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THE rising tide of cyberbullying and cancel culture in Malaysia’s entertainment industry is drawing serious concern, particularly as online abuse increasingly targets female celebrities with insults, slurs and personal attacks.
Among those to speak out is actress and television host Saidatul Naseha Uyaina Arshad—better known as Uyaina Arshad (pic) —who recently made headlines after publicly revealing the extent of the abuse she has endured.
“For so long, I stayed silent. But patience has its limits,” said the 33-year-old star in an interview with Bernama. “If I don't defend myself, who else will?”
Describing her decision to speak out as both an act of advocacy and self-preservation, Uyaina voiced alarm at how normalised cyberbullying has become in public discourse. While she credits her strong support network for helping her cope, she worries about others without the same resources.
“I may not be very affected, but others? Some are really hurt, some are depressed, some feel alone,” she said, referring to countless fellow celebrities who confide in her but fear going public.
Having endured nine years of criticism, Uyaina initially took the approach of ‘ignorance is bliss’, but said the nature of the attacks became more extreme and personal over time.
“People even question how my mother raised me,” she revealed. “They tell stories about me from school, even though they never knew me. But they speak like they know everything.”
Uyaina noted that many celebrities, including high-profile names like Mawar Rashid, Wani Kayrie, Ara Johari, Aina Abdul and Janna Nick, have been similarly targeted online but are reluctant to come forward. “I'm not angry with them,” she added, “because everyone has different strengths and ways of coping.”
According to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), 8,756 items of cyberbullying-related content were removed last year—an exponential rise from 1,763 in the previous year.
Dr Nur Haniz Mohd Nor, Director of the Doctor of Philosophy in Communication and Media Studies Programme at Taylor’s University, said such attacks, especially public shaming, can seriously affect mental health and job performance.
“At first, they may ignore it, but persistent abuse still leaves a mark. Celebrities are human too, trying to live their lives just like anyone else,” she said.
Dr Nur Haniz also pointed to the role of fan culture and cancel culture in fuelling social media toxicity. “Fan culture can prompt attacks on dissenting voices, while cancel culture entails public condemnation and boycotts when someone is deemed to have committed a social or moral offence,” she said. “Group attacks, or dogpiling, often follow—combining insults, threats and dehumanising memes.”
Crime analyst Kamal Affandi Hashim attributes the phenomenon to the misguided perception that celebrities are ‘public property’.
“Some people feel entitled to insult or denounce celebrities because they are in the public eye,” he said. He warned that free speech should never be misused as a licence to defame or abuse others, regardless of their public profile. - July 12, 2025
