16/06/2025

MONDAY | JUNE 16, 2025

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Gambling addiction ‘mirrors’ substance abuse

Elderly couple found dead in shophouse

KUANTAN: An elderly couple was found dead in their home in a shophouse in Kampung Sungai Ruan, Raub on Saturday. Raub district police chief Superintendent Mohd Shahril Abd Rahman said in a statement the body of Wong Tong Seng, 75, was found in front of the kitchen sink and infested with maggots, while the body of his wife Loh Kam Ngo, 73, was found at the edge of a bed in one of the rooms. “Initial inspection found no elements of crime and the house was in good condition,“ he said. Post-mortem results conducted at the Raub Hospital found that the cause of death for both victims was due to Acute Coronary Syndrome (heart attack), he added. Mohd Shahril said the woman had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for the past 20 years. – Bernama Two killed in car-lorry highway crash KUANTAN: Two people were killed and two others injured in a collision involving a car and a trailer lorry on Jalan Kuantan-Maran highway on Saturday. The crash, which occurred at Batu 12 at about 3.30pm, is believed to have occurred when the lorry, travelling from Johor towards Kuantan, lost control and swerved into oncoming traffic before colliding with a Toyota Vios. Kuantan police chief ACP Wan Mohd Zahari Wan Busu said Norihan Mustafa, 57, a passenger in the back seat of the car, died at the scene. The lorry driver Jayavarman Murugan, 24, died at the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital. The car driver, Mohd Ridzwan Ab Mubin, 59, sustained facial and shoulder injuries, while another passenger escaped with minor injuries, Bernama reported. Both vehicles are being inspected by the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre, and the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987. 99 foreigners held in entertainment outlet raids KUANTAN: A total of 99 foreign nationals, including 85 women, were arrested in six raids conducted by the Immigration Department on entertainment premises here early yesterday. Pahang Immigration director Nursafariza Ihsan said they were among 369 individuals rounded up in the operation that began at 1am. She said those arrested involved Thai, Lao, Bangladeshi, Yemeni and Chinese nationals aged between 25 and 50, while most of the foreign women arrested worked as guest relations officers, booked by customers through various platforms, including the WeChat application. – Bernama

years ago while working as a ride-hailing driver. What started as casual betting turned into a dangerous obsession. “There were times he accused us of being part of a system trying to control him,” he said. “He once tried to throw a chair at me during an argument about his debts. I cut off contact with him for two years, though he would still show up at home occasionally, as he had nowhere else to go.” In another disturbing episode, the man reportedly dismantled the family car’s fuel pump, convinced someone had planted a bomb inside. Despite their mother, who works as a tour guide, paying off some of his debts, the gambling continued. Fearing for their safety, the family has since restricted his access to shared areas in the home. On June 10, their mother brought the man to a local health clinic in search of referrals for psychiatric evaluation and potential treatment.

“And stop, withdrawal can bring about agitation, restlessnes or even aggression, just like in drug addiction. “For individuals who already have a predisposition, like those with schizophrenia or other mental health vulnerabilities, gambling can worsen the condition. “The biological impact of gambling can contribute to heightened stress, which may trigger or intensify psychotic symptoms like delusions.” These insights offer a stark context to a real-life case shared by a local technician, who opened up about his 28-year-old brother’s worsening addiction. Speaking to theSun on condition of anonymity, the technician, posting under the alias asoka75, described a harrowing pattern of violence, paranoia and emotional toll that has fractured his family. He said the addiction began after his brother lost money in cryptocurrency investments several when they

o When access to source of pleasure suddenly cut off, brain reacts similarly to withdrawal, leading to irrational behaviour, restlessness and aggression: Expert

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

disturbances such as paranoia or delusions. “At the disorder stage, therapy may be sufficient. But once it progresses into illness, marked by symptoms like hallucinations or detachment from reality, medical intervention becomes necessary.” Hospital Al-Sultan Abdullah psychiatrist Dr Nur Faizah Ali echoed these concerns, stressing that the compulsion to gamble can become all-consuming despite mounting personal or financial consequences. “There is tolerance, meaning the person needs to gamble more to achieve the same psychological high,” she said.

PETALING Gambling addiction can have far-reaching psychological effects, ranging from aggressive outbursts to paranoid delusions, according to mental health experts who warn that such compulsive behaviour mirrors the withdrawal patterns seen in substance abuse. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia psychology officer Dr Zulfikar Ahmad said gambling activates the same reward circuits in the brain as drugs or nicotine. “Even without physical substances like drugs, gambling itself activates those same pleasure circuits,” he said. “If a person doesn’t get that dopamine hit, the symptoms can mirror those of heavy smokers or drug users.” He added that when access to that source of pleasure is suddenly cut off, the brain reacts similarly to substance withdrawal. “This can lead to irrational behaviour, restlessness and, in some cases, aggression.” A disorder typically refers to behavioural patterns that interfere with daily functioning but do not involve structural changes in brain chemistry, he said. JAYA:

Nur Faizah said the compulsion to gamble can become all-consuming despite mounting personal or financial consequences. – SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN /THESUN

Zulfikar added that addiction can evolve through two stages – disorder and illness. While a disorder involves behavioural disruptions that interfere with daily life, an illness reflects deeper biological Council member denies sex assault on employee

KOTA BHARU: A Kuala Krai District Council member pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here yesterday to a charge of raping a 29-year-old woman who was also his employee. The accused, Muhammad Jaya Murugan Abdullah, 47, made the plea after the charge was read before Judge Zulkifli Abdullah. According to the charge, the alleged offence took place at a laundromat, Nikiysa 1909 Laundry,

citing the seriousness of the charge, and proposed a bail sum of RM30,000 along with additional conditions. The court allowed the accused a bail of RM15,000 with two local sureties, along with several conditions, including surrendering his passport and he is strictly prohibited from harassing the victim in any way. The court set July 15 for mention. – Bernama The public is advised not to further disseminate the video and to always verify the authenticity of information before sharing content on social media. Anyone with information related to the spread of the fake video is advised to assist with investigations by contacting the nearest police station. – Bernama

business and social initiatives. “The accused has 12 children, including two stepchildren, and is supporting 10 who are still in school. The proposed surety is his biological brother, who works as a plantation manager. Our client is also willing to report regularly to the police station,” the lawyer said. However, deputy public prosecutor Kamarul Hasyime Rosli objected to the bail application, underway under Section 419 and Section 420/511 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. Kumar said Johor police take seriously the misuse of technology, including AI, for fraudulent or defamatory purposes that could tarnish the reputation of any party.

at PT 2430, Jalan KCP 2, Krai Central Park, at 2pm on May 29. He is charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum imprisonment of up to 20 years and whipping. Lawyer Ariff Azami Hussein, representing the accused, applied for bail on the grounds that his client has no prior criminal record, is a community leader within the local Indian population, and is active in

‘Video linked to Johor police chief AI generated’ JOHOR BAHRU: Johor Police Chief CP Datuk M. Kumar has denied the authenticity of a TikTok video allegedly showing an individual resembling him receiving aid from a man going by the name of “Datok Abdul Malik”. artificial intelligence (AI) technology. “The video, which is linked to the receipt of aid from an individual named Datok Abdul Malik and supposedly deposited into a bank, is fake and baseless,” he said.

Accordingly, a report was lodged by an officer from the Johor Police Media Unit to refute the video’s legitimacy, and an investigation is

In a statement on Saturday, Kumar said the video was false and had been manipulated using