3R

See also: 3r

English

Etymology

For sense 2, first popularised in 2014 in Malaysian academic journals and political commentaries. Adopted by the Malaysian government in August 2019 to discourage hate speech in light of the general elections on that year, which it began to refer as 3R.

Phrase

3R

1. Abbreviation of reduce, reuse, recycle (“a waste management strategy”).
2. (Malaysia, politics) Abbreviation of race, religion, royalty (“referring to the Malay race, Islam, and the monarchy of Malaysia, three sensitive topics in the country”).

   Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has issued a final warning to all parties to not exploit issues touching on race, religion and the royal institution (3R) which can split the country.

3. (Malaysia, politics, by extension) a violation of Malaysian law that involves insulting or attacking either one of those three topics.

Descendants

• → Malay: 3R (sense 2 and 3)

Malay

Etymology

Calque of English 3R

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌˌtiɡa ˈar/ [ˌˌt̪i.ɡa ˈʔar]

Noun

3R (uncountable)

1. (Malaysia, politics) Abbreviation of race, religion, royalty (“referring to the Malay race, Islam, and the monarchy of Malaysia, three sensitive topics in the country”).
2. (Malaysia, politics, by extension) a violation of Malaysian law that involves insulting or attacking either one of those three topics.