23/10/2025

THURSDAY | OCT 23, 2025

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Teen faces murder charge over death of schoolmate

‘Worker welfare must be at heart of AI progress’

Ű BY QIRANA NABILLLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Magistrate orders psychiatric assessment to determine mental state and fitness to plead, case to be heard in High Court

years, and not less than 12 strokes of the cane if death is not imposed. The court fixed Nov 21 for case management and the submission of forensic and pathology reports. The prosecution team was led by DPP Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, assisted by Aqharie Durranie Aziz, Nur Sabrina Zubairi and Nurul ‘Izzati Mohamad. Yap, a Form Three student, was found dead inside the school washroom on Oct 14 after reportedly being attacked by a male schoolmate. Her death sent shockwaves nationwide, prompting calls for stronger safety protocols and mental health support in schools. She was cremated on Monday after a funeral attended by hundreds of relatives, friends and schoolmates. On Tuesday, the Attorney General’s Chambers confirmed it found sufficient grounds to charge the boy after reviewing investigation papers submitted by the police.

KUALA LUMPUR: The world must not lose sight of workers’ welfare amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and global trade shifts, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong. Speaking at the Asean Year of Skills 2025: Global Skills Forum (GSF) opening ceremony, he said while technology continues to reshape industries and economies, workers’ rights, protection and dignity must remain central to progress. “As the world focuses on new trade alignments and power shifts, we must ensure the hard-won gains of workers over the past century are not only safeguarded but advanced further.” Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was also present. Sim cited the gig economy as an example of how millions still lack basic protections traditionally granted to employees. “The more I reflect on the gig economy, the more I realise we are using 21st-century technology to generate profit while relying on 10th-century labour concepts of feudal serfdom.” He stressed that protecting workers also means preparing them for the future, with dignity depending not only on fair treatment but on access to education and upskilling. Many universities, he noted, still follow outdated systems that no longer meet workforce demands. “This is not to dismiss universities – they are improving, as seen in Malaysian institutions’rise in the QS World Rankings. However, IR 4.0 must also become a TVET revolution, as it is ultimately driven by skills.” Training, Sim said, must be agile and flexible to match industry needs, guided by three key principles – learning on the job, by practice and continuously. Under Zahid’s leadership, the National TVET Council and the Human Resources Ministry are developing a national training platform offering industry approved local and international courses. “Malaysia has already laid a strong foundation through HRD Corp, where employers contribute 1% of payroll to fund employee training.” Between 2023 and August this year, HRD Corp collected RM6.17 billion in levies, with RM5.77 billion used to train more than four million workers. Sim said employers now have greater flexibility to use these funds for a wider range of practical and continuous learning programmes. “In Budget 2026, the prime minister announced extra tax deductions for companies training workers in AI, showing Malaysia’s commitment to a future-ready workforce.” Since 2023, the National Training Week has promoted lifelong learning through free courses, expanding from 130,000 participants to nearly four million in 2025. “This initiative builds a culture of continuous learning that ensures no Malaysian is left behind.” Sim said Malaysia envisions Asean as a 700 million-strong skilled region united by shared cultures and traditions, making regional integration easier than ever. The GSF, held for the first time in Malaysia, marks the culmination of the Asean Year of Skills 2025.

PETALING JAYA: A 14-year-old student was charged at the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday with the murder of a schoolmate, Yap Shing Xuen, 16, in a case that has gripped the nation and reignited public debate over school safety and mental health. The teenager, clad in a t-shirt and long trousers, was escorted under tight police supervision into the Petaling Jaya Court Complex. His parents remained in the courtroom and avoided the media outside the building until proceedings concluded. The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, was read out before Magistrate Amira Sariaty Zainal. The boy is accused of murdering Yap between 9.20am and 9.35am on Oct 14 in the female students’ toilet on the ground floor of SMK Bandar Utama (4).

told reporters. He added that the evaluation was also necessary to safeguard the accused’s wellbeing and ensure he receives treatment if any condition affecting his mental state is identified. The charge was read out in Mandarin and the accused nodded to indicate he understood. No plea was recorded as the Magistrate’s Court does not have the authority to hear murder cases. The trial will be transferred to the High Court. According to the charge sheet, the offence is punishable under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40

Following a request by defence counsel Anwar Ezzad Zainal, the court ordered the accused to undergo psychiatric evaluation at Hospital Bahagia in Ulu Kinta, Perak, under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). Lawyer Kitson Foong, appearing as amicus curiae (friend of the court), confirmed the order and said the application was made in the boy’s best interests. “The psychiatric report must address his fitness to plead, whether he is capable of entering a plea and understands the nature of the proceedings today. “More importantly, it must assess his state of mind at the time of the alleged offence,” Foong

Installation of more CCTVs, especially in high-risk schools, are among the new measures to tighten safety and curb disciplinary problems, said the Education Ministry. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

Education Ministry rolls out new safety measures PETALING JAYA: The Education Ministry has unveiled a series of new measures to tighten safety controls in schools and curb disciplinary problems following a wave of violent incidents involving students across the country. among the personnel of MySTEP (short-term employment programme) allowing closer monitoring and easing the workload of existing wardens.

regulations, which include provisions for caning, suspension and expulsion, are now under review. “Principals and headmasters may delegate disciplinary authority to teachers based on the needs of the situation. “The ministry is in the process of redrafting the regulations to make them more effective and relevant to current challenges.” The student character system will also undergo a review to ensure disciplinary issues are addressed promptly, while schools will hold regular dialogues and feedback sessions with students through the Student Voice Box initiative. The ministry said the Child Protection Policy will be finalised soon, alongside new mental health screening programmes for students from Year One to Form Six in collaboration with the Health Ministry. – By Faiz Ruzman

The ministry added that cooperation with the police will be expanded under a strengthened school-level consensus committee, with police liaison officers tasked to assist in on-ground safety monitoring. “The police will conduct safety monitoring across all educational institutions under the ministry.” The ministry also confirmed that smart support teams at state and district education offices will be reinforced to respond to psychosocial and crisis situations, while teachers will continue receiving training for emergency preparedness. The ministry said the student discipline

In a statement, the ministry said the steps include a RM5 million allocation for installing closed circuit television (CCTV) systems in high-risk schools, bringing the total budget for surveillance installations to RM8 million nationwide. The ministry will also deploy 10,096 new teachers, among them over 500 guidance and counselling teachers, by November. “This will help meet current needs and strengthen psychosocial support for students,” the ministry said. To address safety in boarding schools, 600 full time assistant wardens will be appointed from