In the digital age, as social media evolves into a new and significant centre for the dissemination of Chinese folk beliefs, the Malaysian Chinese have actively shared information about these folk beliefs on their social media platforms. The dissemination has transcended regional barriers, encouraging more Malaysian Chinese across various states to actively participate in public discussions on this topic. This study delves into Malaysian Chinese folk beliefs by analysing data from Facebook. A comprehensive examination of 4012 text posts was conducted using the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model for topic modelling. The analysis identified four main themes on social media: ‘Practitioners Worship’, ‘Temple Activities’, ‘Deity Legends’, and ‘Merchandise about Deity Statues’. Based on integrating social construction theory and media ecology theory, the study first explores the varied constructors, including practitioners, temple organisations, media organisations, and merchants. Secondly, Malaysian Chinese folk beliefs on social media present characteristics of utilitarianism, regional diversity, multiple social functions, flowing realms, strong Taoist elements, commercialisation, and a close relationship with the Spring Festival. Furthermore, ‘Safety and Peace’, ‘Pray for Demands’, and ‘Merits and Virtues’ form an interconnected semantic nexus. Hence, the findings theoretically highlight the interaction and significance of social media in the construction and practice of folk beliefs within the Malaysian Chinese community. Practically, this research provides valuable insights into the understanding and dissemination of Malaysian Chinese religious culture in the digital era.

This study examined the evolving trade structure and social relations between both nations. First, a macro-environmental analysis is conducted, considering key factors such as political, economic, societal, and technological factors that influence the Sino-Malaysian trade structure. Second, variations in product sales strategies employed by Chinese and Malaysian companies are explored in the context of e-commerce sales culture. Third, the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on changing SinoMalaysian social relations is examined. The findings show that China and Malaysia maintain robust connections in traditional and primary product trade. However, without actively cultivating differentiated advantages and fostering cooperation agreements, China risks losing Malaysia’s reliance on conventional and primary products because of cost-related considerations. Furthermore, this study highlights the significant impact of Malaysian crossborder e-commerce consumers on various factors. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the evolving trade structure and social relations between China and Malaysia and offers valuable insights for future studies in this field.

In 1948, the British colonial authorities promulgated the Emergency Ordinance, banning Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) activities and arresting its members, forcing the CPM to launch its armed struggle earlier than expected. Under British colonial authorities’ formidable encirclement strategy, the CPM gradually retreated to southern Thailand in 1950 to set up new bases. The CPM in its retreat began to scale down military force and personnel. With the evolvement of international affairs in mid 1950s, the CPM further suspended its military activities. In the early 1960s, the issue of the Malaysia Project and the change of international circumstances prompted the CPM to declare the New Directive in which it redefined its direction of struggle and persisted in the path of armed struggle. While the New Directive enabled CPM to gradually revitalize its military strength, Malaysia's internal political conflicts were also worsening, which allowed the CPM to take further action. In 1963, in preparation for its southward advance, the CPM identified clearly “neo-colonialism” and its agent, the “Malaysian” regime, as its new targets of struggle. In mid 1960s, the Struggle against the Counter-revolution incidents broke out within CPM, triggering a political and military crisis in the party, which split into three factions. When the first Struggle against Counterrevolution ended, the CPM issued “Raise High the Great Red Flag and March on with Courage” on 1 June 1968, an important statement announcing officially its readiness to send troops southward. It took the CPM seven years (1961–1968) to adjust and prepare itself before officially launching its assault teams southward on 29 March 1968, which marked a new milestone in CPM's historical development. This article is of the view that the CPM's southward advance strategy is significant and impactful for the CPM in three aspects: (1) it extended the history of the CPM's armed struggle; (2) it provided the CPM's armed struggle with momentum; and (3) it reinforced the authoritarian regime in Malaysia.