02/08/2025

SATURDAY | AUG 2, 2025

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‘Introduce diversion policy for children with minor violations’

Probe into defamation video on Perak royalty IPOH: Police have launched an investigation into a video allegedly containing defamatory and false claims involving Raja Di Hilir of Perak, Raja Iskandar Dzurkarnain Sultan Idris Shah. Ipoh police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the video was uploaded by the TikTok account holder “The King Xtra The Star” and was found to have tarnished the good name of Raja Di-Hilir of Perak. He said following the circulation of the video on social media, a police report was lodged by a 43-year-old local man on July 24. “Initial investigations found that no coronation ceremony is scheduled to take place at any palace in Perak on Aug 7, as claimed in the video. “The claim regarding the distribution of RM800 in incentives to the Perakians is also false,” he said in a statement yesterday. Abang Zainal Abidin said the case is being investigated under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation, as well as Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for improper use of network facilities. – Bernama Man remanded over death of son SEREMBAN: A 36-year-old man has been remanded for a week until Aug 7 to assist investigations into the death of his six-year-old son, whose body was found buried in Rompin, Jempol on July 28. Jempol police chief Supt Norhisham Mustapar said the remand order was issued yesterday by Magistrate Norshazwani Ishak at the Bahau Magistrate’s Court. “The remand is to facilitate further investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder,” he said. The man had lodged a police report on July 24, claiming his son had gone missing in Bukit Indah, Johor. He initially alleged that the boy vanished at about 4pm on July 23 after being left alone in a car while he went to buy food.

o Govt needs to redirect young offenders away from criminal justice system and into community programmes focusing on education, counselling and behavioural support: Suhakam

causing hurt. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept 11, pending a social report from the Welfare Department. Suhakam said the incident should serve as a wake-up call for systemic reform in schools, urging the Education Ministry and administrators to strengthen proactive behavioural support systems, ensure access to mental health services and equip teachers with conflict resolution tools. “The question is whether schools are prepared to deal with emotional and behavioural issues before they escalate,” said Farah Nini. “We must invest in preventive, child-centred approaches that serve the best interests of all parties – students, teachers and the wider community.” Kajang police confirmed that the student had struck the 29-year-old teacher and issued threats in front of witnesses. A report was filed later that evening, leading to the student’s arrest and two-day remand.

mechanism that redirects minors accused of non-violent or minor offences away from the criminal justice system, and into community based programmes focused on education, counselling and behavioural support. “This isn’t about avoiding accountability – it’s about moving towards a system of restorative justice that is proven to be more effective and humane,” she said. “Without this, we risk criminalising children and exposing them to lifelong stigma, rather than addressing root causes like trauma, neglect or mental health challenges.” She also reminded media outlets and the public that Section 15 of the Child Act prohibits revealing any identifying details of children involved in legal proceedings, warning that public speculation and vilification may breach the law and further harm the child. The 14-year-old student pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court on July 30 to a charge under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntarily

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

While condemning the violence and affirming support for the teacher, Suhakam Children’s Commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki stressed the importance of responding to such cases in ways that uphold a child’s dignity, rights and potential for rehabilitation. “Violence in any form is unacceptable. “Every teacher and student has the right to a safe learning environment,” she said in a statement. “But children, no matter the offence, are still entitled to protection under the Child Act 2001 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.” Farah Nini called for a diversion penalise those who use fire as a method to clear wastes. Sarawak is already seeing serious damages to its ecosystem, and it is getting worse year by year.” The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee confirmed at least 220 hotspots across the state – with the largest cluster in Mukah. Committee chairman and Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah said firefighting teams remain on the ground, but dry weather and underground peat fires continue to pose serious challenges. “There was some rain over Mukah and it has helped to reduce the haze. “Fire teams are still on the ground trying to douse the fires. We are worried as the fires are burning underground in peatland. Past experience showed that peat fires can even burn over 100 acres.” Uggah said the state is prepared to conduct cloud seeding to induce rain, but weather conditions remain unfavourable. “At present, much of the state is too hot and dry for cloud seeding operations,” he said.

PETALING JAYA: The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has urged the government to swiftly introduce a formal diversion policy for children in conflict with the law, following the high-profile case of a 14-year-old student remanded for assaulting a teacher. The student, who was reprimanded for skipping a physical education class, allegedly punched and threatened the teacher at a secondary school in Kajang. A video of the incident has since been widely shared on social media, sparking public outrage and renewed debate over juvenile justice.

Call for total ban on open burning of agriculture waste

Ű BY JOSEPH PETER newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUCHING: With over 220 fire hotspots detected across Sarawak, fresh calls have been made for a total ban on open burning of agricultural waste to curb worsening wildfires and environmental damage. Senator Abun Sui Anyit, who is also Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief, said the deliberate use of fire especially on plantations clearing large volumes of waste continues to be a major contributor to uncontrolled blazes across the state. “The state must impose a total ban on using fire to burn off big bulks of agriculture wastes, as the wildfire cases have been causing so much environmental damage throughout this state,” he said in a statement. He cited the massive fire in Mukah as a stark example of how such practices could spiral out of control. “The Mukah fire is so big. It is just one of so many such cases over the years of wildfires that went out of control. “The state authorities must

The boy’s body was later discovered buried in the area at about 4.30pm. – Bernama Crackdown on fake marriage syndicate in Penang

A firefighter battling wildfires at the Mukah district in central Sarawak. – JOSEPH PETER/THESUN

Filipino’s bid to exit Sabah using fake pass foiled PUTRAJAYA: An attempt by a 21-year-old Filipino man to leave Sabah using a pass with a fake endorsement was foiled when he was stopped by the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency at Kota Kinabalu International Airport on Thursday. to be falsified, as no corresponding records were found in the Immigration Department’s system. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempting to deceive authorities about the actual duration of his stay in Malaysia,” read the statement. boarding passes

is being investigated to determine the suspect’s modus operandi. The man has been handed over to the Enforcement Division of the Kota Kinabalu Immigration Department for further investigation under Section 56(1)(l) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for possessing or using a false pass. “We take any attempt to forge travel documents seriously and will continue to tighten security at all entry points to safeguard the nation’s security,” said the agency. – Bernama

BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department is tracking a village-based fake marriage syndicate that uses unauthorised marriage officiants. State Islamic Religious Council president Datuk Mohamad Abdul Hamid said this followed a recent raid at a house in Kubang Semang here, where a wedding ceremony was being conducted without approval. “The department enforcement officers had been monitoring and

conducting surveillance on the case in Kubang Semang for the past two months. They went undercover and made the arrest during the wedding ceremony,” he said here on Thursday. He added that couples who have fallen victim to or have been married by the syndicate are urged to come forward and lodge a report with the department for further investigation. It is understood that the syndicate charges as low as RM3,000 per couple for the marriage service. – Bernama

Authorities also discovered two boarding passes in the suspect’s possession – one for a flight to Kuala Lumpur on July 30 and another to Manila, the Philippines, scheduled for the following day. The purpose of possessing both

In a statement yesterday, the agency said a routine inspection revealed a social visit pass with an entry endorsement dated July 28 and an exit endorsement dated July 30. “Both endorsements are believed