18/10/2025

SATURDAY | OCT 18, 2025

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Plan to ban smartphone use by students under 16

PUTRAJAYA: A total of 8.8 million recipients of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) will receive their Phase 4 payments starting today, ahead of the Deepavali celebration. The Finance Ministry said the government has allocated RM2 billion for this phase, with payment rates of up to RM700, depending on the category. The amount also includes payments for 200,000 new applicants who have been approved for the Phase 4 payments, which are being disbursed earlier than in mid-November as originally scheduled. “Compared with Phase 1 in January, the number of Phase 4 recipients has increased by 500,000 individuals and households, from 8.3 million previously, following the Madani government decision to allow new applications and appeals throughout the year,” the ministry said in a statement. It added that the government would continue to keep registration for STR and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) 2026 open throughout the year to ensure more Malaysians have the opportunity to benefit from government assistance programmes. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also finance minister, said in the same statement that the Madani government remains committed to ensuring that assistance through the country’s revenue distribution will benefit Malaysians across all levels of society. “It is hoped that the distribution of STR 2025 Phase 4 would provide some financial relief ahead of the Deepavali celebration.” The data of existing recipients will be automatically integrated into the government database, along with information from relevant agencies, for a review of STR and Sara 2026 eligibility based on the prescribed criteria. STR applicants can refer to the Frequently Asked Questions section on the official STR portal at bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my. Payment status and approval checks can also be made through the same link. – Bernama STR Phase 4 payment begins today

covering up wrongdoing.” He said such attitudes not only obstruct justice but also send a dangerous message to students that misconduct can be overlooked in the name of institutional pride. “If such cases are covered up, it should be considered an offence as they are essentially protecting criminal activity. “Sometimes, they think bullying cases are minor. I’ve heard this myself when meeting students during Friday prayers. They say the bullying isn’t serious, so it’s brushed off. “But small cases, if ignored, will eventually lead to bigger ones.” Anwar stressed that his remarks were not meant to assign blame but to raise collective awareness about school discipline. “This is not about accusing anyone. It’s about raising shared awareness that even small acts of indiscipline must not be tolerated.” addressing these challenges. Fahmi said he had also instructed MCMC to take action against social media and e-commerce platforms that allow the sale of unauthorised or counterfeit products. “The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry and the Health Ministry, through the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency, have from time to time directed MCMC to remove prohibited items, including drugs.” He stressed the need for stronger cooperation among agencies such as MCMC, police and the Home Ministry to identify products that require enforcement action. “MCMC has also been directed to study possible measures against e-commerce companies that fail to cooperate, to ensure that they comply with government directives and national laws. If these platforms fail to ensure that users are protected from online harm, action can be taken against them.” official programme, I stopped by at Little India to observe the preparations of the Hindu community, which will be celebrating Deepavali on Monday. “Upon arrival, I had the opportunity to enjoy afternoon tea with Tamil media representatives and social media influencers at Madras Bakery while exchanging views on various current issues,“ he said in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday. “May this year’s Deepavali be celebrated with joy, gratitude and the spirit of unity,“ he said. – Bernama

He said another key focus would be on reinforcing value-based and moral education, with the active involvement of parents, teachers and parent-teacher associations. “Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek will provide further details. I hope principals, teachers and parents would give their full cooperation.” Anwar cautioned school administrators and principals against concealing bullying or disciplinary cases to protect the image of their institutions, warning that such acts amount to covering up wrongdoing. “Often, headmasters prioritise protecting the school image. While students are fighting and causing trouble, they are more concerned about how the school looks. “When cases arise, some hide them, supposedly to preserve the school’s good name. But protecting the perpetrators is a crime, akin to government documents such as the MyKad. “We will examine this aspect carefully and announce a timeline in due course. I want to emphasise that discussions with social media platforms, as decided by the Cabinet are still at the policy stage.” Fahmi added that the Cabinet also discussed a proposal to increase police presence in schools as part of joint efforts with the police to ensure a safer learning environment and strengthen student safety. He said the Education Ministry would issue guidelines for schools to conduct weekly random spot checks to maintain discipline and security among students. “A comprehensive study will also be carried out to examine the issues faced by schools, and a special task force will be established to prepare a report that will soon be presented to the Cabinet for further action.” He said the study would also consider the role of parents in

o Proposal aimed at reducing negative influence of social media, online games that shape behaviour, lead to criminal acts: Anwar

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

and online games can influence behaviour, sometimes even leading to criminal acts. “So, we will move towards prohibiting the use of smartphones among students aged 16 and below. The proposal is still being studied but many countries have already implemented similar measures,” he said after performing Friday prayers at Surau Jannatul Firdaus at the PPAM Seruling Malaysia Civil Servants Housing area. Anwar said the smartphone ban is among three immediate measures proposed by the Cabinet to strengthen school safety and student wellbeing. comprising not only MCMC officials but also representatives from the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Criminal Investigation Department, other agencies and the Finance Ministry to examine recurring issues concerning these platforms and identify solutions.” He said implementation would be carried out in accordance with existing laws, including the Personal Data Protection Act, which applies to what are considered commercial transactions. “This means that all commercial transactions conducted by entities, including social media platforms and e-wallet companies, are subject to these laws.” Fahmi said further discussions would be held with Bank Negara Malaysia and other relevant agencies, taking into account the existing e-KYC (electronic know your customer) systems used by several e-wallet apps such as Touch ‘n Go and Grab, which verify users using official

PUTRAJAYA: The government is considering a ban on the use of smartphones by students aged 16 and below as part of sweeping measures to address the rising tide of bullying and violent behaviour in schools. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the proposal, discussed by the Cabinet, is aimed at reducing the negative influence of social media and online games that can shape behaviour and even lead to criminal acts. “We’ve seen how social media

Move to boost online safety for schoolchildren

Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The government is mulling a proposal to raise the minimum age for social media use from 13 to 16, with enforcement tied to official identification such as MyKad, passports or MyDigital IDs, said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. He said the proposal, discussed by the Cabinet yesterday, is among several measures aimed at bolstering online safety and addressing issues affecting students, in line with practices in countries such as Australia and Indonesia. Fahmi said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) would hold detailed discussions with social media companies in Singapore next week to finalise the mechanism for implementing the policy. “We agreed to send a delegation

Govt providing initiatives worth RM42m for Indian community KUALA LUMPUR: The “After today’s

government is providing several new initiatives worth RM42.25 million specifically for the benefit of the Indian community, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He added that the initiatives include a free tuition programme and the provision of laptops through the Student Device (Peranti Siswa) initiative. Anwar said the initiatives, which also cover a school repair programme under the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit, were shared by him during a casual meeting with Tamil media representatives and social media influencers in Brickfields.

Anwar mingling with the Indian community during his walkabout at Little India in Brickfields. – BERNAMAPIC