12/07/2025

SATURDAY | JULY 12, 2025

4 ‘Create support system to help youth start families’

Exercise caution near crocodile-infested rivers, public advised

Ű BY JOSEPH PETER newsdesk@thesundaily.com

fought and were willing to sacrifice for the country,” he said. In another development, Nanta also reminded owners of shop lots and premises in Kapit to not only maintain, but also beautify their buildings. “I urge the Kapit District Council to step in and remind property owners to take responsibility for cleaning and upgrading unsightly premises,” he said. He noted that many privately owned shops and buildings, especially those which have not been repainted for years, are affecting the town’s image, particularly those located in central areas. He added that the issue requires serious attention, as many locals have long voiced their dissatisfaction over the matter. – Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: Galeria Sri Perdana has reopen its doors to the public after being closed for upgrading works since 2023. National Archives director-general Datuk Jaafar Sidek Abdul Rahman said the RM12.76 million project to upgrade the gallery building was approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan. “The upgrading works involved new wiring for the air-conditioning and lighting systems, refurbishment of the gallery space, structural repairs to both the interior and exterior of the building and landscape maintenance,” he said. Jaafar expressed hope that the gallery and other memorial archives would serve as effective educational tourism centres, offering insights into the nation’s history. The gallery was closed from 2020 to 2021 due to the enforcement of the movement control order before upgrading works began on Jan 1, 2023. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 9am and 5pm, and closed on Mondays except during school holidays. – Bernama KUCHING: Residents in Sarawak are being urged to exercise extreme caution near rivers following a deadly crocodile attack in Limbang, amid warnings that the state’s waterways are heavily populated with the reptiles. The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) said the state is home to some 4,500km of river systems and 40 water catchment basins – many of which are known crocodile habitats. “Based on a rough estimate, there could be up to 25,000 crocodiles populating these river systems,” the agency said in a statement. “People must be cautious when undertaking river activities. “We are trying to mitigate human-wildlife incidents and we need the public to play their part,” it added. The warning comes in the wake of a fatal incident involving a fisherman in Sungai Pandam, a remote river in northern Sarawak. The victim, 58-year-old Karim Osman, was reported missing on Tuesday after being attacked by a large crocodile while fishing alone in a boat near the riverbank. His body was found intact the next day by a Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department team, about 100m from his home in Kampung Pandam. Authorities had earlier spotted a crocodile surfacing with what appeared to be a human body between its jaws, but it disappeared into deeper waters before they could act. The Sarawak Wildlife Action Team, an armed unit under the SFC, has been deployed to track and remove the crocodile. Upgraded gallery reopen to public

and family well-being. To this end, the ministry is focusing on implementing comprehensive strategies to support family planning among youth, including subsidies under the Infertility Treatment Assistance and Advocacy programme for 1,300 eligible couples, improved childcare facilities and more flexible parental leave. The highlight of the national-level celebration for World Population Day 2025 will take place on July 21 at Lanai Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia, in collaboration with the Statistics Department, Universiti Malaya and the United Nations Population Fund. State-level celebrations will also be held throughout this month and August via seminars on population and family-related topics, organised by the National Population and Family Development Board state offices in collaboration with strategic partners nationwide. Visit the board’s official website at www.lppkn.gov.my and the Population and Family Research Hub at https://mprh.lppkn.gov.my for further details.

“The solution lies in creating a supportive ecosystem – not by simply encouraging them to start families immediately,” she said in a statement in conjunction with World Population Day 2025 yesterday, Nancy said population issues must be viewed as a present-day crisis that requires inclusive and progressive policy action, in line with demographic shifts and the expectations of the younger generation. Malaysia’s total fertility rate stands at 1.7 children – well below the replacement level of 2.1 – while birth rates dropped by more than 11% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period last year. This year’s World Population Day, themed “Empowering Young People to Create the Families They Want in a Fair and Hopeful World,” underscores the importance of listening to and addressing the needs of the younger generation, Bernama reported. The ministry, through the National Population and Family Development Board, remains committed to raising public awareness on population-related issues, including reproductive health rights, demographic shifts

KUALA LUMPUR: Family-related policies must be anchored in an ecosystem that supports the needs of the younger generation, rather than merely urging them to marry and start families, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. She said it is crucial to give due consideration to the voices of youth, as many of them wish to marry and have families but are hindered by factors such as cost of living, unstable employment, limited access to childcare and concerns about the future. o Important to listen to and address needs of younger generation as many hindered by factors such as cost of living, unstable employment: Minister KUCHING: A new law is being drafted in Sarawak to ban the sale of vaping devices to school students and teenagers in a bid to curb rising addiction among youth. State Minister for Women, Community Wellbeing and Family Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the legislation is necessary as more young people are becoming addicted to vaping. “My ministry is in the process of formulating very strict regulations. “We have identified key areas of concern as vaping is becoming increasingly widespread among students and teenagers, including in towns like Miri and Sibu. “A Cabinet paper is being prepared by my ministry for this proposed law,” she said after attending a drug prevention briefing with the police at her ministry here. Fatimah added that the state attorney- general, state secretary and state financial officer are being consulted as part of the process. According to previous reports, most teen vapers in Sarawak are aged between 13 and 17. “It is a real cause of concern that Sarawak teens are getting hooked on smoking,” she said. Her ministry must chart a clear path forward to aggressively tackle the growing issue among youth in the state. – By JOSEPH PETER Law in the works to ban vape sale

RARING TO GO ... More than 1,500 participants taking part in the Payang Fun Walk and Run in conjunction with the Squid Jigging Carnival and Madani Rakyat 2025 event in Kuala Terengganu yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

Kapit Waterfront phase two set to be tourist attraction KAPIT: The completed second phase of the Kapit Waterfront is set to become not only a new landmark for the town, but also a tourist attraction and a catalyst for local economic growth. he said at the launch ceremony of the completed riverbank and slope stabilisation and the Kapit Waterfront extension here on Thursday. carried out by the current leadership, and this continuity is crucial to ensure that all government project planning and implementation proceed smoothly for the benefit of the people,” he said.

He added that the project’s implementation reflects the spirit of cooperation, or s egulai sejalai , among all parties, including elected representatives, grassroots leaders, government agencies and departments as well as the people of Kapit. On the district’s development, Nanta said Kapit has progressed significantly compared with a decade or two ago, thanks to the continuous efforts of previous leaders, including the late Tan Sri James Jemut Masing, who was the former deputy chief minister. “Development efforts in Kapit are being

He also urged all parties to continue supporting the government led by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg to ensure that the state’s development agenda can be implemented in a comprehensive manner. On the construction of a heroes monument at the waterfront, Nanta described the initiative as a fitting tribute to the past warriors, particularly Kapit natives who once served with the Sarawak Rangers. “This is not merely a gesture of appreciation, but also a recognition of the Kapit natives who

Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the project is part of the Sarawak government’s efforts to develop modern, inclusive and sustainable rural infrastructure. Nanta, who is also the Kapit MP, said the RM10.3 million project involves riverbank and slope stabilisation, as well as the extension of the Kapit Waterfront along Batang Rajang. “This waterfront not only enhances the landscape of Kapit town, but also serves as a public space for social, recreational and economic activities for the local community,”