"This is not a holiday camp," Mr. Ganesha said, tapping the blackboard with a wooden ruler. The sound was sharp, a miniature gunshot that made Aaron’s deskmate, Hafiz, jolt awake. "SPM is in three months. You fail this, you fail your life. You want to sweep the roads? You want to sell burgers by the roadside?"

"Eh, want to go lepak at the mamak?" Hafiz asked, straddling his BMX bike. "Got Premier League match later."

To address these challenges, the Malaysian government has introduced reforms, such as:

If you want to see the "Muhibbah" (harmony) spirit of Malaysia, look no further than the school canteen. During recess, the air is filled with the smell of nasi lemak , mee goreng , and roti jai .