Critical thinking and critical reading have become critical skills required of university graduates in an increasingly technological and digitally connected world. Asian undergraduates, on the other hand, are frequently claimed for their low levels of critical reading and thinking. While extensive survey research may indicate this concerning trend, this proposed study may be beneficial in elucidating the influence of culture on Asian undergraduates' critical reading ability through their perspectives. This proposed study will employ an explanatory sequential mixed methods design in which a critical reading test based on an external tool of the PISA 2018 reading framework is administered alongside in-depth interviews with engineering students at a Malaysian and a Vietnamese private university. This study may be an appropriate response to the Asian critical community's aversion to tertiary education. Additionally, the findings from this future research may assist educators in selecting the most effective pedagogy for promoting Asian students' critical reading competence by gaining a better understanding of their perspectives and the cultural factors that influence their critical performance. © 2021 ACM.