13/01/2026

TUESDAY | JAN 13, 2026

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Detox but don’t neglect aftercare F IRST Australia, now Malaysia. It seems kids have been treating their phones like cosy little kampung homes – and governments are rushing in with eviction notices. school – irritability, sulking, emotional shutdown and yes, the classic passive-aggressive silence that could freeze teh tarik .

This isn’t because teenagers are weak; it is because their brains are literally wired for dopamine hits and social media has been serving it buffet-style since primary school. You take away the buffet, of course the customer will get angry.

Australia is banning those under 16 from social media, with fines big enough to make Silicon Valley blink. Malaysia, not wanting to be left

behind, plans to follow suit this year – proof that when it comes to tech rules, better late than never. Cue the national chorus of parents: “Finally!” Cue the M A

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Is this ‘addiction’? Science says it is complicated

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Before anyone waves their kain pelikat in shock, no – social media withdrawal is not yet officially classified like drug

teenagers: “What do you mean I can’t log in?” And somewhere in between, the nation’s WiFi routers are bracing for emotional collateral damage. Digital detox or dopamine shock? Let’s face it. For many teenagers, social media isn’t a hobby; it is oxygen, it is social life, it’s validation. It is where they flirt, fight, flex and cry – sometimes all in the same comment section. When governments say “No more”, what we are doing is staging a cold-turkey intervention on an entire generation. Studies show that even adults experience cravings, irritability, restlessness and mood swings when cut off from social media. One research project found that people felt bored, anxious and emotionally unsettled after just one week without their feeds. Imagine telling a 15-year-old: “No TikTok. No Instagram. No Snapchat.” I rest my case. The mini meltdowns are coming In Australia, where platforms have already begun shutting down under age accounts, media reports are filled with teenagers describing feeling: 0 Disconnected from friends; 0 Left out of everything; 0 Bored all the time; and 0 Weirdly anxious for no reason. Translation: digital withdrawal, but make it teenage. In Malaysia, teachers and parents are already seeing similar behaviour when phones are confiscated in B Y A

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or alcohol withdrawal. There is no medical term for “TikTok shakes” (yet). But behavioural psychologists are increasingly uncomfortable with how similar the patterns look: 0 compulsive checking; 0 distress when access is blocked; 0 emotional volatility; and 0 immediate relapse when allowed back. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and cries when you hide the duck… we should probably stop pretending it’s just a hobby. In plain Makcik language: the kids are hooked. Are we ready for the fallout? Australia’s ban is already in motion, with millions of teeagers’ accounts being deactivated. The government says it is about safety, mental health and protecting children from online harm. All valid. Malaysia’s planned ban is driven by similar concerns – cyberbullying, scams, sexual exploitation and the slow emotional decay that comes from living life through filters. Good intentions, yes. But policy without preparation is just chaos in formal language. Because if you remove social media without strengthening mental health support, providing alternative youth spaces, teaching emotional regulation and giving teenagers somewhere else to belong… you are not solving a problem; you are just moving it.

Australia is banning those under 16 from social media. Malaysia, not wanting to be left behind, plans to follow suit this year. – MASRY CHE ANI/THESUN

From scroll to sulk: What withdrawal actually looks like Don’t expect teenagers to shake and sweat like in old drug movies. This is Gen Z and Gen Alpha drama – it’s more subtle but equally intense. You will see: 0 constant phone checking even when there is nothing to check, and 0 the haunting phrase: “I’m bored”. When a teenager says they are bored, what they mean is: “My dopamine supply has been interrupted and I do not like it.” Cue the sighs, the door slams, the existential crisis over dinner. The lempang reality check Now, before the aunties start cheering, let’s be clear: banning under-16s from social media is not wrong; protecting children is necessary. The internet is not a safe playground; it is a jungle with algorithms. 0 sudden moodiness; 0 social withdrawal; 0 irritability over “nothing”;

Final word from Makcik Yes, protect the kids, regulate the platforms and draw boundaries but please, jangan buat style “ tutup lampu , keluar bilik , siap ”, like we are just switching off a fan. These are humans; not routers. If we don’t manage the emotional fallout, we will be sitting here in 2026 wondering why teenagers are angrier, quieter and more disconnected while saying, “ Eh , we already banned social media what.” Aiyo . Policy without empathy is like sambal without belacan – looks official but leaves a bad taste. And teenagers? They will bend, break and TikTok their way through it anyway. This Makcik backs the ban – too many dangers lurking online – but when teenage angst turns into a full blown digital tsunami, don’t say you weren’t warned. AzuraAbas is the associate editor of theSun. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com In this way, great outcomes are built from small, deliberate actions repeated over time. Beyond productivity, the proverb also teaches mindfulness and respect for time. It encourages us to live consciously, honouring both the future and the present. Spring and dawn are beginnings – moments filled with potential. By planning at these times, we acknowledge that how we start often determines how we finish. In conclusion: “Plan your year in spring; plan your day at dawn” is more than advice; it is a philosophy of intentional living. It urges us to think ahead, act early and respect the power of beginnings. When we embrace this wisdom, we cultivate a life guided by purpose, preparation and steady growth. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

But don’t be shocked when teenagers react badly. Don’t clutch your chest when they sulk, don’t act surprised when they find VPNs faster than you find your reading glasses. Because you didn’t just take away an app; you took away their social currency, their identity playground, their validation machine and their digital village, and that hurts – even if it is good for them. Dear policymakers: You started the detox, now do the aftercare If Malaysia is serious about this ban, we need: 0 real youth engagement spaces; 0 school-based emotional literacy programmes; 0 community activities that don’t feel like punishment, and 0 mental health support that isn’t just a hotline number on a poster. If you cut off the supply without healing the need, the craving doesn’t disappear; it just gets creative. And trust me, Malaysian teenagers are very creative. well-planned morning can shape the entire day, just as a well-planned spring shapes the year. By deciding tasks, setting intentions and organising time at dawn, we act with purpose rather than haste. This habit improves productivity and reduces stress as we are less likely to feel overwhelmed or directionless. Together, the two ideas reflect a balance between vision and discipline. Long-term plans without daily structure often remain dreams while daily effort without long-term direction can feel meaningless. Planning the year provides a destination while planning the day ensures steady progress towards it. For example, a student may aspire in spring to excel academically but only through daily planning – consistent study, revision and reflection – can that goal be achieved.

THE Chinese proverb, “Plan your year in spring and your day at dawn”, captures a timeless truth about foresight, discipline and the value of beginnings. It reminds us that success is rarely accidental. Instead it grows from thoughtful preparation made at the right moment. Just as nature follows rhythms and seasons, human life also benefits from aligning effort with timing. When we learn to plan ahead – in the long term and in the shortest time – we gain clarity, balance and purpose. Spring symbolises renewal, possibility and growth. In agriculture, spring is the season when seeds are chosen and sown, determining the How we start will shape how we arrive “Just as nature follows rhythms and seasons, human life also benefits from aligning effort with timing. When we learn to plan ahead – in the long term and in the shortest time – we gain clarity, balance and purpose. COMMENT by Liong Kam Chong harvest months later. Planning the year in spring, therefore, represents setting long term goals early, when energy and motivation are fresh. Whether it involves academic ambitions, career development, financial goals or personal growth, early planning provides direction. Without foresight, the year can easily drift into chaos, shaped more by circumstances than intention. When we plan in “spring”, we anticipate challenges, allocate resources wisely and create a roadmap that guides us through inevitable changes. Equally important is the second half of the proverb: “planning the day at dawn”. Dawn is a moment of quiet clarity, before distractions take over and fatigue sets in. Planning the day early allows us to prioritise what truly matters instead of reacting impulsively to demands. A