forum (right) commemorate the onboarding of Content Forum into its Google and YouTube Priority Flagger Programs
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, 24 July 2025 – Google today announced that the Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia (Content Forum) joins its Priority Flagger program across both Google and YouTube to reinforce Malaysia’s efforts in creating a safer digital environment in Malaysia.
The Priority Flagger Programme was introduced as a way for participating local government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to flag potentially harmful or problematic content on certain Google products and services. Due to their specialised industry knowledge across a variety of subject matters, these organisations have a higher degree of accuracy when flagging violative content.
Operating under the purview of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), the Content Forum serves as a self-regulatory industry body committed to promoting responsible content practices across electronic networked media. As part of the Priority Flagger program, Content Forum will extend its expertise to help identify potentially policy-violating content across YouTube and Google, taking into consideration local cultural contexts*.
As a participating organisation, they will gain access to a dedicated intake channel to inform Google of potential policy violations which will be prioritised for review, as well as participate in discussions and feedback about Google and YouTube content policies.
Farhan S. Qureshi, Country Director, Google Malaysia said, "At Google, we believe that it takes an entire ecosystem to create a safe digital environment. By working with organisations like the Content Forum, we are adding a crucial layer of local expertise, which deepens our ability to respond to harmful content with relevance and precision. The Priority Flagger Program reinforces our commitment to empowering trusted partners and helping keep our platforms safe for everyone, everywhere.”
Mediha Mahmood, CEO of Communications and Multimedia Content Forum said, “Being part of Google’s and YouTube’s Priority Flagger Programs marks a meaningful advancement in how we support content safety in Malaysia. It allows us to move beyond dialogue into action, ensuring that harmful content is flagged and reviewed with the urgency it deserves. This collaboration reflects the Content Forum’s continued role in setting industry standards, empowering communities, and contributing to a safer digital ecosystem through collective responsibility.”
People around the world can now explore the wonders of Kinabalu Park in Sabah, Malaysia, through an exciting expansion of the UNESCO World Heritage collection on Google Arts & Culture. This update introduces more than 20 new stories celebrating World Heritage sites around the world, with three dedicated to Kinabalu Park.
Kinabalu Park, located in the northern part of Borneo, Malaysia, is known for its exceptional biodiversity and range of ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to alpine meadows, and for majestic Mount Kinabalu. This park is a biodiversity hotspot with a high concentration of endemic species. Kinabalu Park is one of only three places to have three UNESCO designations: a World Heritage site, a UNESCO Geopark and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Kinabalu Park becoming a World Heritage site. Below, you can explore stories from the park and other UNESCO World Heritage sites. You can even ascend the majestic Mount Kinabalu with Talking Tours, where you can learn more about this and other remarkable sites using Google AI.
Kinabalu Park, Malaysia
The Kinabalu Park Botanical Garden showcases the park’s most significant plant species. Its Rafflesia Conservation Centre is dedicated to the flower of the same name. The world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, is teetering on the edge of survival.
Historic Centre of Macao, China
The Portuguese arrived at the small fishing village of Macao in 1557, having been the first Europeans to land in China in 1513. The settlement developed with the addition of several Catholic churches and chapels, the locations of which influenced the urban layout.
Curonian Spit, Lithuania
Nyungwe National Park is Rwanda's first Natural World Heritage site and is located in the Albertine Rift Ecoregion. With an area of 1,019 square kilometers, it contains part of the largest peat bog in Africa and is home to the country’s largest remaining montane rainforest.
León Cathedral, Nicaragua
Designed by Guatemalan architect Diego José de Porres Esquivel, Nicaragua’s León Cathedral is an eclectic masterpiece which not only blends Baroque and Neoclassical architecture, reflecting the transition between the two eras, but also exhibits Gothic, Renaissance and Mudéjar influences.
Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark, Romania
Located at the intersection of three main biogeographic regions (steppe, continental and alpine), Romania’s Buzău Land UNESCO Global Geopark is home to over 77 distinct habitats, some of which are directly influenced by local geological features such as salt, petroleum and mud volcanoes.
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil is shaped by nature: 57% of the park consists of white sand dunes, which are formed by strong uni-directional winds, and permanent and temporary freshwater lagoons, which are replenished by rainfall and groundwater fluctuations during the rainy season.
Vulkaneifel UNESCO Global Geopark, Germany
The Windsborn Crater Lake in Vulkaneifel UNESCO Global Geopark, Germany, is the only permanently water-filled mountain crater lake north of the Alps. Only rainwater feeds the lake, on the banks of which special vegetation has developed. The crater has a diameter of 300 meters and is 30 meters deep.
Ruins of León Viejo, Nicaragua
Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000, the Ruins of León Viejo, Nicaragua, whose existence did not extend beyond a century, provide a remarkable insight into the early days of the Spanish Empire in Central America and the beginnings of colonial Nicaragua.
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