A social media post by the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur has sparked a wave of humorous yet pointed reactions from Malaysians, with many online jokingly pleading that their country not become "the next Venezuela."
An 'Electric' Image Sparks Unintended Reactions
On Wednesday 14 January 2026, the US mission in Malaysia shared a striking satellite image taken from the International Space Station back in 2016. The photograph captured dramatic lightning flashes within towering storm clouds over the Malaysian landscape.
The embassy's caption read, "Malaysia, you’ve never looked more electric." It elaborated that the bright pops of light were not city lights but "massive lightning strikes" within a thunderstorm, adding a reflection on the planet's beauty when seen from space.
Social Media Humour Masks Deeper Concerns
Rather than simply admiring the view, Malaysian netizens seized the opportunity for self-deprecating humour, directly linking the post to recent US foreign policy actions. The online jesting centred on assuring Washington that Malaysia possesses no significant crude oil reserves, thus hopefully avoiding unwanted attention.
On Facebook, a highly-liked comment stated, "Please tell your president we don’t have oil ya. We only have Saji cooking oil." Others played on outdated stereotypes, with one user quipping, "As you can see, we live in the jungle. We build fire to warm our bodies."
Another commenter, Alif Sazali, wrote, "Dear Trump... we live in jungle...no oils just tiger and crocodile." Mohd Raffi Merusin humorously claimed Malaysia had "just an abundance of palm oil and thunderstorms."
On Instagram, beneath the same image, the anxiety was more explicit with users asking, "Are we the next Venezuela?" Some suggested the US look elsewhere, with comments like, "You can prefer Brunei or Singapore." A user named Ina Abd Rahman pointedly questioned the motive behind sharing a satellite image "with no warning at all."
Roots of the Anxiety: Venezuela and Beyond
The flurry of oil-related jokes is a direct response to recent aggressive statements from the Donald Trump administration. Earlier in January 2026, following the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, the US vowed to control Venezuela’s oil "indefinitely."
President Trump explicitly stated the US would take over Venezuela and tap its oil reserves, announcing a plan for Venezuela to supply 30-50 million barrels of "sanctioned oil" to the United States. This interventionist stance was further highlighted when Mr Trump reiterated a desire to acquire Greenland, threatening to "do something with Greenland whether they like it or not," and refusing to rule out military force for the Danish territory.
For Malaysians observing these events, the US embassy's seemingly innocent post transcended meteorology, becoming a canvas upon which to project very real geopolitical fears, using humour as both a shield and a commentary.
