24/10/2025

FRIDAY | OCT 24, 2025

5

‘Identify red flags early to address toxic masculinity issue’

Decomposed body of man found in lake

IPOH: The decomposing body of a man was found in a lake at Tasek Tiara Lake View Plaza, near Lahat, on Tuesday. Ipoh district police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said police received information about the discovery at about 5.40pm after a passer-by spotted the body floating near the edge of the lake. “Checks at the scene did not reveal any traces of blood, signs of a struggle or suspicious objects. Further inspection also found no abandoned or suspicious vehicles nearby,” he said in a statement. He added that the victim is believed to have been dead for more than a day, with no visible injuries or external wounds. No identification documents were found on the body and the case has been classified as “sudden death” pending results of a post-mortem at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital. – Bernama Foreigner held over murder of homeless person KUALA LUMPUR: Police have arrested a 27-year-old foreign man on suspicion of murdering a homeless individual in Bangsar on Wednesday. Brickfields district police chief ACP Hoo Chang Hook said the suspect was detained at 5pm near the UOA Bangsar Tower and was remanded at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court yesterday. “Initial investigations revealed that the suspect has known the victim for about a month and that both lived under the flyover in Jalan Bangsar. “A misunderstanding between them allegedly led to the victim’s death after he was pushed into a drain behind a closed shop building,” he said in a statement. Hoo added that the case is being investigated under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder. – Bernama

the child; 0 releasing the child on a bond of good behaviour under court-set conditions; 0 placing the child under the care of a suitable guardian or relative for a specified period; 0 ordering the child to pay a fine, compensation or costs; 0 issuing a probation order under Section 98; 0 sending the child to an approved school or Henry Gurney School; 0 ordering male offenders to be whipped not more than 10 times with a light cane; and 0 for offenders aged 14 and above, imposing a term of imprisonment if the offence carries imprisonment, subject to subsection 96(2). Tanjung Kling, said she only learned of the reported sighting upon arrival and decided to stay away from the shoreline as a precaution. “Now I understand why there are fewer people. I’d seen many videos online showing large crowds here previously,” said the homemaker. Another visitor, Azmi Tahir, 36, from Semabok, said he cancelled his plans to collect clams after hearing about the crocodile from local traders, adding that safety must come first. “It’s disappointing, of course. Who wouldn’t want free seafood, especially when prices are high?” he said during a visit to the beach. The Malacca Wildlife and National Parks Department has advised the public to avoid water-related activities at Klebang Beach until the area is confirmed safe. trained counsellors to identify early red flags, adding that parents must be empowered to recognise behavioural changes, foster open communication and model healthy masculinity. She said accountability must go beyond punishment to include rehabilitation, therapy and community responsibility. Florance also expressed support for government efforts to regulate harmful digital content while promoting media literacy among youths so they can “critically question, not passively absorb, what they consume”. She pointed to social-media algorithms that reward outrage and amplify extreme content, creating echo chambers in which toxic ideas go unchallenged. “These incidents are not isolated. They are symptoms of a larger mental health crisis among Malaysian youths. Toxic masculinity is not inevitable. With the right cultural, psychological and policy interventions, it can be unlearned.” She added that the problem reflects not only individual failings but a wider ecosystem that normalises violence and neglects emotional development.

“A civil suit can seek general, special, aggravated or exemplary damages and both the school and ministry may be named as parties.” On claims that some offenders receive protection, Muhammad Hafiz stressed that laws apply equally to all and are grounded in research and case studies. Children convicted of serious crimes cannot be sentenced to death or life imprisonment. Instead, they are detained under the authority of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, usually in a Henry Gurney School until age 21. He said sentencing provisions for juvenile offenders are outlined under Section 91 of the Child Act 2001, which include: 0 giving a warning and releasing Local food vendor Maimun Abu Bakar, 60, said the sighting, which was posted on social media, has raised safety concerns and deterred many from visiting the beach. “Over the past two days, fewer people have come to collect clams, likely out of fear, although the decline in shellfish could also be a factor,” she told Bernama during a survey of the area. She urged the authorities to continue monitoring the site and to instal warning signs to keep the public informed and cautious. Visitor Suriani Akhbar, 44, from distort their understanding of consent and equate control with power. “When this exposure goes unfiltered and uncontextualised, it can override moral reasoning and empathy, shaping behaviour in deeply troubling ways.” She added that when young perpetrators appear calm, indifferent or even boastful about their actions, it signals emotional detachment, early desensitisation to violence or underlying personality disorders. “Metal detectors, CCTVs or gender segregation might provide temporary deterrents, but they are not root-cause solutions. This crisis demands a multi-layered, long-term response.” She said parents often miss early signs of distress or aggression, mistaking behaviours such as withdrawal, irritability or fascination with violence as typical adolescence. Florance urged Malaysians to move beyond outrage to systemic, compassionate action, and called for comprehensive sexuality and consent education from an early age. “Teach respect, empathy and boundaries, not just biology.” She also called for school-based mental health programmes with

o Boys absorb early cues about power and control from families, peers and digital spaces, distorting understanding of consent and normalising aggression as strength: NGO

Ű BY T.C. KHOR newsdesk@thesundaily.com

culture, schools and digital spaces,” she told theSun . She said rigid beliefs such as “real men don’t cry” or “boys must dominate” continue to normalise aggression as strength while discouraging empathy from a young age. “When empathy and emotional intelligence are dismissed as weakness, boys grow up equating masculinity with dominance rather than responsibility.” She added that peer pressure further cements these attitudes in groups, in which violent or sexualised talk is cheered instead of challenged – often escalating from verbal harassment to physical violence and sexual aggression. Florance warned that repeated exposure to such content could desensitise young people to violence,

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is facing a generational crisis rooted in toxic masculinity, emotional detachment and a deepening youth mental health emergency, said Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sneham Malaysia president Datuk Dr Florance Sinniah. Sneham, a welfare organisation based in Selangor, focuses on community wellbeing and social development programmes that promote emotional health, family support and youth empowerment. Florence said toxic masculinity does not emerge overnight but is learned, reinforced and rewarded over time. “Boys and teenagers absorb early cues about power, control and gender roles from families, peers, popular

Crocodile sighting spooks visitors MALACCA: A usually bustling shellfish gathering spot at Klebang Beach has been noticeably quieter in recent days, believed to be due to reports of a crocodile sighting along the shoreline.

CLOSE CALL ... Penang Civil Defence Force personnel clearing a tree that crashed onto a house in Kampung Bukit Bayan Lepas that was occupied by six foreign nationals, who escaped unhurt. – PIC COURTESY OF PENANG CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

Tighten existing laws to curb child-related crimes: Lawyer KUALA LUMPUR: In recent months, Malaysia has been shaken by a spate of serious crimes involving schoolchildren, raising an unsettling question – are schools still safe?

The Act defines a “child” as anyone under 18, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Muhammad Hafiz, who has nearly 15 years of legal experience, said age is a mitigating factor in sentencing, depending on judicial discretion and evidence, Bernama reported. He cited the case of Muhamad Zakwan Zainuddin vs Public Prosecutor [2019] MLJU 1462, in which a child offender’s prison sentence was replaced with detention at a Henry Gurney School until age 21 – institutions designated for juvenile rehabilitation. When asked if schools should share liability in on-site crimes, he said the families of victims may pursue civil action if negligence is proven.

reforms are overdue. Lawyer Muhammad Hafiz Hood said the government should tighten enforcement of existing laws and consider amendments to the Child Act 2001, which together with the Penal Code, governs how juvenile offenders are charged and punished. “For instance, Section 302 of the Penal Code applies in murder cases even if the suspect is a minor. However, Section 97(1) of the Child Act 2001 prohibits the death penalty for anyone legally defined as a child at the time of the crime,” he said, adding that this is one area needing review. “One proposal could be to revise the age threshold under the Child Act 2001, lowering it from 18 years to 16 or 15, subject to a thorough study.”

The string of incidents began with the tragic death of Zara Qairina Mahathir in Sabah, followed by a shocking gang rape case in Malacca. Soon after, a student in Senawang, Negeri Sembilan, allegedly died from bullying, and more recently, a 14-year old boy fatally stabbed a 16-year-old schoolmate in Bandar Utama, Selangor. Crimes once thought confined to foreign headlines are now surfacing locally, prompting scrutiny of whether current laws are sufficient to handle offences involving minors – or if