The country that’s questioning whether it’s in the right time zone
How changing time zone could improve the health of a country
- A social media post by Malaysian minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz about an early morning run in Sabah has reignited debate over the nation's time zone.
- Peninsular Malaysia operates on GMT+8, an hour ahead of its natural longitude, resulting in sunrises around 7 am, later than neighbouring countries like Indonesia.
- The current time zone was adopted in 1981 by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to align Peninsular Malaysia with Sabah and Sarawak, with Singapore also following suit.
- Critics argue that the late sunrise limits morning daylight, disrupts circadian rhythms, and could contribute to health issues such as diabetes and obesity.
- Despite calls for a return to GMT+7, the Malaysian government maintains that altering the time zone would have significant economic consequences and is unwilling to reverse the 1981 decision.