By Vincent D’Silva

JOHOR BAHRU: As 2025 edges quietly toward its close, hopes for 2026 are taking shape far from policy halls and political rallies — in factories, shops, farms and homes across the country.

In conversations marked not by prediction but by lived experience, Malaysians from different walks of life spoke not of grand promises, but of everyday realities: costs that stretch pay cheques thin, politics that often disappoint, and a quiet, stubborn faith that the nation can still do better.

Apa Khabar TV spoke to a few Malaysians on their hopes, worries and quiet prayers as the nation stands on the threshold of a new year — reflections shaped not by ideology, but by the daily struggle to make ends meet, to find dignity in work, and to hold on to a belief that Malaysia’s future can still be kinder, fairer and more grounded in compassion.

Taman Gaya Buddhist Hua-Yan Temple Chairman Pang Yun On said, “I hope 2026 brings renewed faith — faith in humanity, faith in doing the right thing even when no one is watching, and faith that small acts can still create meaningful change.”

For humanitarian worker Chua Liak Ching, Chairman of the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Johor Bahru Branch the past year revealed both hardship and hope.

“We saw more families needing help, more disasters testing our resilience,” he said.

“But we also saw volunteers step forward without hesitation. My hope for 2026 is that kindness becomes policy, not just charity.”

For Rotary Club of Johor Bahru Past President Freddie Lee, the new year is less about ambition than service.

“Rotary teaches us that progress doesn’t always begin in Parliament,” he said. “It begins when ordinary citizens decide to help where they can — feeding the hungry, educating children, and reminding ourselves that compassion is still a national value.”

GoodHope Hotel Group General Manager Callie Tan who has spent decades in hospitality, hopes 2026 brings stability and dignity to working Malaysians.

“My staff work long hours to serve others,” she said. “They deserve wages that keep pace with reality, and leaders who understand what it means to manage people, not just numbers.”

Principal of SMK Mohd Khalid, Rostena Ismail, said, “My hope is for education that nurtures thinking, values and resilience – not just exam results. The classroom of 2026 should shape citizens who are curious, ethical and proud to be Malaysian.”

For Lau Teik Hock, Malaysian Red Crescent Johor Bahru Branch Senior Officer, hope is grounded in action rather than slogans.

“I’ve seen suffering up close,” he said softly. “But I’ve also seen strangers help strangers. That tells me Malaysia hasn’t lost its soul.”

Consultant Gynaecologist & Obstetrician Dr K. N. Singh said:

“My wish for the coming year is unity — not uniformity, but understanding: the ability to learn how to disagree without hatred, and to coexist without fear.”

Johor Quarries Association Chairman Dato’ Sri Toh Keng Tiong said, “For me, 2026 is about responsibility. I hope we become more conscious of how our choices affect the environment, our communities, and the generations that come after us.”

President of Rotary Club of Pasir Gudang Mandarin Kimberly Chan says progress must be measured by empathy.

“I wish 2026 brings greater concern for the forgotten — the poor, refugees, the elderly, and the disabled,” she said. “A strong nation is not measured by skyscrapers, but by how gently it treats those who have the least.”

Chong Ah Ng, Advisor for the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Johor Bahru Branch, said, “As we enter 2026, my hope is simple, peace, harmony and mutual respect. If we care for one another across race, faith and age, Malaysia’s future will be gentle, strong and enduring.”

Social Hero Foundation (SHF) Trustee Datuk Seri Teo Shiok Fu said, “My hope for 2026 is an economy that feels fairer to ordinary Malaysians — where wages rise with the cost of living, small businesses are supported, and growth is measured not just in numbers, but in dignity and opportunity for working families.”

Edey Suresh, Board Director at Large, UN Global Compact Network Malaysia and Brunei (UNGCMYB), said, “The year ahead calls for steady leadership, coherent policy, and decisive action. Together, we move beyond intention and uphold responsibility, resilience, and accountability at the heart of all decisions that matter.”

Francis Gopal, Past President of Rotary Club of Johor Bahru said, “In 2026, I hope kindness becomes policy, not just sentiment – that disaster relief, refugee support and social aid are guided by empathy and humanity, not bureaucracy alone.”

As the calendar prepares to turn, these voices — diverse, grounded and quietly resolute — offer no sweeping forecasts. Instead, they carry into 2026 something far more enduring: the belief that change begins not with loud promises, but with ordinary Malaysians refusing to give up on one another, or on the country they still call home.