The Pesky Toad Logo

The Pesky Toad

The Pescadero Perspective

This story has rotated off the live feed but the permalink stays available for sharing and search.

news Scmp World 2026-05-11

Former Proton CEO Sparks Backlash with Self-Reliance Comments in Malaysia

A former Proton CEO's call for Malays to abandon a 'mentality of waiting for aid' has drawn online ridicule, with critics citing the national carmaker's history of government support.


A call from the former CEO of Proton for Malays to abandon a “mentality of waiting for aid” has been met with ridicule online, with social media users pointing to the national carmaker’s own long history of government support. Speaking on Sunday at the inaugural Musyawarah Nasional (National Discourse) dialogue platform founded by Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Tahir said Malays needed to replace this perceived reliance on handouts with initiative. “Go for...

Support Your Local Toad

The Pesky Toad is free and ad-light. If you find it useful, toss a few pesos in the tip jar to help keep the servers running and the satire flowing.

$

MXN · Minimum $10