ASEANEWS HEADLINE-LIFE+STYLE | PETALING JAYA: Brace yourselves for drastic changes in 2026

Year will not be time of quiet tweaks but one that impacts digital habits, wallets, road usage and lifestyles

.

PETALING JAYA: Brace yourselves, Malaysia – 2026 is coming, and change is inevitable. It will not be a year of quiet tweaks, but one that impacts our digital habits, wallets, road usage and lifestyles.

0 Social media: platforms, not people, on the hook

From Jan 1, the Online Safety Act 2025 (Onsa) comes into force, marking Malaysia’s biggest shake-up in digital regulation yet.

For the first time, legal responsibility shifts from individual users to social media platforms.

Under Onsa, platforms must remove harmful content – from child sexual abuse material and scams to deepfakes, online abuse and those promoting self-harm – within 24 hours of being flagged.

One of the most debated elements is the proposed restriction on social media access for children.

While reports suggest that users aged 16 and below will be barred from holding accounts, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil emphasised that enforcement would be carefully phased in.

Rather than adopting Australia’s age-assurance model, Malaysia will rely on platform-proposed age verification, which Fahmi said is more practical and privacy-friendly.

Social media platforms with eight million or more Malaysian users will automatically be licensed as service providers and can face fines of up to RM10 million for non-compliance.

The message is clear: in Malaysia’s new digital order, Big Tech is no longer just hosting content, it is also responsible for it.

0 Clean streets, zero excuses

Legislation will ensure cleanliness in public places next year.

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has sounded a final warning that community service would be mandatory for littering offences from Jan 1.

Anyone, including tourists and foreigners, caught tossing rubbish in public will face a RM2,000 fine and up to 12 hours of public cleaning duties, from scrubbing public toilets to unclogging drains.

Nga said enforcement officers nationwide have been instructed to uphold the law strictly, aiming to restore civic responsibility rather than simply punish offenders.

Despite years of awareness campaigns, littering has remained persistent, especially at city centres.

.

0 Summons: no more “forgot to pay” excuses

Next year, a standardised traffic summons system takes effect nationwide, ending seasonal discounts. The rule is simple – the sooner you settle, the less you pay.

Settle within 1-15 days (50% reduction), 16-30 days (33%), after 31-60 days (pay full amount) and beyond 61 days (court action or blacklisting, potentially blocking road tax or licence renewals).

Serious offences such as driving without insurance or using fake road tax will result in court action.

Combined with public transport upgrades and stricter vehicle safety rules, 2026 promises safer roads and fewer opportunities for repeat offenders to slip through.

.

0 No more vaping?

One of the most closely watched lifestyle shifts is the proposed full ban on vape and e-cigarette products.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said a paper would be submitted to the Cabinet early next year, with enforcement expected after mid-2026.

It reflects concerns over the health risks of vaping. Authorities are expected to target imports, sales, possession and public use of vape.

In short, 2026 may be remembered as the year Malaysia told the e-cigarette industry and its users: “Enough is enough”.

.

0 A year of making adjustments

In 2026, there will be more rules to follow, more systems to navigate and fewer places to hide.

But it will facilitate a Malaysia that is safer, cleaner, fairer and more accountable.

Whether Malaysians welcome it or grumble through it, one thing is certain – it will not be “business as usual”.

.