18/7/2026

SATURDAY | JULY 18, 2026

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Snap first, then eat T HERE was a time when food arrived at the table and the first thing we did was eat. wedding videos, cinematic entrances, drone shots and photographers following every movement like it is a royal ceremony. T T U O N P O I N

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Today, food must first earn its right to be consumed. The nasi lemak arrives but nobody touches the sambal . The teh tarik is poured but nobody drinks it. The birthday cake is cut but nobody celebrates yet. Because first, we need a photo. “Wait, don’t kacau first.” “Take from this angle.” “Can move the plate a bit?” “Hold on, the lighting not nice.”

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Again, there is nothing wrong with celebrating love beautifully. The problem comes when the moment itself becomes secondary to capturing it. Sometimes we are so busy recording happiness that we forget to actually feel it. This obsession with content has also reached our children. Many Malaysian parents proudly share every milestone – the first steps, first words, first day of school, birthday celebrations and achievements. And honestly, who can blame them? Children are precious. Every parent wants to freeze those beautiful moments before they disappear. But sometimes, we need to ask ourselves: Are we preserving memories or are we creating a performance? Some children today have an online presence before they even understand what a camera is. Their funny reactions become videos, their tantrums become entertainment and their daily activities become a series of posts. “Say this again.” “Smile again.” “Do that one more time.” Sometimes childhood has to wait while the camera gets ready. It is not only children. All of us have become photographers, directors and social media managers for each other. A friend wants a picture at a café and suddenly everyone becomes a professional photographer. “Take another one.” “Cannot, my eyes closed.” “Again, but make me look natural.” A V I S H T R I Employees who trust one another are more willing to exchange ideas, share knowledge and solve problems collectively. They spend less time protecting personal interests and more time pursuing organisational objectives. Conversely, organisations with weak trust often experience information hoarding, internal politics, duplicated work and slow decision-making. These hidden costs rarely appear in annual reports, yet they significantly undermine performance. Trust, therefore, has real economic value. Every unnecessary approval process, prolonged meeting, unresolved conflict or duplicated task represents the cost of weak social capital. Organisations with strong trust operate more efficiently because employees require fewer controls, communicate openly and collaborate naturally. Malaysia’s workplaces are also undergoing rapid transformation. Organisations across both the public and private sectors are investing heavily in digitalisation, automation, AI and data analytics. These investments are necessary but technology alone cannot guarantee success. AI may analyse vast amounts of information within seconds but it cannot build trust among colleagues. Digital platforms may connect employees virtually but they cannot create a culture of openness or mutual respect. Organisations that prioritise technology while neglecting human relationships risk becoming digitally advanced but socially disconnected. Research consistently supports this observation. Studies show that social capital contributes positively to innovation,

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By the time the photo shoot is over, the only thing hot is our patience. Welcome to the era where everything has become content. In Malaysia, we have always loved sharing. Food, celebrations, family gatherings and special moments have always been part of our culture. We are a nation that believes good food must be shared, open houses must be crowded and family milestones must be celebrated loudly. But somewhere along the way, sharing has become documenting. A holiday is no longer just a holiday. It needs a full album, a TikTok transition and a caption reminding everyone that “life is beautiful”. A trip to Penang is incomplete without a photo at Armenian Street. A visit to Bali requires the perfect infinity pool picture. Even a simple meal at a mamak has become a potential content at a mamak joint. The roti canai is not just roti canai anymore; it is “late-night supper vibes” with the right angle and background music. And then there are Malaysian weddings. Once upon a time, guests came to eat, congratulate the couple and go home with a packet of bunga telur . Today, some weddings look like movie productions. There are pre While these factors are undoubtedly important, one critical asset is often overlooked despite having a profound influence on long term success. It cannot be purchased, copied by competitors or reflected directly in a financial statement. This asset is social capital. Social capital refers to the relationships, trust, shared values and networks that enable people to work effectively together. It is the invisible glue that connects individuals, departments and stakeholders in achieving common goals. While financial capital provides resources and human capital provides knowledge and expertise, social capital determines how effectively these resources are transformed into organsational performance. Its importance has become even more evident in today’s increasingly complex business environment. Organisations no longer compete solely on products or services. They compete on innovation, speed, adaptability and their ability to respond to rapid technological and economic change. These capabilities depend less on individual brilliance and more on how well people collaborate. Consider two organisations operating in the same industry. Both employ highly qualified staff, invest in modern technology and possess similar financial resources. Yet, one consistently delivers better results, adapts more quickly to change and retains motivated employees while the other struggles with communication breakdowns, departmental silos and declining morale.

Today, food must first earn its right to be consumed. – AI-GENERATED PHOTO

After 20 attempts, even the waiter starts wondering whether we are ordering coffee or filming a commercial. But perhaps the bigger issue is not that we are creating content. Content creation has brought many good things: it has helped small Malaysian businesses grow; allowed home bakers, artists, entrepreneurs and creators to build careers; and helped important stories reach millions of people. The problem is when everything – even private moments – starts needing an audience. A kind act is recorded before it is completed. A family gathering becomes a photo session. A personal struggle becomes a public announcement. Even sadness sometimes comes with a camera facing us. There is also a hidden pressure behind this culture. The pressure to look happy. To look successful. To look like life is always exciting. But behind many perfect posts are tired parents, stressed creators and ordinary people trying their best to keep up with an Organisations with stronger social capital are generally better at solving problems, adapting to change and sustaining competitive advantage. Innovation rarely emerges from individuals working alone. Most breakthrough ideas result from collaboration and the exchange of diverse perspectives. Employees who feel trusted and psychologically safe are more likely to propose creative solutions, challenge outdated practices and learn from failure. Such an environment cannot exist without strong social capital. Leadership plays a crucial role in building this asset. Trust develops through consistent actions, transparent communication, fairness and integrity. Employees observe whether leaders keep promises, recognise contributions fairly, encourage collaboration and genuinely listen to different viewpoints. Organisations should also create workplaces where learning is valued more than blame. Employees who feel safe to ask questions, admit mistakes and share ideas are more likely to contribute beyond their formal responsibilities. This culture strengthens innovation and prepares organisations to navigate uncertainty. Social capital also extends beyond internal relationships. Strong connections with customers, suppliers, universities, government agencies, industry partners, alumni and local communities provide valuable access to knowledge, opportunities and new markets. Higher education offers a good example. Universities increasingly recognise alumni as strategic partners rather than merely former students. Alumni contribute through mentoring,

algorithm that is never satisfied. Maybe that is why many of us feel exhausted – because life itself has started feeling like a performance. Perhaps some moments are still too precious to share: the laughter that happens when nobody is recording, the conversation over teh tarik that lasts for hours, the family dinner where everyone is too busy eating to take a photo, the moment our children look at us, not the camera. Maybe the best memories are not always the ones with the most likes. Sometimes, the happiest moments are the ones that never made it online. And perhaps, in a world where everything has become content, the most meaningful thing we can create is a moment that belongs only to us.

Hashini Kavishtri Kannan is the assistant news editor at theSun. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

COMMENT by Dr Roslan Ja’afar

Social capital: The invisible asset driving organisational performance WHEN organisations discuss the secrets behind outstanding performance, the conversation usually centres on financial strength, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) or attracting the best talent. The difference often lies in the quality of relationships within the organisation. employee engagement, learning, knowledge sharing and overall performance. research collaborations, internships, philanthropy and industry networks. These relationships strengthen an institution’s reputation and long-term sustainability.

The same principle applies to businesses. Companies that invest in trusted stakeholder relationships often enjoy stronger customer loyalty, enhanced reputation and greater resilience during economic uncertainty because they have built goodwill long before challenges arise. As Malaysia advances towards becoming a high-income and innovation-driven nation, organisations must rethink what truly creates sustainable competitive advantage. Financial capital, technology and talented employees remain essential but their full value can only be realised when people trust one another and work towards a shared purpose. Ultimately, organisational performance is not determined solely by the intelligence of individuals but by the strength of their relationships. Technology can be acquired and financial resources can be mobilised but trust must be earned over time. The organisations that will succeed in the future will not necessarily be those with the biggest budgets or the latest technologies. They will be those that recognise one simple truth: Strong relationships build strong organisations. Investing in social capital is, therefore, not merely a people initiative; it is a strategic investment in sustainable organisational performance, resilience and long-term success. Dr Roslan Ja’afar is a senior lecturer at the Graduate School of Business, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com