Google: What Were Malaysians Searching For In October 2020?

As we move into the month of November, we present the top 10 trending searches over the past month, as searched by Malaysians. Here are the Top 10 Trending Searches for October 2020:

1. Benedict Sandin. Google’s Doodle honoring late ethnographer and Iban folklorist Benedict Sandin on October 18, spurred netizen’s curiosity into his life and work. 

2. Everton vs Liverpool / Aston Villa vs Liverpool* / Man United vs Tottenham ** / Newcastle vs Man United*** . The Premier League drew in its loyal followers, with special interest in some of the most exciting ongoing matches of the 2020-21 season. 

3. PKPB Selangor / Mukim Klang*. Locals wanted to be sure of the SOPs introduced in areas of Selangor, KL, and Putrajaya to contain the recent spike of active COVID-19 cases through the Conditional Movement Control Order. 

4. Bigg Boss 4 Vote. The Tamil reality TV show with a loyal local following led its followers to the online polls to save their favorite celebrities from being eliminated from the show. 

5. OnePlus 8T review. Gadget enthusiasts looked up OnePlus’ flagship device released in Malaysia on October 22, comparing it against older models and checking out early reviews from those who have gotten the device. 

6. PSG vs Man United / Ajax vs Liverpool* . Followers of the UEFA Champions League tuned in to catch match highlights, especially Man United’s 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Ajax. 

7. BPN 2.0 Bayaran. Eligible Malaysians eagerly looked forward to the arrival and distribution of the first phase of the government aid fund which went out as early as October 19, assisting 10.6 million recipients. 

8. Addy Kana. Dato’ Addy Kana appeared on netizens’ radars from being one of the several individuals investigated for being involved in Macau Scams and online gambling, prompting curiosity into looking him up. 

9. Realme Smart Scale Review. Tech geeks were curious to know more about Realme’s latest health tech device which comes with a sensor capable of measuring and tracking body fats, muscle, and heart rate.

10. Realme 7i Malaysia Review. Netizens headed online to check out the reviews of Realme’s latest budget phone which was revealed October 13 and comes in the colours Aurora Green and Polar Blue.  

The resurging cases of COVID-19 and more movement controls – in spite of it all, we find ways to cope

Early September, our well-maintained, single digit COVID-19 active cases moved into the double digits, and soon after, we saw our first triple digits since the early days of the pandemic. The Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) had to be re-introduced in the states of Selangor, KL, and Sabah by the 13th and 14th of October and inter-district travel was closely controlled in these areas. 

How did Malaysians react to these changes? Here are the top pandemic-related questions searched over the month.  

With the safest place being home, more have found the opportunity to connect and keep themselves entertained through online and video games. Top search questions in this area point to some favorites, namely ‘Among Us’ and ‘Genshin Impact’. Some questions are also related to ‘Phasmophobia’ and ‘Roblox’. 

Search Trends over a 12-month period for online games – “Among Us” (blue) and “Genshin Impact” (red) – show a marked increase in searches beginning mid-September, and reaching its peak in October.  

Other ways netizens kept themselves entertained? Watching their favorite shows and re-watching old movies of course! Here are ones which topped the chart over the month: