Every year, as Malaysia’s motorways hum with holiday traffic and families reunite for the Lunar New Year, another, less heartwarming tradition quietly unfolds: elderly parents being admitted to hospital wards so their children can go on holiday.
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The nation’s hospitals regularly see a surge of elderly patients admitted with questionable symptoms at Lunar New Year, from shortness of breath to fatigue or reduced consciousness. But doctors say the real diagnosis isn’t medical; it’s convenience.
Frustrated doctors have started speaking out, turning to TikTok to highlight the trend, sparking a maelstrom of public debate in a nation that prides itself on its family values.
“Do you think we don’t notice? But maybe you need your rest too,” Malaysian doctor Izad Iskandar asked in a now-viral TikTok video titled “Understanding parental care during holidays”, which has been shared more than 3,000 times.
His post opened a floodgate of reactions, with medical professionals confirming the practice and ordinary Malaysians expressing a mix of disbelief and outrage.
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“The children act like doctors at the emergency department, insisting that their parent’s illness requires them to be warded,” TikTok user Siti Hajar commented. Another user, Dhiya, noted that hospital laboratories were often swamped with samples during holiday periods, as admissions spike with claims of emergency cases.