SHAH ALAM - Influencer and medical doctor, Dr Malar Santhi Santherasegapan recently addressed the phenomenon of earworms in a video as part of her "Celoteh Dr Malar" series.
Her commentary comes at a timely moment, as the country has been abuzz with a viral song related to the GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) controversy.
This controversy arose when a song was created to honour their cult leader, Ashaari Muhammad, known as Abuya, reportedly symbolising loyalty among his followers.
The song gained widespread attention after an old video of cult members singing a poem—later turned into song lyrics—resurfaced and was transformed into a meme.
The song not only gained popularity in its original form but also became background music for numerous humorous content across platforms like X, TikTok, and Instagram.
Dr Malar described that an earworm occurs when a song repeats in someone’s mind, even if they dislike it to the extent that it becomes annoying.
"If you find yourself facing this, it doesn't mean you've become a member of GISBH.
"It's true that our minds can subconsciously latch onto it," she humorously said, highlighting that while only GISBH members were initially known to sing the song, it has now penetrated the public's consciousness.
Netizens on Instagram echoed Dr Malar's observations in the comments, sharing their struggles with the catchy tune titled "Pasar Ikhwan di Putrajaya (Ikhwan Market in Putrajaya)."
"I have tried listening to another song... but while scrolling through reels, the 'Abuya ski bidi bidi boom boom' keeps playing," @sitifairuzmohddalim commented.
"I just can’t get it out of my mind," @elliesa83, humorously said.
Agreeing with Dr Malar, @lyn_izz said that she was stressed out by the Abuya song and felt like she had many earworms.
To alleviate the earworm phenomenon, Dr Malar suggested that keeping busy with other activities can help distract from the song stuck in one's mind.
"Don't waste too much time hating it. Instead, try listening to songs you enjoy, preferably at a louder volume and for a longer duration.
"You could also memorise the lyrics of another song and repeat it, which can effectively help you forget the one you dislike," she said.