Malaysia’s Lunar New Year dirty secret? Abandoning elderly relatives in hospitals
A frustrated doctor’s viral TikTok video has exposed Malaysians’ hidden holiday habit of using hospital wards as makeshift nursing homes
The nation’s hospitals regularly see a surge of elderly patients admitted with questionable symptoms at Lunar New Year, from shortness of breath to fatigue or reduced consciousness. But doctors say the real diagnosis isn’t medical; it’s convenience.
“Do you think we don’t notice? But maybe you need your rest too,” Malaysian doctor Izad Iskandar asked in a now-viral TikTok video titled “Understanding parental care during holidays”, which has been shared more than 3,000 times.
His post opened a floodgate of reactions, with medical professionals confirming the practice and ordinary Malaysians expressing a mix of disbelief and outrage.