{
  "id": 2073804,
  "title": "Malaysians ask Zohran Mamdani to fix potholes in viral meme appeal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/malaysians-ask-zohran-mamdani-to-fix-potholes-in-viral-meme-appeal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-20T04:50:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3364645/malaysians-ask-zohran-mamdani-fix-potholes-viral-meme-appeal"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysians are asking New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to fix potholes in a humorous plea that has gone viral, leading to a wave of memes praising his responsiveness and exposing local government negligence. The campaign originated after a social media user posted a video of a damaged road he frequently drives on, which caused him to have a car accident. The user, in the video, implored Mamdani for assistance, stating, \"Mamdani, please help me. There used to be a pothole over there and because of the pothole I was involved in a road accident. Please help me, Mamdani. Thank you so much, Mamdani.\" The video concluded with a humorous \"Malaysia Madani\" poster featuring the mayor's face against the Kuala Lumpur skyline. Malaysia Madani is a slogan coined by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Upon seeing the video, some users joked that Mamdani was trying to determine which New York street the footage depicted, while others wondered if Malaysians could \"borrow Mamdani.\" Malaysian politicians also capitalized on Mamdani's online fame to question why authorities were slow to address everyday public grievances. Former Klang MP Charles Santiago remarked on social media, \"What is stopping Malaysia from acting? Six months was enough for New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani to recognize extreme heat as a workplace hazard and act. How many more heatwaves will Malaysia need before we do the same?\" Malaysia has a long-standing pothole issue that has occasionally resulted in fatalities. In March, a traffic policeman on a motorcycle with a colleague was killed when their vehicle swerved to avoid a pothole and crashed on a road in Terengganu state. Malaysians often joke about Mamdani's last name, portraying him as an honorary member of Anwar Ibrahim's Malaysia Madani administration. Memes have shown the mayor in traditional Malay attire with the national flag and government imagery, using the hashtag #MalaysiaMamdani. The 34-year-old, a self-described democratic socialist and former New York state assemblyman, was elected mayor of New York City in November 2025, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Mamdani, the city's first Muslim and South Asian mayor, took office on January 1.",
  "summary": "Malaysians have launched a humorous appeal to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to fix their potholes, sparking a meme fest praising his responsiveness and highlighting local government inaction. The campaign began after a social media user posted a video of a battered road he frequently uses that caused him to crash, urging Mamdani to help make the thoroughfare passable. “Mamdani, please help…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}