11/08/2025

MONDAY | AUG 11, 2025

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Under-13 social media ban faces hurdles: Experts Fake Malaysian driving licence uncovered during Ops Luxury 3.0 KUALA LUMPUR: Ops Luxury 3.0, which was carried out by the Road Transport Department from Thursday to Saturday last week, uncovered several traffic offences, including a case involving a foreign national driving a luxury vehicle with what is believed to be a fake Malaysian driving licence. RTD senior enforcement director Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan said the man, from a South Asian country, was among nine foreigners stopped for various offences during the operation. These included driving without insurance and with an expired road tax, Bernama reported. “The most serious offence detected was the possession of a fake Malaysian driving licence by a foreigner. The department will conduct further investigations to determine how the

Labuan folk demand justice for teenager

forged document was obtained. “We do not rule out the possibility of a syndicate forging such documents and a thorough investigation from various aspects will be carried out,” Muhammad Kifli told a press conference yesterday.

LABUAN: The death of 13-year-old Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir has sparked a rare show of unity in Labuan, with more than 3,000 people gathering yesterday to demand justice. The solidarity rally, held at the Labuan Food Court alongside the Labuan Bike event, was organised by Kelab Wanita Sejahtera and led by Umno supreme council member Datuk Mohd Rafi Ali Hassan. Local political leaders from across the spectrum, including PKR and Warisan, joined the stage to call for truth, justice and an end to violence against children. Many attendees wore black and carried placards reading“Justice for Zara Qairina”and “Stop Bullying”. “This is more than a political or social issue, it is a human one. We stand united in demanding justice for Zara,” Mohd Rafi told the crowd. Zara was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, on July 17 after being found unconscious in a drain near her religious school dormitory in Papar at about 4am the previous day. Her body was exhumed late last night and transported to Kota Kinabalu, where an autopsy is scheduled today to assist ongoing police investigations into her death. – Bernama 16 tonnes of smuggled pork seized KOTA BHARU: The 8th Battalion of the General Operations Force (GOF) has foiled an attempt to smuggle 16,000kg of pork carcasses after intercepting two lorries along Jalan Besar Kampung Apal on the Kelantan– Terengganu Highway on Saturday. Southeast Brigade commander Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the lorry drivers failed to produce valid documents for the goods, which are suspected to have been smuggled from Thailand for sale in the local market. Two drivers and a lorry attendant – all Indian nationals aged between 23 and 46 – were arrested. The seized pork and the two lorries are valued at an estimated RM1.04 million and have been handed over to the Terengganu Veterinary Department for further action. – Bernama Police seek witnesses in molestation case KUALA LUMPUR: Police are appealing for witnesses to assist in the investigation into the alleged molestation of a nine-year-old girl by a Bangladeshi worker at a convenience store in Kajang in February. Kajang district police chief ACP Naazron Abdul Yusof said the appeal followed the circulation of a widely shared video on X yesterday by account holder @Negeri09, alleging sexual harassment of a child. “Checks revealed that a police report was lodged on March 12 by the victim’s 32 year-old father, claiming his daughter was molested on Feb 27. The report was made after the child disclosed the incident to her family on March 11,” he said in a statement yesterday. Anyone with information is urged to contact investigating officer Sgt Norfaziana Sirkam at 019-5759045 or report to the nearest police station. – Bernama

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Lack of parental digital literacy, weak enforcement and platform loopholes could undermine proposal

She digital literacy workshops in schools and community centres, multilingual awareness campaigns, locally tailored online safety manuals and collaboration with tech companies to provide Malaysia-specific parental dashboards. From a legal standpoint, International Islamic University Malaysia cyber law expert Dr Sonny Zulhuda said a blanket ban was unrealistic. “We saw during the Covid-19 pandemic that platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok could be valuable tools for education and communication – even for children,” he said. Malaysia already has a licensing regime for major social media platforms, which Sonny said should be leveraged to promote safer online environments. He called for stronger platform level self-regulation, including content labelling for child-related risks and ethical age verification measures. “The best option is parental confirmation, rather than collecting children’s personal data directly,” he said. However, he cautioned that social media platforms were never designed to be child friendly. “Intrusive algorithms and exploitative marketing tools make it risky for children to navigate alone,” he said, adding that even with a ban, children might find workarounds such as fake accounts or shared devices. “This is why safeguards must be multi-pronged, legal, industrial and, above all, educational, both at home and in schools.” Both experts agreed that any age based restrictions must be paired with public education and practical enforcement. “Without strong parental involvement, clear public awareness campaigns and cooperation from platforms, a policy like this will struggle to succeed,” Nellie said. recommended

PETALING JAYA: A proposed ban on social media accounts for children under 13 may look good on paper, but without digitally literate parents, stricter checks and industry cooperation, experts warn it risks being little more than wishful thinking. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil told Parliament recently that the government is

development expert Dr Nellie Ismail said while the proposal was well intentioned, expecting Malaysian parents to enforce it effectively was “difficult but not impossible”. “Many parents are aware of the dangers of early social media use – from cyberbullying and inappropriate content to its toll on mental health – but the success of any ban hinges on parental digital literacy. It also depends on consistent family rules and access to proper monitoring tools,” she said. In many households, oversight is undermined by peer pressure and the widespread use of smartphones. “Parental supervision often falters when parents themselves are unfamiliar with the platforms their children use,” Nellie said, adding that without wider support from schools and communities, enforcement could fall short. She noted that Malaysian families have varied levels of digital literacy based on socio-economic background. “Urban households with better education may have moderate to high awareness, but many parents still don’t understand how apps such as TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat actually work, particularly their risks and algorithms,” she said. She added that some parents believe that setting time limits is enough, while underestimating the psychological impact of the content children consume. When asked why parents allow underage social media use despite age limits, Nellie cited a lack of awareness, assumptions that it is harmless if children avoid risky behaviour and the desire for children to fit in socially or stay entertained at home.

studying measures,

stricter

enforcement

including age restrictions, as part of broader efforts to protect young users from online harm. Universiti Putra Malaysia child

Nellie said parental supervision often falters when parents themselves are unfamiliar with the platforms their children use. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

Toddler dies from suspected abuse, couple remanded KUALA TERENGGANU: Police have arrested a husband and wife on suspicion of fatally abusing their one year-and-11-month-old son. and stepmother. The suspects initially claimed he had fallen, causing swelling to his forehead, but that he continued playing after ice was applied. Health Clinic before being referred to the hospital due to his critical condition. Examinations revealed brain injuries as well as bruises and wounds consistent with blunt force trauma. old woman were arrested in Marang at 10pm on the same day, shortly after the burial.

They have been remanded for seven days under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001. Police also seized the clothes hanger believed to have been used, while the couple’s other child, aged three, has been placed under the care of the Social Welfare Department. – Bernama

Kuala Terengganu police chief ACP Azli Mohd Noor said the case came to light after Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital reported the boy’s death at 4.14pm on Aug 6. The toddler, the younger of two siblings, was brought to the hospital unconscious at 1pm by his father

An autopsy determined the cause of death to be an intracranial haemorrhage. During questioning, the suspects allegedly admitted to hitting the deceased with a clothes hanger. The 27-year-old man and 30-year

Azli said the following day, while preparing to feed the child milk, the father found him weak and limp. He claimed to have massaged the boy’s neck to prevent a seizure, causing visible bruising. The boy was taken to the Manir