Actress Ira Kazar has been named the most searched person in 2023 on Google Malaysia, despite not making any major television or film appearances this year. Google released its Year In Search 2023, revealing that Malaysians are keen on staying up to date with the latest celebrity news. Ira garnered attention this year due to her involvement in a marital conflict with actress Puteri Sarah and film director Syamsul Yusof.
Searches for Ira peaked in January when it was announced that Syamsul had taken her as his second wife, leading to a divorce filing from his first wife Puteri Sarah.
Puteri Sarah and Syamsul also featured in the top 10 most searched person list, occupying the 5th and 6th positions respectively. Other notable figures in the list include comedian Jocelyn Chia at No. 2, Michelle Yeoh at No. 3, and celebrity couple Angeline Tan and Sabri Yunus at No. 4 and No. 9, respectively.
Google stated in a press release, “As Malaysians grappled with changes in the world, from the weather to global events, we looked for answers to make sense of it all. We showed our care for those affected by hard-hitting issues, kept tabs on the election results and searched for financial aid more than anything else.”
Regarding the top 10 searches under News, the list is led by Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah, followed by the war in Israel and Gaza, and the Malaysian state elections in August. eBelia Rahmah also makes the list at No. 6.
Additionally, Google unveiled a category for searches related to notable people who passed away in 2023. The list includes singer Coco Lee at the top, followed by Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi, and K-pop idol and actor Moonbin.
